Mieke Clement

Teachers' professional development: a solitary or collegial (ad)venture?

Abstract There exists nowadays consensus on the importance of teachers’ professional development. Also, most authors agree that the schools workplace conditions can exert great influence on this development. In this paper the impact of two workplace conditions, autonomy and collegiality, on elementary school teachers’ professional development is analysed. The qualitative research reported makes clear that this influence should be thought of in a balanced way. Certain forms of autonomy and collegiality — and more specifically certain combinations of both workplace conditions — have a far more positive influence on teachers’ professional development than others.

The Effectiveness of a Faculty Training Programme: Long‐term and institutional impact

Long‐term influences of educational development initiatives for novice faculty members are seldom studied in a systematic way. In this exploratory study the long‐term individual and institutional impact of a novice faculty training programme at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) was evaluated, using a written survey with open questions. The results revealed that 2 years after finishing the programme the respondents still referred to the programme as a means of explaining changes in their day‐to‐day teaching practice. No firm relationship could be established between the strength of individual impact and the extent to which respondents also felt inclined to change things at the institutional level. The data suggests that the long‐term impact of the programme depends mainly on contextual elements. The article further discusses implications for the design of faculty training as well as perspectives for further research. Onderzoek naar de invloed op lange termijn van onderwijskundige professionalisering voor beginnende docenten is schaars. Dit artikel bespreekt de resultaten van een exploratieve studie over de lange termijn invloed van een opleiding voor beginnende docenten aan de universiteit van Antwerpen (België). Met behulp van een schriftelijke vragenlijst met open vragen werd de invloed van de opleiding op individueel en institutioneel niveau nagegaan. De resultaten tonen aan dat de respondenten twee jaar na datum nog steeds naar de opleiding verwijzen wanneer zij veranderingen in hun dagelijkse onderwijspraktijk duiden. Vastgesteld werd dat docenten die getuigen van sterke veranderingen in hun onderwijsopvattingen, ook meer omvattende veranderingen in hun praktijk beschrijven. Er werd geen verband gevonden tussen de sterkte van de veranderingen op individueel niveau en de mate waarin docenten zich geroepen voelden om veranderingen op institutioneel niveau teweeg te brengen. De resultaten laten vermoeden dat de lange termijn invloed van de opleiding vooral afhangt van contextfactoren. Het artikel gaat in op de implicaties van de bevindingen voor het ontwerp van onderwijskundige professionalisering en op de uitdagingen voor verder onderzoek. Linfluence à long terme des initiatives de développement pédagogique destinées aux enseignants universitaires en début de carrière est rarement étudiée de façon systématique. Dans le cadre de cette étude exploratoire, limpact à long terme et pour linstitution dun programme de formation pour les nouveaux enseignants donné à lUniversité dAnvers (Belgique) a été évalué à laide dun questionnaire écrit comportant des questions ouvertes. Les résultats tendent à démontrer que, même deux ans après avoir complété le programme, les répondants faisaient toujours référence au programme pour expliquer les changements survenus dans leur pratique quotidienne denseignement. Bien que les changements comportementaux correspondent à létendue du changement en matière de conceptions de lenseignement, aucune relation nette na pu être établie entre limpact institutionnel et la vigueur de limpact individuel. Les données tendent à démontrer que limpact à long terme du programme dépend principalement déléments contextuels. Larticle présente aussi des éléments de discussion relatifs au design dactivités de formation pour les enseignants, de même que de nouvelles perspectives de recherche.

Faculty Development in Research‐Intensive Universities: The role of academics’ conceptions on the relationship between research and teaching

