Led by Louise Rees (@LJ_Rees) and Ellen Spender (@EStudentviews)
Image credit: Gerd Alltman on Pixabay.com
Introduction
This #LTHEchat post and associated tweetchat aims to explore the new professional value in the revised Professional Standards Framework 2023: V5 "Collaborate with others to enhance practice" by considering some examples of what collaboration may look like, how collaboration might enhance practice and consider what challenges collaboration might bring.
Collaboration within Higher Education
First, what does it mean to collaborate? The Cambridge dictionary defines it as a verb, 'to work with someone else for a special purpose". The act of collaboration is a noun and not a value and so trying to demonstrate the value to enhance one's practice within fellowship claims could be tricky!
There are lots of other forms of collaboration in higher education - for research, industry purposes and inter-institutional benefit, but this blogpost focuses on collaboration between individuals and others to enhance the practice of supporting HE learners.
Increasing collaboration within Higher Education teaching/learning support
Parker Palmer in his book "Courage to Teach" noted that teaching can be a lonely profession, which historically has represented the individual teacher supporting the learning of one or a group of students. And more recently, Holley commented that "Learning is often presented as an individualistic and even competitive pursuit, much like university teaching…" (Holley, D. 2023, page 234 – emphasis added.)
Both authors encourage collaboration and discussion between educators to strengthen identity and enhance practice.
'Academic' staff are not the only ones supporting learning. "Third space" professionals (a term often attached to those staff whose role in supporting student learning spans academic departments and professional services), technicians, industry experts etc often provide a key role in the learning process with collaborative ventures between academic and professional services units for example demonstrating great value (see McIntosh and Nutt, 2022; Veles, Graham and Ovaska,2023). Collaborative ventures can bridge academic and administrative or professional services departments (e.g. Atkinson, 2019).
Traditionally there were individual reward and recognition opportunities available within institutions and across the sector, but there are also a range of funding streams for collaborative initiatives through Advance HE, QAA and team recognition such as CATE awards, or ALT for example.
And collaboration can also be with students which bring an essential viewpoint into learning, assessment and quality assurance arenas. Initiatives such as "Students as Partners", (e.g. Advance HE, 2014) those which promote student engagement and belonging (e.g. RAISE, Advance HE, 2019) or involve students actively in quality assurance or on specific initiatives e.g. education on global citizenship and inter-cultural awareness often bring fresh perspectives and result in an enriched knowledge and skill basis for the staff involved. Additionally, students can gain recognition for their collaboration through the SEDA - Student Partnership Impact Award.
And we know that learner collaboration, through groupwork, is a cornerstone in strengthening graduate employability and is a key feature across most, if not all, programmes of study. Despite the many benefits of collaborative-based group work tasks within HE (see McKay and Sridharan, 2024), students dislike groupwork and perhaps this is reflected in employer opinion that collaborative working remains an under-developed skill in graduates (CMI, 2021).
Collaboration embedded in the Professional Standards Framework (2023)
Despite a perhaps individualistic view of teaching, collaborative activities have been undertaken for a long time in education. Maha Bali (2016) discusses this in an early Teaching in Higher Education podcast which is well worth a listen. In the 2023 Professional Standards Framework, the new value of V5 "Collaborate with others to enhance practice" was introduced and is explained in broad terms in fellowship applicant material. 'Others' can include students, colleagues, peers or external partners, depending upon individual context.
For those seeking Advance HE Associate Fellowship or Fellowship recognition, some of the suggested examples include team teaching, through networks to enhance learning resources for students, or working with students to co-create learning activities or to contribute to enhancement activities. For Senior Fellowship, examples can range from leading or guiding pedagogical research groups to undertaking reviews of services. There are many examples for the diverse range of staff contexts who teach or support learning.
Challenges in working collaboratively
But the crux is evidencing how this collaborative activity has enhanced one's practice and/or leadership. And what can we do for staff or others involved who may find collaborative activities challenging?
