Exploring the nature of disciplinary teaching and learning using Legitimation Code Theory Semantics

ABSTRACT

Teaching and learning is a growing field of research and practice globally, and increasing investments are being made in developing academics as teachers. An inability to adequately account for disciplinary knowledge can lead to academic development inputs that are unable to fully address the needs of students, educators, or disciplines themselves. Semantics, from Legitimation Code Theory (LCT), provides insight not just into the hows of pedagogy but also the whats and whys, particularly the ways in which knowledge needs to be connected up in meaning-making. This paper argues for the use of semantic profiles to open up conversations with educators about teaching, learning, and the nature of knowledge in their disciplines. It raises important questions about the practical uses of LCT tools in higher education and shares initial ideas, informed by lecturer feedback in one case study, of how these tools can be used in academic staff development.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic development
• Legitimation Code Theory
• pedagogy
• Political Science
• Semantics

Acknowledgements

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the first Legitimation Code Theory Colloquium (LCTC-1) in Cape Town in June 2015. I would like to thank the conference participants, Debbie Marais, and the two anonymous peer reviewers for their helpful feedback and comments throughout the writing and thinking process.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The preferred term here will be academic development as this is the term used in Southern African contexts, which is where this research originates. Academic development refers to the work of those employed to assist educators with improving their teaching and their students’ learning. Teaching and learning refers to the work of educators within the disciplines.

2. Morphogenesis, drawn in Case's work from the work of Archer (1996), literally means ‘a change in the shape of’ student or lecturer engagement and agency or being.

3. Political Theory or Thought/Political Philosophy, National (country-specific) Political Studies (e.g. South African Politics), International Relations, Comparative Political Systems.

4. A, B and C denote the different lecturers by way of pseudonyms; I am R, facilitating the workshop.