Moving beyond the formal: developing significant networks and conversations in higher education: reflections from an interdisciplinary European project team

Gary Beauchamp, Sammy Chapman, Angelica Risquez, Susan Becaas, Cheryl Ellis, Michaël Empsen, Fiona Farr, Laüra Hoskins, Wouter Hustinx, Liam Murray, Steven Palmaers, Sinead Spain, Natalia Timus, Melanie White, Shona Whyte, Nick Young

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Conversations and networks are essential for transforming academics’ teaching practices as learning experiences (Palmer 1993). Yet, there has been little research reporting academics’ informal conversations about teaching (Thomson and Trigwell 2018). Teachers will generally access small significant networks (Becher and Trowler 2001) for nuanced and personal issues relating to teaching and learning. Collaborative transnational projects provide fertile ground for unique conversations about Higher Education (HE) teaching (Thomson 2015), with the added value of cross-national perspectives. This study examines the conditions that help to create significant networks and conversations, based on collective autoethnographic reflections of the member of an Erasmus+ project, including five partner universities from four different countries. The results provide insights into how the project have afforded the generation and continuation of cross-national and interdisciplinary significant networks and how unique conversations have allowed for trust, relationships and common goals to develop, which add value beyond the individual level.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1075-1091
Number of pages17
JournalTeaching in Higher Education
Volume29
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Significant networks
  • cross-national perspectives
  • higher education
  • significant conversations

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