With the diversity of students and staff in higher education, and indeed some of the dislike of students to undertake group work, enabling effective collaboration with others might provide some additional considerations and planning. During the consultation process for the PSF 2023, some participants commented that for some neurodiverse learners or staff, the collaborative process can cause further stress, and so, would they be able to evidence meeting the new V5 professional value? In developing inclusive working environments, we acknowledge that self-disclosure of disability represents a smaller percentage of staff than the reality. What accommodations might need to be considered?
Providing Examples of Collaborative Practice and evidencing enhancement on practice
From my experience of supporting staff to gain recognition – through an experienced route and taught programme, participants appreciate examples that are relevant to them, especially if they are from their own institution. Abegglen et al.'s (2023) edited volume of examples of collaboration is an excellent resource! But to provide that local context, I invited colleague Ellen Spender to collaborate with me on this blogpost, sharing what she has gained from her collaborative activities and to inspire others of the range of possibilities. Through this, we hope to prompt consideration of possible obstacles to collaboration and consider how this value can indeed be evidenced through enhancements to one's practice.
Ellens' collaborative practices
In the HE setting there are many opportunities for collaboration amongst both academic and professional services colleagues to positively impact our students learning experience. Indeed, such collaborations can bring numerous benefits for both the students we teach and our colleagues. As an experienced lecturer with over 20 years teaching experience, I have benefitted from such collaborations through colleagues' support and feedback, the sharing of knowledge, receiving different perspectives on my teaching methods, and sharing strategies and approaches to various student engagement approaches.
The benefits of sharing good practice
The impact of sharing good practice is particularly beneficial as it becomes another tool to support both my students and my colleagues as well as informing my own practice. In our university, peer observation of our colleagues is mandatory and a useful exercise which enables educators to share effective teaching strategies. In recent years, I have extensively used Game-Based Learning Platforms in my classes and the impact of being peer observed resulted in several of my colleagues introducing various game-based interactive learning platforms such as Kahoot! in their teaching. This further led to a collaboration with colleagues in relation to the use of Kahoot! to enhance the student experience and I was then requested by the Head of Professional Services to speak at an in-house event where we could share our knowledge and expertise more widely in the University.
Collaboration can also result in networking opportunities as there can be a sharing of knowledge. Collaborating with colleagues with a shared interest has led to several new opportunities for research which has resulted in conference presentations and other research outputs.
Building a Community of Practice
Collaborating with colleagues can also contribute to the wider academic community as it enables colleagues to assess their own skills and develop their own strategy for their career path in line with university objectives. This is not just limited to academic colleagues as my invitation to collaborate is often extended to the Professional Services team which aids their understanding of the role of an academic member of staff. I am the Student Engagement Partner for the School of Management, and, in my role, I work closely with the Professional Services Student Experience Officer. The role of the SEO is crucial in enhancing the overall student experience and, since 2021, our collaborations have resulted in the introduction of new approaches which have enhanced student engagement, built an inclusive community through the introduction of regular social events, and other engagement opportunities to help students overcome obstacles and fully immerse themselves in both academic and social environments.
This proves beneficial during our regular Community of Practice events where, as described by Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner (2015), we can share both best practice and learn how to do it better by interacting regularly.
Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration with Colleagues
The main barriers to collaborations in higher education stems from the very nature of job of a lecturer: we work primarily in isolation with very little need for interaction with our colleagues regarding our teaching unless we are team teaching. This, coupled with personal barriers such as differing personalities and individual mindsets, means that a lack of structures such as Communities of Practice and other team building events, may increase the preference for working independently.
The resistance to change is also a challenge faced when attempting to foster collaborations especially where there is lack of clear roles and responsibilities as this can also lead to a cautious approach to sharing ideas with colleagues. This is where training and professional bodies such as Advance HE is successful in demonstrating the value of continuous learning and development. These organisations offer guidance to individuals who may be struggling with initiating collaborations with colleagues.
