Challenging perspectives on learning and teaching in the disciplines: the academic voice

Abstract

This article reports on a study of academic staff perspectives on disciplinary communities and skill development in disciplinary contexts. Fifty-five academic staff were interviewed across eight disciplines in four Australian universities. Responses of historians and mathematicians are the focus of this article. A socio-constructivist framework informed analysis of academics' views about disciplinary cultures and skill development in disciplinary settings. Findings highlight discipline-based patterns in staff views about the value of generic skills in the curriculum. However, there was no apparent disciplinary effect in academics' views about belonging to a teaching community. Rather, sociocultural forces, particularly at the department level, appear to play the strongest role in this regard. The article argues for the influence of sociocultural factors on academics' perceptions of disciplinary tribes and territories in a changing policy environment. It has implications for institutional leaders and academic practitioners, highlighting challenges for supporting academic staff in disciplinary teaching communities.

Keywords:

• disciplines
• identity
• academic practice
• academic experiences
• generic skills

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project Scheme. Project chief investigators were Professor Richard James (CSHE, University of Melbourne) and Professor Kerri-Lee Krause (University of Western Sydney). Several colleagues have contributed to this project. Key contributors were: Associate Professor Gay Baldwin, Robyn Garnett, Dr Anna Jones (formerly from the University of Melbourne); and Associate Professor Sharon Parry (University of Southern Cross). We gratefully acknowledge the student and academic staff interviewees who have made this project possible.