Learning Development 10 years on

Abstract

With the 10th ALDinHE conference about to take place in Plymouth, it seems timely to take stock of Learning Development (LD) in the UK. In our opinion, there is a lot to be optimistic about. Scholarly and research-based evaluation of activities is becoming the norm in the field, and discussion of the epistemological and pedagogical foundations of practice is increasingly necessary and visible. A quick glance at the contributions to this issue of the journal certainly supports this view. Case studies do more than share ideas and practice; they evaluate impact and consider implications. Many of the papers engage with profound theoretical questions or disseminate the outcomes of well-founded research. Some were commissioned by their institutions to investigate the subject matter or were established after successful funding bids to conduct their research.This evident progress of research-based approaches in Learning Development offers opportunities for well-informed consideration of the nature and scope of the field. Is it a distinct academic discipline -the subject of one of the papers in this issue? Has Learning Development joined the academy in its own right or is it a minor offshoot of a wider or multidisciplinary approach such as Educational Research or Educational Development? Is it a profession, with a unique set of practices and an evidence-base to support them? How is it viewed from the outside? Do we need to work collectively to enhance both the visibility and the reputation of LD -whatever it may be? The fact that we are beginning to discuss these questions suggests a potential shift in our own consciousness at least; one that may be increasingly necessary given the wider political and socio-economic circumstances in which higher education finds itself.