The international conference of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), held from December 4 to 6, 2024, at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, United Kingdom, explored the theme "Higher Education: A Place for Activism and Resistance?"This event brought together experts, researchers, students, policymakers, educational developers, professional services teams, and other stakeholders from around the globe to promote, support, and disseminate research and practice while providing a platform for perspectives and knowledge derived from theoretical and applied research in higher education.
During the conference, the work “We’re inventing the wheel when someone else has already tested it: A framework to support faculty collaboration towards innovative practices” was presented by Diana Soares, faculty member of the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) and coordinator of the Católica Learning Innovation Lab (CLIL); Maitê Gil, researcher at the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH) and specialist in Education and Professional Development at the Católica Learning Innovation Lab (CLIL); and Diana Mesquita, faculty member of the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) and Director of the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH). This study addresses strategies to overcome emerging challenges in higher education institutions, focusing on faculty professional development and promoting peer collaboration to implement innovative learning practices.
The study involved 52 faculty members and adopted a design-based research approach, concentrating on faculty professional development. The research highlights that learning and practice communities are essential for implementing innovative teaching approaches, emphasizing active learning and collaboration among faculty members. The proposed framework received positive feedback from participants, who identified the reflection on pedagogical practice and peer collaboration as key strengths. However, participants also noted challenges related to the structure and time required for implementing these learning communities.
The study's primary contribution was the presentation of a revised framework consisting of five structured phases for the development of learning and practice communities: (i) contextualize the challenge; (ii) establish principles; (iii) design learning scenarios; (iv) launch and implement the learning scenario; and (v) assess the outcomes.
This work underscores a commitment to faculty professional development in higher education, aiming to strengthen innovative teaching practices.
