The Course Team as the Focus for Contextualized Professional Learning

Abstract

This article examines a course team, who have a joint responsibility in the design of the student learning experience, as they reflect on their professional learning. The focus of the study is, therefore, on the value added to professional development as a course team when so often, staff development is aimed at the individual teacher. What is highlighted in this case is a strategy for linking development activities to course teams to create an integrated approach, informed by current research. Examples are given of how the development focus has shifted from the individual to a whole course team in an attempt to have more impact on the student learning experience and innovative models of course design. As a result, the team has adopted a common student-focused approach, and has been able to accommodate the individual variation in approach to teaching and still produce an outcome that is likely to benefit student learning. This is consistent with studies that suggest developments aimed at improving student learning need to be focused at the individual staff level and at the course and department levels, and to have internal consistency.