Presentation for the Association of Learning Developers in Higher Education, discussing where we've come from and what we profess

1. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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Dr Helen Webster
Head of the Writing Development Centre
Newcastle University
“Trust me, I’m a professional”
What do Learning
Developers profess?

2. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
Why does it matter? And why now?
 How we shape our roles, services and teams
 How we shape our careers and CPD
 How others perceive and value us
 Learning development as approach or role?
 Analogy with and distinction from related
professions/fields
 The Next Generation: boldly going....where?

3. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
Meanings
What key words do you associate with this term?
 What range of meanings does this term have?
 What are the criteria for being this?
 What would the opposite be?
Profession
Profess-
ional
Expert

4. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
What are we?
 In what senses can we be said to be
‘professional’ or ‘experts’ and where does
this derive from?
 Are we /should we be a profession? If not,
what are we?
 Are we a specialised branch of another
profession?
 What are the pros, cons and implications
of thinking of ourselves as a profession?

5. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
What are we?
“Professional expertise”
What are a Learning Developer’s:
 Theoretical frameworks
 Values and ethics
 Knowledge
 Skills
 Experience
Are any of these distinct to Learning
Development?

6. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
Where have we come from? What
has shaped Learning Development?
 Use the questions to
identify the diversity of
expertise and routes into
LD in the group
 Combine the diversity of
expertise in your group
into a single entity - an
Uber-Learning Developer

7. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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What expertise defines the
Learning Developer?
Teaching
Counselling
Disability
support
TEFLLibrarian
Staff
development
Researcher
development

8. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
What expertise defines the
Learning Developer?
LD
Teaching
Librarian
Counselling
SpLD
Staff
development
TEFL
Researcher
Development
Learning
technologist

9. Writing Development Centre
University Library
facebook.com/NUlibraries
@ncl_wdc
What is our core expertise?
What else might be useful?
Diamond ranking exercise:
 Postcards each with a different
qualification on
 Add any in from our survey
 Select nine
 Rank them in order of relevance to
Learning Development
Most
relevant
Least
relevant

10. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
Where are the boundaries
of our expertise?
Case studies:
• 1: one-to-one tutorial
• 2: workshop
Where are the limits of learning
development?

11. Writing Development Centre
University Library
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@ncl_wdc
Training for Learning
Development
 What starting point are we assuming? A BA/BSc?
 What format might/should this take? A curriculum, a
professional development framework, an accreditation?
 What areas of our work need to be considered?
 What career progression and levels might there be?
 Might there be different routes and specialisms?
 What form would training take - bespoke, or pieced together
from existing professions?
 Might other professions benefit from this?
 Howe can we ensure we remain flexible as a profession?

12. Writing Development Centre
University Library
facebook.com/NUlibraries
@ncl_wdc
What’s next for you?
 What expertise might enhance your own profile and
practice?
 Where might you gain this?