Professional development for leaders of a large teaching team: A dual role

Abstract

Academics who lead large teaching teams of often inexperienced sessional staff have a dual role in professional development. They are both provider and participant. Academic leaders need to develop skills to fulfill their role effectively as the primary professional development provider for their team through opportunities to enhance skills in a range of areas; these areas include team leadership, team management and teaching for learning. In this scenario, there is a multilayered structure of provision of development opportunities. One level is that provided by the team leader and directly related to the needs of the team members and the requirements of the subject. The second level caters for the needs of the team leader in developing skills to effectively perform all the responsibilities of their role. Provision of professional development opportunities that cater for these may be the responsibility of the School, Faculty, Department or Staff Development Unit, depending upon the Institutional context. This paper will present a case study of the professional development programme offered to a large teaching team by an academic team leader. Some implications and issues arising from the case study that need to be addressed by professional developers and academic team leaders to enable and support the improvement of student, staff and organizational learning through professional development programmes will be discussed.