Centralised decentralised professional development models: supporting the long term use of information and communication technology (ICT) in higher education

This paper explores the concept of centralised-decentralised models of professional development. The idea that professional development networks constitute social designs directed at practice is used to investigate the durability and sustainability of two Professional Development (PD) models that seek to draw away from a strongly centralised focus to engage professionals at a local level: the CHED Associates Scheme at Monash University and the Faculty CATLyst Scheme at the University of Western Australia. The specific design of the models as described by the principle participants was interrogated and analysed in order to provide some useful insights into the operation and sustainability of the models. Implications for academic development units interested in using such models to support academic staff in changing their teaching to incorporate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)/flexible teaching and learning are then presented.