There are alternative, practitioner led approaches
to professional development, which can be analysed
to form a new approach, more relevant to
practitioners in today s HE environment. This book
focuses on the practice of academics, and analyses
common strands that illustrate new
approaches to professional development. Three major
themes have emerged from the research; first,
academic isolationism, which is considered in terms
of benefits as a survival strategy and possible
social deficits. Secondly, individualism and
compliance is discussed in terms of the level of
autonomy academics have in managing their
development, and thirdly, the community of
professionals is analysed as a development process.
This book will benefit those HE practitioners who
continue their development in a pressured
work environment, HE managers who want to foster a
professional development culture, and HE policy
makers who wish to address these issues. The
findings will also be of benefit to HE institutions
and other organisations to consider a holistic
view of staff who might better be viewed as teacher
professional developers or meta-professionals .
to professional development, which can be analysed
to form a new approach, more relevant to
practitioners in today s HE environment. This book
focuses on the practice of academics, and analyses
common strands that illustrate new
approaches to professional development. Three major
themes have emerged from the research; first,
academic isolationism, which is considered in terms
of benefits as a survival strategy and possible
social deficits. Secondly, individualism and
compliance is discussed in terms of the level of
autonomy academics have in managing their
development, and thirdly, the community of
professionals is analysed as a development process.
This book will benefit those HE practitioners who
continue their development in a pressured
work environment, HE managers who want to foster a
professional development culture, and HE policy
makers who wish to address these issues. The
findings will also be of benefit to HE institutions
and other organisations to consider a holistic
view of staff who might better be viewed as teacher
professional developers or meta-professionals .