Why collaboration is not widely used
The main barriers to collaboration are time, communication and trust. It is a challenge to fit in meetings, and it is likely that there will be more than one opinion and differing personalities during the collaboration which may cause disharmony and disagreements. There is also the trust element as when we collaborate, we are sharing our experiences and best practice which may not be appreciated by our colleagues. In any group there is usually a leader, and this may cause friction with colleagues who may not want to express their opinions and concerns. It can also be difficult to encourage open communication with members who have not previously collaborated.
Why collaboration should be encouraged in Higher Education
Collaboration in higher education should aim to bring people together in an environment conducive to fostering a sense of belonging to enable a safe space for the sharing of ideas to improve the learning experience of students. Collaboration across different faculties, programmes, and Schools may result in innovative teaching methods and the sharing of ideas and expertise. People who collaborate are working towards common goals and this, in turn, can create a sense of community and help build professional networks.
Collaborations with Students
Lecturers collaborate with students to enhance their learning experience by creating an interactive learning environment which should help create a more engaged experience for both student and educator. There are many benefits for the student who can collaborate with their lecturer as it can help improve their communication skills and help them to work as part of a team. Collaborations can also make the learning process more enjoyable and, as a result, increase motivation.
Through collaborations with students, I witness at first-hand the challenges students face and through collaborations with Student Reps and Interns I can work with students to overcome issues experienced by the diverse range of international and home students. I can build relationships and hear directly from students regarding issues such as loneliness and the difficulties faced when trying to integrate into the student community.
Overcoming Barriers to Collaborations with Students
Students may have difficulty in collaborating for several reasons which may include social and psychological factors. Students may be naturally introverted which may impede their confidence when taking part in a collaborative experience and extrovert students tend to take control during discussions. Most higher education programmes comprise students from diverse backgrounds and, for students for whom English may not be their first language, they may have difficulty in communicating in a collaborative setting.
Supporting neuro-diverse students can also be a challenge in collaborations where the educator may not be aware of unique needs. To help address this I often create an anonymous questionnaire with a new class of students and invite students to record a particular need if applicable. I also invite students to speak to me privately and confidentiality so that I can help address those needs and implement strategies to provide an inclusive learning environment.
To further help address the issues student face when collaborating with each other and their educators, I regularly collaborate with student information officers, student experience officers and student reps at Student Staff Forums and through the creation of focus groups. The benefits of being involved and collaborating with groups of students, away from the classroom in an informal environment, positively produces useful information regarding their expectations. The impact of these collaboration means I can share this feedback with my colleagues so that they can utilise this feedback to create teaching strategies to improve the student experience.
When students are included in collaborations it prepares those students for their future professional environment where, instead of working primarily in isolation, those students will become part of their professional environment where they will be expected to work in teams. Collaboration should be an integral part of everyone's working life as it aids personal development which should ultimately lead to professional success.
Collaboration – conveying the benefits...benefits for all?
In Ellen's examples, you can consider collaboration as a verb, as a noun and also as a value. Who though might struggle with collaboration? How can individuals be supported: staff, learners, peers and external contacts? How can we help foster reflection on the influence of collaboration on practice? Are there any downsides to collaboration?
We invite you to join the TweetChat to discuss this further.
References/Further Reading/Listening
Abegglen, S., Lowe T. and S. Sinfield (eds) (2023) Collaboration in Higher Education: a New Ecology of Practice, Open Access: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/63691
Advance HE (2023) Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education 2023 https://advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/professional-standards-framework-teaching-and-supporting-learning-higher-education-0
Advance HE (2014) Engagement through partnership: students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education (Healey M, Flint, A and K. Harrington)
Engagement through partnership: students as partners in learning and teaching in higher education | Advance HE (advance-he.ac.uk)
Advance HE (2019) Essential frameworks for enhancing student success: Student Engagement Through Partnership (Healey M. and R.L. Healey) https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/essential-frameworks-enhancing-student-success-student-engagement-through-partnership
Atkinson J. (2019) "Collaboration by academic libraries: what are the benefits; what are the constraints, and what do you need to do to be successful", New Review of Academic Librarianship, Vol 25(1), pp 1 - 7 Editorial https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2019.1575016
Bali M. (2016) Collaboration - Teaching in HigherEd podcast: https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/collaboration/ Maha outlines a vast number of positive outcomes from the collaborations she's been involved with.
