Getting started in flexible learning - perceptions from
an online professional development workshop

This paper reports on an evaluation of the effectiveness of an online professional development workshop for university academics new to online learning and teaching. The online Communication and E-moderation workshop takes an authentic approach to professional development. Offering opportunities for rich learning experiences, academics are supported in adapting research and integrating discussion effectively into their online courses. Participants' learning was assessed in the context of practice, critical evaluation and reflection. Overall, the evaluation shows that the workshop was beneficial for academic staff who wished to develop skills in discussion and e-moderation for online learning and teaching. Participants who finished all stages of the workshop achieve in all areas of the learning outcomes.