Do academic developers' conceptions support an integrated academic practice? A comparative case study from Hong Kong and Singapore. Issue 3 (15th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zou, Tracy X. P.; Geertsema, Johan
• Is Part Of: Higher education research & development. Volume 39:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 606
• Page End: 620
• Publication Date: 2020-04-15
• Subjects: Academic developers -- academic development -- scholarship of teaching and learning -- teaching and research integration; Education, Higher -- Australia -- Periodicals; 378.94
• DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2019.1685948
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0729-4360

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Academic development (AD) is increasingly being oriented towards an integrated approach to academic practice (AP), given arguments for the importance of integrating research, learning, and teaching. Given the complex and evolving character of AD as a profession, it is important to understand the conceptions of AD held by academic developers, who can play a key role in supporting conditions for such integration. This comparative case study explores conceptions of AD and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) held by academic developers at two universities in Hong Kong and Singapore, and examines the extent to which these conceptions support an integrated AP. The findings show that not all conceptions recognise the importance of integration; moreover, though in both cases aspects of integration come to the fore, there are gaps that militate against a fuller understanding of integrating teaching and research. The study has implications for future AD practice and raises questions about using SoTL as a means of fostering teaching and research integration.