CMI (2021) Work Ready Graduates: Building Employability Skills for a Hybrid World, Chartered Management Institute https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/news/are-graduates-ready-for-work-new-cmi-research/
Holley D. (2023) "Afterword: Collaboration, Community-building and 'brokering'", pp 234- 240. In Abegglen, S., Lowe T. and S. Sinfield (eds) (2023) Collaboration in Higher Education: a New Ecology of Practice, Open Access: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/63691
McIntosh E. and D. Nutt (Eds) (2022) The Impact of the Integrated Practitioner in Higher Education: Studies in Third Space Professionalism, Routledge. Also their blog: Third Space Perspectives - Exploring Integrated Practice)
McKay, J., & Sridharan, B. (2024). Student perceptions of collaborative group work (CGW) in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 49(2), 221–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2227677
Veles, N., Graham, C., & Ovaska, C. (2023). University professional staff roles, identities, and spaces of interaction: systematic review of literature published in 2000–2020. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 7(2), 127–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2023.2193826
Wenger-Trayner, E. and Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015) An introduction to communities of practice: a brief overview of the concept and its uses. Available from authors at https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice.
Biographies
Louise Rees, Senior Academic Developer
Louise has worked at Swansea University since 2000, initially in the area of quality assurance/enhancement overseeing the QA functions for taught programmes and coordinated the preparations for Institutional Review Preparations and was secretary to the University's Learning and Teaching Committee and sub groups. It was during that time, in writing policies for learning teaching and assessment and in trying to guide programme directors through their challenging role, that Louise's attention turned towards academic development.
In 2015, Louise took on the role of Senior Academic Developer at Swansea University's Academy for Learning and Teaching (SALT). She leads on the internally accredited programme for Advance HE Fellowship recognition for experienced staff and teaches on their PG Cert in teaching in Higher Education regarding professional identity for HE educators and in assisting participants reflect on their PG Cert journey.
Initially a self-confessed technophobe, Louise has (largely) embraced technology enhanced learning solutions for students and her own professional learning whilst still valuing more traditional CPD forms, e.g. reading groups and use of POSTits! She enjoys active approaches to support student learning and is developing confidence in using creative approaches. She is a certified online learning facilitator with the Learning Performance Institute, which was very helpful during 2020! She is an Advance HE Senior Fellow and can be contacted at @LJ_Rees or via LinkedIn
Ellen Spender, Associate Professor
At Swansea University Ellen is an Associate Professor, Accounting and a module co-ordinator for several undergraduate and postgraduate modules and the School of Management Student Engagement Partner. Ellen is also an Advance HE Senior Fellow and a UKAT Recognised Practitioner in Advising.
During her 20+ years as a qualified lecturer Ellen has delivered a variety of subjects in several educational establishments. Her career path as a professional educator has always focused on enhancing the student experience by delivering quality teaching and engaging successfully with students to motivate them to fulfil their individual educational potential.
Ellen has received several commendations by students for the quality of her teaching and her constructivist approach to teaching comes from her personal-professional interest in and passion for student engagement.
During her time at the University, Ellen has mentored several members of staff providing support on issues relating to preparation and supporting them through their induction and probation based on her own teaching strategies so that they are able to develop their knowledge, skills, and behaviours so that they can reach their full potential.
Ellen's current research focuses on student engagement and the use of game-based learning platforms in the higher education teaching environment as a teaching strategy to engage students. In particular, she is currently conducting research in educational technology and the critical role technology plays in the student–lecturer relationship.
Ellen is on X as @EStudentviews.
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