Exploring e-journaling as a tool for academic identity work: pilot study reflections

In common with module and programme design teams
across the UK Higher Education sector, we have been
exploring ways to create curricula and specific learning
opportunities that are true to our vision of an educated
person (after Boyer, 1995), enable participants on our
programme to evidence practice aligned with national
external accreditation benchmarks, and ‘deliver’ an
educational experience that meets university-policy
specifics, with the whole sited in nationally agreed learning
‘level’ and credit tariffs. This article first introduces and
explores the rationale for one of the learning opportunities
(staff:participant e-journaling) on our Postgraduate Certificate
in University Teaching and Learning (hereafter PgCUTL),
and then critiques the artefacts created for evidence of
efficacy. We conclude with some observations about how
the e-journaling activity, its critique and the writing of this
article, are informing our ongoing practice, as educational
developers in a research-intensive university, in the hope
that these will resonate with, and start discussion amongst,
readers of Educational Developments.