Raising the profile: an institutional case study of embedding scholarship and innovation through distributive leadership

Abstract

Distributive leadership, which has been described as a distribution of power within the sociocultural context of universities, provides a valuable model for encouraging scholarship and innovation in learning and teaching. By nurturing, rather than imposing, leadership responsibilities, and relating them to personal, as well as institutional priorities, there is potential to foster creativity and support career progression. This paper explores the impact of this approach through a university-wide initiative which has firmly established itself as a key aspect of continuing professional development. The case study describes how the initiative has benefitted from the experiences and findings of national and international developments and adapted them to the local context by supporting, encouraging and acknowledging evidence-based practice across the curriculum, including the integration of learning technology. It provides an overview of evaluation findings which indicate that scholarship and innovation in learning and teaching are being enhanced through increased staff engagement and institutional acknowledgement.

Keywords:

• evidence-based practice
• scholarship
• distributive leadership
• embedding innovation

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the major contribution of my colleague Alison Nimmo, Senior Lecturer in GCU LEAD, to the development of the Caledonian scholars and associates initiative. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the ascilite conference, Hobart, Tasmania, 4–7 December 2011.

Notes

1. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/learning/tinits/cetl/

2. http://www.sfc.ac.uk/effective_institutions/eLearning/elearning_transformational_change.aspx