The study reported in this article explores conceptions of the research–teaching relationship held by faculty members in two research‐intensive universities. To elaborate a model for research‐intensive teaching that can be considered in faculty development, a total of 16 members from 4 different disciplines were interviewed. The rich diversity in the views on the research–teaching nexus is described from four different perspectives. First we spell out the respondents’ thoughts about what constitutes research for them. We then describe the consequences of this conceptualisation for the goals and strategies they put forward for their teaching. This analysis is deepened in the third section where we discuss the underlying reasons our respondents expressed for the importance they attach to research for high‐quality teaching. Finally, we present how the respondents believe teaching might contribute to their research. This study confirms a number of previously reported findings on the relationship between research and teaching. It also reveals two striking features of research‐intensive teaching in research‐intensive universities: (1) it is more research‐ than student‐centred, and (2) the link between research and teaching is fundamentally based on and directed towards a mature epistemological disposition. It is argued that these two features have to be explicitly considered in faculty development. Deze bijdrage exploreert de opvattingen over de relatie tussen onderzoek en onderwijs van academici in twee onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten. Zestien academici uit vier verschillende disciplines werden geïnterviewd. De analyse was gericht op het ontwikkelen van een model over de onderzoek‐onderwijs relatie dat in onderwijskundige vorming van academici kan worden gebruikt. De grote diversiteit in de antwoorden kan vanuit vier invalshoeken worden beschreven. In eerste instantie gaan we in op wat ‘onderzoek’ betekent voor de respondenten. Vervolgens beschrijven we de gevolgen van deze conceptualisering voor de wijze waarop ze hun onderwijs vormgeven. Een dieper begrip van de relatie wordt in een derde deel bewerkstelligd. We beschrijven de redenen die respondenten aanreiken om het belang van onderzoek voor kwalitatief hoogstaand onderwijs te onderbouwen. Ten slotte, gaan we na of volgens onze respondenten het onderwijs ook een bijdrage levert aan hun onderzoek. Deze bijdrage bevestigt bevindingen in vroeger onderzoek over de relatie tussen onderzoek en onderwijs. Tegelijkertijd reveleert het twee kenmerken van onderwijs in onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten: (1) het is meer onderzoeks‐ dan studentgeoriënteerd en (2) een nauwe band tussen onderzoek en onderwijs is gericht op verwerven van een gesofisticeerde epistemologische positie. Een effectieve onderwijskundige vorming van academici in onderzoeksintensieve universiteiten houdt expliciet rekening met deze kenmerken. L’étude présentée dans cet article explore les conceptions de la relation enseignement‐recherche entretenues par des membres du corps enseignant de deux universités de recherche. De façon à élaborer un modèle de l’enseignement en contexte de recherche pouvant être envisagé du point de vue du développement pédagogique, un total de 16 personnes provenant de diverses disciplines ont été interrogées. La riche diversité des points de vue au sujet de la relation entre enseignement et recherche est décrite selon quatre perspectives différentes. Premièrement, nous décrivons les pensées des répondants au sujet de ce que constitue, à leurs yeux, la recherche. Ensuite, nous décrivons les conséquences de cette conceptualisation pour les objectifs et les stratégies que les répondants mettent en oeuvre dans le cadre de leur enseignement. Cette analyse est approfondie dans la troisième section où nous discutons des raisons profondes exprimées par nos répondants à l’égard de l’importance que ceux‐ci accordent à la recherche soutenant un enseignement de qualité. Finalement, nous présentons les façons selon lesquelles les répondants croient que l’enseignement peut contribuer à leur recherche. Cette étude confirme un certain nombre de découvertes rapportées précédemment au sujet de la relation entre la recherche et l’enseignement. Elle soulève aussi deux dimensions importantes de l’enseignement axé sur la recherche en contexte de recherche : (1) celui‐ci est davantage axé sur la recherche que sur l’apprenant, et (2) le lien entre la recherche et l’enseignement repose fondamentalement sur, en plus d’être dirigé vers, une disposition épistémologique mature. Ces deux dimensions doivent être considérées de façon explicite dans le cadre du développement pédagogique.

How School Leaders Can Promote Teachers' Professional Development: An Account from the Field.

It is generally accepted that school leaders play a crucial role in teachers professional development. Even though the literature offers ample examples of workplace conditions that school leaders can create in this respect, it remains often unclear which processes behind these conditions explain their impact on teachers professional development. In this paper it is demonstrated on the basis of qualitative research that two important concepts can clarify these processes. If school leaders succeed in creating workplace conditions that offer learning opportunities and learning space, learning experiences - the milestones for professional development - will originate. This thesis is demonstrated for the workplace condition collegiality.

University Assistants' Conceptions of Knowledge, Learning and Instruction

way teachers design their learning environment, how they define their tasks and how they interact with students (Kember, 1997; Tillema, 1994, 1995). However, no research seems to take all three conceptions into account at the same time. Moreover, conceptions of knowledge and learning have been studied predominantly among a student population, whereas conceptions of instruction have been examined mostly among a teacher population (Hativa, 1997). It therefore remains unclear how and to what extent conceptions of instruction are associated with conceptions of knowledge and learning. With the present research an attempt was made to fill this gap. Conceptions of knowledge, learning and instruction were questioned among the same population of first and second-year research and teaching assistants. Being (Ph.D.) students as well as beginning teachers, this subject population allowed us to link up with the student-based literature on conceptions of learning and knowledge and with the teacher-based literature on conceptions of instruction.

