Developing new academics' self-perception as agents of change: A cross-disciplinary case study

This paper reviews a project run within a university Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. The project has two purposes: to promote peer learning among new lecturers and teaching staff engaged in curriculum change; secondly, to increase dissemination across the institution and develop a framework for interdisciplinary exchange of expertise and interest. Although the focus in this paper is on one module - Innovation in Learning and Teaching- these changes emerged from a wider review of the whole PGCert programme, and the paper includes a brief overview of this and other relevant changes. For the purposes of evaluating the enhancement of student learning, the definition of students is deliberately broad: academic staff-as- students on the Postgraduate Certificate and the students they themselves teach.

Previously, this module produced a small body of work of variable quality, with limited impact and minimal dissemination. Participants worked largely in isolation. The changes made – for example the use of interdisciplinary learning sets; greater involvement of mentors; accessing literature on evaluation; use of technology – resulted in a number of developments. Staff developed strong and lasting peer networks beyond their academic departments, with a consequent impact on their developing professional identity. They had a sanctioned space to explore and engage in curriculum innovation; more robust processes for review engaged their colleagues and students in evaluating impact and further developments. In the next phase of the project we hope to involve staff and students with expertise in events management in planning dissemination events.