Introduction
The emergence of personalised learning within the tertiary sector is an invitation for e-technology that must not be rejected. The web offers potential for students to access knowledge globally, and to individualise learning by using instant access to information as a learning resource. Social networking tools like Facebook, chat-rooms, discussion media and blogs can be used to share and build knowledge, reflecting a trend towards a socialised process of eLearning.
Professional development has become a significant activity within higher education (HE) as a result of initiatives to support and enhance learning and teaching activity in the UK higher education (HE) sector. These initiatives are embedded in HE as part of the Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning initiative, the work of The Higher Education Academy and its associated Subject Centres, and most recently through the introduction of a UK Framework of Professional Standards (UK PSF) for Teaching in HE (Higher Education Funding Council for England, HEFCE, 2006).
Academic and educational developers are employed within HE for the initial and continuing professional development (CPD) of HE staff. They often lead and support experienced staff in the enhancement of teaching and learning; provide initial teacher training to meet professional standards; and address a range of pedagogical themes and development needs in response to learning and teaching strategies and institutional priorities.
Personalised learning with its emphasis on learner centredness, diversity, empowerment of learners and flexibility (Beetham & Sharpe, 2007; MacDonald, 2006; Taylor, 2000; Phipps et al, 2008) could in principle provide an effective means of addressing the professional learning needs of academic staff within this context of initial and continuing professional development. This chapter explores whether this is in fact the case.