Online education is used for a variety of purposes in higher education. Two such purposes are improving staff performance over time and allowing staff to obtain feedback about their professional skill development. Relying on data from online staff skill development courses delivered in five universities, this article explores online faculty learning through the lens of a model of professional development. This theoretical perspective offers an examination of how professional skills are understood and practiced in online staff development courses. At the core of this analysis is the contention that faculty participants understand and respond to the need for high-quality teaching. Finally, this study highlights the points deemed important when designing, implementing and evaluating Internet training courses.