No time to wait in a crisis: Developing an informal approach to academic development through international online conversations

ABSTRACT

This study explores reflections from academics (N = 13) from 12 higher education institutions in eight countries who relied on informal conversations in an online community of practice to switch to emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of formal academic development, they needed to develop themselves in collaboration with international colleagues. The interviewees emphasised the need for a bottom-up informal approach to academic development and considered it essential in times of crisis. The implications of our study advocate a holistic approach to academic development to prepare higher education institutions for similar emergencies.

KEYWORDS:

• Online community of practice
• informal academic development
• virtual exchange
• COVID-19
• emergency remote teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rita Koris

Rita Koris is an associate professor and academic developer at Budapest Business School, University of Applied Sciences. She was involved in the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange Project as co-trainer helping university educators in their academic development to learn how to develop and implement virtual exchange projects in HEIs.

Sabine McKinnon

Sabine McKinnon retired from Glasgow Caledonian University as a senior lecturer in Academic Development. She is now an independent consultant in internationalising the curriculum and was lead trainer on professional development courses for the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange Project.