Build a teaching and learning research network from the ground up

We know that excellence in teaching must be underpinned by research. Yet, when academics are early in their careers and short on time, how can they engage meaningfully with rigorous, collaborative, evidence-informed scholarship? 

I found creating a learning and teaching educational research group to be transformative. Here’s how to establish a community of practice to integrate pedagogical research, professional development and structured mentorship. 

1. A dual-purpose model

We imagined and created the group to drive forward learning and teaching scholarship amid the competing demands of the academic diary. Central to the group’s philosophy was a dual-strand model focused on both developing research capability in learning and teaching, and professional development linked explicitly to academic progression, recognition and leadership. This enabled academic staff, holding various roles and experience, to engage at appropriate entry points while contributing to a shared scholarly agenda. 

• How to establish a community of practice for co-creation
• Create a psychologically safe space for honest feedback between colleagues
• How a community of practice can foster virtual collaboration

We designed the group as a safe and supportive community for sharing, collaborating and mutual development. Our bi-monthly meetings alternated between strands, with members joining one or both depending on interests. Each meeting covered specific topics aligned to both the groups and institutional priorities.

Here’s what to consider at this point.

• Conduct a needs analysis. Does the group meet colleagues’ needs?
• Build in collaboration from the start. Consider colleagues with wide-ranging skills and experiences. 
• Think broadly. Who from outside your immediate teams can support scholarship? Don’t forget to engage professional services staff and even industry.
• Think long term, design with a sustainable lens in mind. How will the group remain relevant?

2. Mentorship to drive momentum

The group embedded a mentorship approach, which matched experienced educational researchers with inexperienced colleagues. This mentorship scheme supported tangible outcomes, including peer-reviewed publications and successful fellowship applications but it grew beyond this to develop confidence and engagement in pedagogical enquiry.

Mentorship focused on personal and professional development. It took the form of one-to-one and group meetings, structured and informal interactions. Matching mentors and mentees was based on mutual interests, allowing targeted and tailored support. The best advice I can offer here is to ensure group members genuinely want to be involved, rather than feeling obliged to participate. A smaller, committed, enthusiastic group can achieve a lot when it has the right people in the room. 

Here, consider:

• Mentorship can look and feel different between individuals.
• Adopt a flexible model, maintain touchpoints to make sure both mentors and mentees benefit
• Take time with mentorship teams to understand what success looks like. Link to annual appraisals and colleagues’ objectives.
• Sometimes, colleagues just need space and time to talk to experienced scholars. We don’t always need to objectify this. 

3. Development and workload

There isn’t a single development path. Be creative with collaboration. Drafting junior colleagues into larger institutional projects, even in a small way, fosters collaboration, builds confidence and enhances their academic profile. Don’t forget to “drop the ladder” if you are in a senior position. We can all reflect on our careers and look back to a moment someone helped us, without which we might not have climbed as quickly or as far. 

Of course, what’s critical is carefully considering the academic workload of each member, and this will vary from individual to individual. Can projects, scholarly activity or research closely align with current academic activity? Often colleagues are involved in inspiration or seminal work that they never share, publish or celebrate. Finding the hook to stimulate a colleague’s engagement with learning and teaching scholarship, research or development is key, and it’s often hiding in plain sight.

Here are my tips:

• For successful engagement, align personal goals closely to current work streams.
• Combining complementary skills on research or developmental projects can accelerate progress. 
• Support colleagues who are successful as well as those who experience setbacks. A sustainable group thrives on a mix of individuals who progress at different rates. 

Cultivating your own…

Staff are the single greatest resource in higher education – for institutions, yes, but most importantly for the students we serve. Their satisfaction, development and ability to support the changing educational landscape are the foundation we build on. Creating authentic opportunities for all, regardless of role, experience or skill set upholds the values we aim to transmit to our students. Locally grounded research and developmental groups can function as powerful engines for mentorship, scholarship and sustained enhancement of teaching and learning. 

My final thoughts for developing a group would be:

• Start small – making an impact, however small the gain, is key to building momentum and securing long-term success and longevity. 
• Leadership teams should represent the colleagues they serve. Make sure your group isn’t top-heavy but represents all, providing a balanced range of experience and expertise capable of effectively supporting colleagues’ development.
• Make the group approachable and inclusive. Think about different roles, experiences and needs and implement strategies that allow everyone to engage meaningfully
• Scalability and sustainability is important. Have a vision and clear path to secure this.
• Celebrate success – something we often forget, but small wins for some are big for others.

Then sit back and watch the group become self-sustaining, evolving into what its members need.

Paul Chesterton is a professor at Teesside University.

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