A Useable, Trans-Disciplinary Conception of Scholarship

Abstract

If the notions of scholarship, scholar and scholarly are to avoid emptiness and become useable as descriptors of teaching, as Ernest Boyer hoped, the concepts behind these terms need clarifying and tightening-up, particularly in the context of a university system re-inventing itself and unsure of its future direction. A three-fold analysis of scholarly is proposed, referring to critical re¯ectivity as a habit of mind, scrutiny by peers as a modus operandi, and inquiry as a motivation. The paper asks what scholarly teaching might look like if this conceptualisation were adopted. Answers suggested include knowledge-based teaching, discipline-based teaching and inquiry-based teaching. The implications of these ideas are explored in regard to contributing to ª good teachingº , opening up teaching to peer-scrutiny, strengthening teaching as a collective enterprise, and sustaining university teachers in danger of burn-out and demoralisation. An extensive bibliography of recent work on scholarly teaching and an Appendix illustrating micro-level, scholarly analysis of a teacher' s work are included.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: un modelo de desarrollo profesional de los profesores universitarios

“…Algunos autores, aún dada la complejidad, también se han atrevido a proponer sus propias definiciones y aquí se presentan algunas de las más utilizadas: Andresen (2000): debería suponer una investigación guiada, supone reflexión crítica y un examen de iguales (scholarship should be inquiry--driven, involve critical reflectivity and scrutiny by peers). Kreber (2005): es el trabajo crítico, intelectual dirigido a la consecución de metas significativas de aprendizaje (is the intellectual, practical and critical work done by colleagues and university teachers, that is aimed at pursuing significant educational goals).…”

“…Son sobre todo los investigadores de Reino Unido, Australia, Nueva Zelanda y EE.UU los que más han echado mano del significado del término scholarship en sus trabajos (Andresen, 2000;Benjamin, 2000;Brew, 2003;Healey, 2000;Kreber, 2000Kreber, , 2003Kreber, , 2005Kreber, , 2007Kreber, y 2013Kreber y Cranton, 2000;Lueddeke, 2003;Martin y Ransden, 2000;Trigwell, Martin, Benjamin y Prosser, 2000;Trigwell y Shale, 2004). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning es un movimiento de investigación centrada en el modo de ejercer la enseñanza en la Educación Superior con gran repercusión internacional pero sin llegar a calar en España.…”

The Professional Development of Academics

“…Very few lecturers excel naturally and equally in all their scholarship roles (Andresen 2000). The majority of lecturers need to continuously develop their professional skills in all their scholarly roles.…”

“…Developing a scholarly identity has become increasingly difficult in an academic environment that places multiple demands on the scholar (Harris 2005), in an environment where research is seen as "the strongest academic currency in higher education" (Henkel 2005:164). Scholarly development and identity therefore tend to focus on the scholarship of discovery in a specific discipline (Andresen 2000).…”

Learning from Reciprocal Peer Observation: A collaborative self-study

“…We sought to encourage one another in being scholarly teachers (Andresen, 2000) who are open to questioning and who critically reflect on what we teach, how we teach and why we teach. As 6 Shulman (2000, p.11) argues, "Research that renders one's own practice as the problem for investigation is at the heart of what we mean by professing or profession."…”