Becoming legitimate: promoting the use of reciprocal peer learning for early career academics

Stuart McGugan & Christos PetichakisCentre for Lifelong LearningEducational Development Division Session outcomes

Identify some difficulties experienced by early career academicsPresent a post workshop support interventionEvaluate and discuss this intervention

Central support available for GTAs & Research Staff

Our aimTo offer development opportunities for early career academics to support their progression to academia, as well as any other career destination

Range of training: • Learning and teaching• Interpersonal skills• Research skills• Career management

Delivery methodsHalf/full day workshops, lunchtime sessions, videos, online training, one-to one support sessions

Reflect on our practice (2007 - 2008)

• Workshop evaluations

• 2 surveys - July 2007 CROSurvey- Feb 2008

• In-depth interviews

Our workshops infuence practice

Yes No

a) Workshop 80.4% 19.6%b) Peers 52.9% 47.1%c) Department 49.0% 51.0%

Did workshop/peers/department influence your practice?

Formal “off the job” training does seem to make a positive

contribution

Some participant responses…

“When doing the comments on students’ assignment, I found it quite useful to use the sandwich approach”

“Yes it did, especially the part about conferences, how to approach and talk to the main speaker”

“I used some of the teaching methods presented in my tutorialswith satisfying results (e.g. alternation of group/individual pair work; post-it feedback)”

The influence of peers

• The workshop format facilitates ‘reciprocal peer learning’ developing skills of collaboration, teamwork and help

develop confidence when discussing practice with others

• However, at departments peer learning depends on the support available (this is variable)

Did workshop/peers/department influence your practice

Yes No

a) Workshop 80.4% 19.6%b) Peers 52.9% 47.1%c) Department 49.0% 51.0%

Reciprocal peer learning is taking place…

“It just let me in on others peoples ideas”

“Another student gave me the idea of making groups do spider diagrams”

“I discussed with fellow postgraduates how they led the seminars and took on board some of their suggestions”

“It improved upon my ability to articulate ideas in a group setting e.g. in my meeting with my supervisor and colleagues”

“It is useful to have the opportunity to talk to others, but it doesn’t really happen here. It is necessary for someone to create these opportunities”

From To

Sporadic academic support

Non existent

Limited peer interaction

Regular academic support

Weekly pastoral sessions

Opportunities to interact with experienced

peers

Inconsistent departmental supportDid workshop/peers/department influence your practice

Yes No

a) Workshop 80.4% 19.6%b) Peers 52.9% 47.1%c) Department 49.0% 51.0%

A participant’s response…

When you take up your first postdoctoral position, I feel the options of

career choice etc that such a job can lead to should be given. Some

people seem ‘in the know’ as to their options of applying for Fellowships

etc, and that seems to depend in what department you are in and who you

supervisor is. Others seem to get lost in postdoctoral positions going from

on to another without any guidance or career development.

Lack of status

• Limited recognition

• Exclusion from practice

• Limited opportunities for development

• Ambiguous identity

A participant’s response…

“I feel strongly about not being equal to academic staff in the department

and my exclusion from departmental meetings. This is where meaningful

discussions and decisions take place. Researchers are told what the

department wants to do about research but Researchers are not asked”

Another participant said…

“I am not a full member of staff. I feel I am teaching on the 2nd level of

teaching, that is tutorials. I perceive this as second level, it is the exercises,

it is not the primary information. I am not yet on the level of being able to

lecture… Apparently! ”

Workshop support is “working”

Focus: post workshop, what can we do to:

• sustain learning from workshop• build up a relationship with central support unit• encourage dialogue about practice

One idea: a postcard souvenir

In summary

Postcard examples ...

Research Staff DevelopmentThe University of Liverpool Giving a good lecture

GTA Learning and Teaching WorkshopsSmall Group Teaching

How the postcards were received?

Postcard as a reminder of workshop learning has been successful Postcard as a source of information has been successful Postcard as a prompt for dialogue – limited evidence to support this function

Option Response rate

Kept for future reference 40.4%Referred to it when necessary 13.5%Did the activity on the postcard 3.8%Shared with colleagues 3.8%Ignored 3.8%

I did not receive a postcard 34.6%

Discussion – Future development

We feel that the postcard has potential

In small groups share your views on the following:

What could we do to improve the postcard, in particular to encourage greater

peer dialogue/learning?

More generally, how else might we stimulate post workshop peer learning?

How else can we support early career academics to legitimise their practice?

Each group to report back its two “best” suggestions/recommendations

Contact us

GTA programme leaderStuart McGugan s.mcgugan@liv.ac.uk

Research staff programme leaderChristos Petichakis c.petichakis@liv.ac.uk