Bridging identity ‘chasms’: occupational therapy academics’ reflections on the journey towards scholarship

ABSTRACT

The performative context of higher education demands that practice-oriented academics shift their priorities from preparing practitioners for the profession, towards ‘productive’ scholarship. We present narratives from occupational therapy academics at the end of a year-long journey through an action research project focussed on academic identity and scholarly growth. Our analysis captures subtle and striking shifts in being and becoming, doing and belonging. The findings, re-presented as an adapted Hero’s Journey, also reveal the powerful impacts on identity and practice that are enabled when academics have the opportunity to create spaces for scholarship that are experienced as caring, collaborative and collegial.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic scholarship
• academic identity
• occupational therapy
• academic development
• higher education

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of all participants in the Growing Scholarship project who generously and openly shared their experiences, and who considered and approved data analysis and reporting of this work. We also extend thanks to our ‘critical friends’ – Emeritus Professor Annette Street and Dr Tai Peseta

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.