From anxiety to empowerment: a learning community of university teachers

MacKenzie, J. et al. (2010) From anxiety to empowerment: a learning community of university teachers. Teaching in Higher Education, 15(3), pp. 273-284. (doi: 10.1080/13562511003740825)

Abstract

Increasing numbers of 'teaching-only' staff are being appointed in higher education institutions in the UK. At one research-intensive university, a new category of academic staff was recently introduced: University Teachers, who are required to engage in scholarly activity as part of their conditions of employment. For many this scholarly activity equates to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). In an attempt to support this growing body of staff in their engagement with SoTL, a year-long Learning Community (LC) was formed. This paper outlines the activities of the LC and presents the outcomes of a collaborative project to explore its members' experiences. We describe the developmental process of LC membership and consider the parallels between our findings and theories of social capital and transformative learning. We conclude with a consideration of how LCs might be used as an engaging form of academic staff development.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: The scholarship of teaching and learning, learning community, social capital, transformative learning
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Brown, Ms Andrea and Bohan, Dr Jason and Morrow, Dr Lorna and Tierney, Miss Anne and McAdam, Dr Julie and Bell, Ms Sheena and McKerlie, Mr Robert and Burke, Dr Joanne and Paschke, Dr Beth and Jamieson, Professor Susan and Cogdell, Dr Barbara and MacKenzie, Dr Jane and Rea, Professor Paul
• Authors: MacKenzie, J., Bell, S., Bohan, J., Brown, A., Burke, J., Cogdell, B., Jamieson, S., McAdam, J., McKerlie, R., Morrow, L., Paschke, B., Rea, P., and Tierney, A.
• Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences; College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy
• Journal Name: Teaching in Higher Education
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1356-2517
• ISSN (Online): 1470-1294
• Published Online: 14 June 2010
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2010 Taylor and Francis
• First Published: First published in Teaching in Higher Education 15(3):273-284
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher