Academic Practice

Developing as a Professional in Higher Education

This is a detailed and well written book that explores what it means to become a teacher in the rapidly changing Higher Education sector. To do this, the book explores pedagogy and context in all their myriad forms and as a result also explores what it means in terms of professional identity to practice learning and teaching in Higher Education settings. The book is wide-ranging, highly accessible and makes a significant contribution to developing, sustaining and improving practice. It positions teaching and learning as acts of exchange and partnership and provides a carefully explored research-informed base to contextualise strategies that teachers in HE can put into practice.

This updated version of Academic Practice provides a critical and thorough overview of the factors which affect student learning and engagement with university courses. It is written in an accessible, non-judgmental way, encouraging readers to explore issues further, and suggesting achievable ways for them to adapt their practice. Because it provides such a detailed synthesis of literature in a wide range of areas, it will be of value to experienced staff as well as those new to the university sector.

At a time when teaching in higher education is increasingly and rightly scrutinised, the need for support for new teachers from all backgrounds in all areas of academic teaching practice is critical. Teachers in HE are required to be practitioners of teaching and scholars of teaching, as well as disciplinary experts, and this book provides the breadth required for early career teachers embarking on a new academic career.