Community-based professional development for academics: a phenomenographic study

Abstract

Professional development for academics has seen a trend towards social engagement through communities and groups, as reflected by a number of increasingly popular concepts: communities of practice, faculty learning communities, and learning and teaching networks. Despite the potential benefits of such engagement, there is a paucity of research on how academics perceive, experience and navigate the emerging community-based professional development (C-PD). This phenomenographic study generates four qualitatively different categories of ways in which academics conceive of C-PD: (1) knowledge sharing and help-seeking; (2) problem-solving and skills/knowledge development; (3) mentoring, modelling, and sharing good principles and practices; and (4) an on-going journey that transforms learning and teaching. The study adds value to the literature by providing insight into how the focus of professional development and perceptual boundaries of community influence academics’ conceptions of C-PD.