Fascinating Bologna: Impact on the nature and approach of academic development

European universities are today facing major and unique changes as a result of the Bologna Declaration. The Bologna Declaration is not a treaty. It has not been ratified by national or regional parliaments. None of the countries that signed the declaration are thus bound by it. Yet the Bologna Declaration is more than a political statement. It formulates a clear goal: the creation of a coherent European Higher Education Area as a means to ensure mobility and employability throughout Europe and to improve the international competition and attractiveness of European higher education throughout the world. And, a deadline is set. By 2010 the European Higher Education Area should be a fact. The Bologna Declaration also encompasses a very concrete program of action with several specific objectives:

Avoiding compliance and resistance through collaboration? A Belgian teaching portfolio case

In this paper, the authors describe the implementation process of a teaching portfolio at a Belgian university. The case is intriguing because it departs substantially from what others have described as the typical antagonistic way in which academic developers interact with formal leaders. Rather than being caught in an edgy game of compliance and resistance, the actors present themselves as partners in a collaborative process throughout three consecutive phases. To interpret this process, reference is made to a collaborative framework from a social psychology perspective that could help avoid compliance and resistance.

An interactive training programme for beginning faculty: issues of implementation

The evaluation of a first step implementation of an interactive training program for beginning faculty is presented. The training program is based on the principles of full recognition of the subjective theory of the faculty and establishing an equal relationship between the faculty and the trainer.To evaluate the actual implementation of the model questionnaires on the implementation of the two principles, participants’ reactions to the training and fulfilment of expectations towards the training were used. The results of the training are assessed with questionnaires on the learning of the participants, their expected use of knowledge and skills, their expected development and a pre and post measurement of instructional beliefs. The results show that the interactive model of faculty training was implemented and seems appropriate for training beginning faculty. The goals of the training were attained, except for directional change in instructional beliefs of the faculty. It is hypothesised that global changes in instructional beliefs can only be measured after a longer period.

The agency game in academic development: compliance and resistance

The seminal idea underlying this IJAD special issue came into being at the Amsterdam EARLI conference in 2009, when one of the co-editors presented on the idea of compliance and resistance in academic development. Some of the colleagues who were present at the session showed much enthusiasm for the concepts highlighted. They felt these were central to the work and identity of academic developers, as we try to interface our value systems and beliefs about (higher) education with institutional, national, and international imperatives in complex power dynamics. Some of these colleagues subsequently made contact to ensure that a follow-up to the conference presentation would take place. Eventually, a number of us, as a team, further presented on the same topic at the Barcelona ICED conference in 2010. At that event, during a very festive lunch break, plans for this special issue were firmed up. At that stage, the project took a life of its own and this issue is the result of all the thinking, reflections, and scholarly endeavours that have derived from the ongoing dialogue among several of us. Without repeating what is clearly stated in the introductory article by Roberto Di Napoli, this special issue is concerned with the mediating strategies that academic developers use in current higher education systems, where discourses about efficiency and effectiveness in higher education, as created in and by contexts imbued with marketability and accountability, mingle and struggle with those about the ‘goodness’ of education, as driven by principles of collegiality, empowerment, inclusivity, complexity, and larger time frames for dialogue about reform and innovation. We wish to clarify at this early stage that the conceptual lever for this issue is not inspired by antagonism between the two sets of discourses highlighted above. We have tried to avoid reification, as higher education realities are much too fuzzy and complex these days to allow for this. Discourses mingle, overlap, and impact on each other in ways that may be virtuous at certain times and pernicious on other occasions. The intention was to promote a healthy and helpful debate about the ethical standing of academic developers in current higher education systems. We wanted to look at emerging and evolving contextual forms of synthesis between compliance and resistance towards productive forms of collaboration between managers, academics, and academic developers; we wanted to focus on, in the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek’s own words, ‘the stability of dynamic development’ (Žižek in Young-june Park, p. 8) in our professional field. This unstable stability, so to speak, is investigated and reflected upon throughout the three sections of this special issue. The first section presents a number of international case studies that range from Scandinavia to Belgium to Poland. While these are to be considered illustrative of academic development in a particular time and specific contexts, they contribute, in

Note University teachers' beliefs about goals and characteristics of good instruction

A large body of research findings reveals that teachers’ beliefs are an important variable to consider when designing faculty development initiatives. Consequently, beginning lecturers’ and teaching assistants’ instructional beliefs were measured in order to prepare faculty development initiatives at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). In order to adjust these initiatives to the specific needs of the participants, we wondered whether these beliefs differed according to discipline or teaching experience. Two research questions were formulated: