Hey, can we get a bit of recognition please? Staff perspectives of the recognition and reward of teaching and SoTL

Synopsis

Two of the central activities of academics – teaching and research – are often in competition with each other. Corridor conversations offering advice such as, ‘Focus on your research if you want to get promoted’, underscore the tension between these two activities. Similarly, if the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is undervalued in the culture and values systems of universities, academics may place career advancement before the pursuit of SoTL (Franks, 2020). For learning to be at the centre of a university’s mission, its recognition and reward processes should demonstrably value teaching and SoTL (Center of Engaged Learning, n.d.).

Since 2019 (with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), teaching and teaching-related staff at UNE have been asked to complete an online survey capturing their perceptions of how teaching and teaching-related research is recognised and rewarded. Results from this survey have been used to inform the design and delivery of recognition and reward processes and academic development activities at UNE. This presentation, provides some results from this survey and explores how we can all adopt a scholarly approach to learning and teaching.

Uplift Element

Opportunities