Developing an International Community of Practice: a strategic approach to partnership

Professor Jeanne KeayUniversity of the West of Scotland

A strategic approach to teaching excellence

What are you trying to achieve within the partnership?

How do you work together?

Partnership responsibilities?

Where to start?

What type of partnership

arrangement? Who quality assures and how? Who teaches? Professional development strategy? Ready for ownership? A community of practice?

Community of PracticeWenger (1998; 2006)

Domain Joint enterpriseMembers work

towards a common goal

Community Mutual engagement

Shared meaning of a problem

achieved

Practice Shared repertoire

Resources are shared, jargon is

used to negotiate meaning

and facilitate learning

Case Study A: Excellent teaching in collaborative provision

Audit of partnerships and CPD provision

Discussion with partners

One framework – different pathways

Same expectations – comparative recognition

International benchmarks

Case study B: Moving towards a sustainable model of teaching excellence

Private university (UK / China) A long term partnership UK university providing CPD programmes

Different contextual needs Private university ready to take

responsibility Discussion and agreement on process

Same recognition and provision in place Same recognition opportunities

1. Professional

learning culture

2. Students’ learning needs

3. Identifying the evidence of learning

4. Planning professional development

5. Undertaking professional development

6. Using new

learning

7. Evaluating the impact of professional development

Professional Development Process Model

© 2011 J.Keay & C.Lloyd

Policy

Process

Practice

Teaching

excellence

Policy• H

uman Resources

• CPD

• Learning and Teaching

• Quality Assurance

Process

Practice

Teaching excellence

Policy

Process• A

ppraisal

• Promotions

• Performance management

• Observation

Practice

Teaching excellence

Policy

Process

Practice• C

ourses

• Workshops

• Mentoring

• Reward and recognition

• Development opportunities

Teaching excellence

A framework for developing teaching excellence in a community of practice

Community - Mutual engagement

Develop a shared plan for the partnership

Share the partnership workload and the responsibility

Domain - Joint enterprise Agree shared objectives Understand each other’s

motivations Review regularly

Practice - Shared repertoire Stepping stones to success Shared (international benchmarks

for teaching excellence Sustainable approach (assume

different personnel) Quality

One size doesn’t fit all!

Quality costs!