NetLinkS: a national professional development project for networked learner support

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of NetLinkS, a professional development project for networked learner support (NLS). The project is funded by the UK Electronic Libraries programme, and aims to encourage the further development of NLS across the UK higher education sector. The paper introduces the aims and objectives of the project and the activities carried out in its first year, presents some of the information gathered by the project about current practice in NLS in the UK, and discusses the plans for the project's second phase, from September 1996 to May 1998. The main aim of phase two is to facilitate the development of a networked learning community, or “community of interest,” for NLS.