Developing new Learning Developers: survey results and roadmap

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1424

Keywords:

Learning Development, CPD, professional development, new Learner Developers, CPD framework

Abstract

Did you know that only 7.7% of new Learning Developers are taught how to conduct a one-to-one tutorial, and only 38.5% are taught how to lead a workshop? (all data according to our survey: Coulson & Crofts, 2023). Despite this, nearly half (45.6%) of new Learning Developers have had the opportunity to complete a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Teaching in Higher Education, which is not tailored for such an expert role.

Kate and Matt met at #ALDCon23 in Portsmouth and discussed how new community members develop their expertise. Matt is a new Learning Developer, and Kate has worked in Learning Development for over a decade; they recognised that there was a gap in the ALDinHE CPD provision and agreed to find out if this was true. This presentation outlined the results of a survey they designed and shared with the ALDinHE community in November 2023. This online survey asked new and established Learning Developers about their experiences of CPD, including what was useful, what they experienced and what would have benefitted them.

The survey showed a clear gap in Continued Professional Development (CPD) provision for Learning Developers. Kate and Matt are now in the process of designing a CPD framework that not only meets the needs of new Learning Developers but also enhances the skills and knowledge of more experienced colleagues. Participants had the opportunity to contribute their own experiences of CPD to the group to enhance further the quantitative data collected in the survey. As part of this session and beyond, Kate and Matt are keen to include community members in the design process, including being critical friends, designing and contributing resources and teaching development sessions within the framework.

Author Biographies

Kate Coulson, BPP University

Kate Coulson is an Associate Dean at BPP University with a background in learning and teaching and has worked in the University sector for 20 years. She is a National Teaching Fellow and Associate Professor. She has worked on national and international projects with Advance HE, the QAA and JISC related to digital skills, assessment and feedback, student belonging and many more. Her role at BPP focuses on Learning, Teaching, Assessment, and the Student Experience across the institution. Generative AI and how we embed it into the curriculum and assessment is currently one of her biggest challenges and her research interests include the impact of teaching upon student progression and retention, as well as student resilience, critical thinking, and gamification. Kate has published widely and presented at national and international conferences and is Deputy Chair of the Association of Learning Developers in Higher Education.

Matt Crofts, University of Hull

Matt Crofts is is an academic and library specialist at the University of Hull, specialising in postgraduate students. Matt was awarded his doctorate at the University of Hull for his research on the importance of tyranny to the Gothic mode, utilising a range of Gothic novels and historical eras. Matthew’s previous publications include chapters on historical figures in MacDonald Fraser's Flashman in Neo-Victorian Biofictions (2020), an article in the special ‘Alternative Dickens’ issue of Victoriographies (8:1, 2018), and a chapter on Dracula and Castlevania in the edited The Routledge Companion to Global Literary Adaptation in the Twenty-First Century (Routledge, 2023).

Sam Thomas, Arden University

Sam Thomas is a Senior Academic Skills Tutor at Arden University. Prior to this, she worked at the University of Northampton as a Learning Development Tutor and Mentor Manager for six years. She is a Fellow of Advance HE, an ALDinHE Certified Practitioner and an active member of ALDinHE. She focuses on providing support and services to those with additional needs, including improving the accessibility of online resources, and supporting the needs of non-traditional and distance learners.

References

ALDinHE (2024) ALDinHE CPD Framework Proposal May 2024. Available at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OKggi4BNDJ9gnwuxGILjjSiTRaIygMtCHAV7PNnOtRY/edit (Accessed: 21 October 2024).

Coulson, K. and Crofts, M. (2023) Survey. Unpublished.

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Published

31-10-2024

How to Cite

Coulson, K., Crofts, M. and Thomas, S. (2024) “Developing new Learning Developers: survey results and roadmap”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (32). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi32.1424.

Issue

No. 32 (2024): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Proceedings and Reflections

Section

Conference Proceedings

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Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

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