From anxiety to empowerment: a Learning Community of University Teachers

MacKenzie, Jane; Bell, Sheena; Bohan, Jason; Brown, Ashley; Burke, Joanne; Cogdell, Barbara; Jamieson, Susan; McAdam, Julie; McKerlie, R.A.; Morrow, Lorna; Paschke, Beth; Rea, Paul; Tierney, Anne Margaret

doi:10.1080/13562511003740825

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Academics are expected to be competent in teaching (Adcroft and Taylor 2013) -demonstrated, usually, through receiving adequate scores in end-of-term teaching evaluations from students and/or colleagues -and to at least make a show of engaging in university and community service (Smith, Else, and Crookes 2014), but neither activity will ultimately lead to senior-level promotions, except in all but a few teachingfocussed institutions or at some universities that have introduced teaching paths to professorship (Mackenzie et al 2010), although these are often considered 'second-class' career paths (Fogg 2004). This validation of research success as the key form of success in academia causes consternation and confusion for many early career academics, all of whom harbour personal aspirations for changing students' lives through their teaching, but who may have received different messages about the value of teaching and other activities during their graduate school experience.…”

Section: Decoding Conflicting Messages and Expectations About Successmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constructions of success in academia: an early career perspective

Sutherland

2015

Studies in Higher Education

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Expectations around success in academia vary, and early career academics often receive conflicting messages about what they should concentrate on to achieve promotion or tenure. Taking a social constructionist approach, this paper considers the constructs of objective and subjective career success in academia and shares the perspectives of early career academics in three countries in relation to these narratives. Key findings are that objective career success in academia dominates the literature but remains ill-defined in the minds of the early career academics to whom the measures are applied, and that subjective career success in academia needs both more research attention and more consideration in promotion, tenure, and workload deliberations and policies.

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Section: Decoding Conflicting Messages and Expectations About Successmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constructions of success in academia: an early career perspective

Sutherland

2015

Studies in Higher Education

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“…Recently, it has been noted that there has been 'surprisingly little research on the role of professors' (Macfarlane 2011, 57). Although different to the role of a senior lecturer, comparative studies traditionally stated that in the UK 'academic staff from professor to lecturer basically have the same function of teaching, research and service/administration' (Kogan, Moses, and El-Khawas 1994, 51), although teaching-only posts are now growing in popularity (MacKenzie et al 2010). A professorial position is often viewed as 'the peak of an academic career' (Ozkanli and White 2008, 53).…”

Section: The Studymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Recent research considering institutional change in higher education used the theoretical framework of Bourdieu and questioned 'how habitus [or disposition] moulded by the field of school teaching evolves when an agent enters the field of higher education' (Kloot 2009, 480). This, being applicable to my situation, prompted me to consider my findings within the framework of Bourdieu with the aim of building on research that has considered the concepts of capital (MacKenzie et al 2010), habitus and field when researching higher education.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Advice from the professors in a university Social Sciences department on the teaching-research nexus

Douglas

2013

Teaching in Higher Education

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This article reports on a small-scale interview study of all the professors in one social sciences department in a university in England. The study asks for advice on how academic teaching staff can best develop their research activity whilst effectively fulfilling their teaching position. The findings identify five strands of advice for developing research: teach as part of your research activity; use your research when planning lectures; be a flexible researcher and adapt your research interests to available opportunities; proactively promote yourself and your research; and engage in research as a collective activity. Such advice comments on the possible relationships between teaching and research. The data are also considered in terms of a Bourdieu analytic framework, where the importance of building research capital and creating a research habitus is emphasised in order to succeed in what is an increasingly competitive research environment.

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“…At the University of Glasgow, a community established to support university teachers engages with the scholarship of teaching and learning which has impacted positively on their work (MacKenzie et al, 2010). It was found that the safety in the space created was important together with the support gained from peers and the feeling of being valued.…”

Section: Qae 223mentioning

confidence: 99%

Discovering inspiring teaching: immersive models of staff development

Hennessy

Adams

Mahon

et al. 2014

Quality Assurance in Education

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to outline an innovative method of delivering staff development in an higher education (HE) setting. The paper evaluates the processes behind the "Focus on Inspiring Teaching" week and outlines its initial impact on staff. Design/methodology/approach -This is a descriptive case study which highlights how an immersive staff development event can be used to enable HE teaching practitioners to utilise more inspiring approaches to teaching and learning. The paper draws on questionnaire evaluations (n ϭ 43). Findings -The paper highlights how staff development events can be used to foster communities of practice for teaching staff. For this to be successful, staff needs to be committed to reflecting on their own practice and be sufficiently engaged to partake actively of staff development events. By establishing these communities, inspiring practice in teaching can be developed with successful outcomes. The paper outlines a model for staff development which could be established in other HE settings. Practical implications -Immersive staff development events are effective in achieving sustainable impact. To achieve success effective leadership and a team of committed teaching staff are needed. Success was also fostered by not making sessions compulsory whereby the staff could opt in for sessions to fit around teaching schedules. Originality/value -This paper will be of interest to those working in staff development and training and academic managers. It indicates how immersive staff development can have a positive impact on staff practice to bring about improvements to the student experience.

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From anxiety to empowerment: a Learning Community of University Teachers

Cited by 32 publications

References 10 publications

Constructions of success in academia: an early career perspective

Constructions of success in academia: an early career perspective

Advice from the professors in a university Social Sciences department on the teaching-research nexus

Discovering inspiring teaching: immersive models of staff development

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