This is what I’m trying to figure out. As I work through different websites and job descriptions, I’m seeing how broad the role is. To an extent the position is influenced by context / institution / identified institutional needs, but there’s more to it than that. Reading different Educational Developer philosophies, I can see how everyone makes the role ‘their own.’ I was stumped by what makes me unique as an ED and I think it’s different roads we travel; that everyone’s journey to this point is different. There as many roads that lead to becoming an Educational Developer as there are individuals.
Photo by Daniel J. Schwarz on Unsplash
These are my thoughts so far:
An Educational Developer is someone who supports colleagues in being the best instructor they know how to be. We all want students to be successful (whatever that might mean to the individual student). For this to happen, faculty need to be valued, heard, and supported in their work.
As an ED I need to listen, reflect back, explore, engage in critical conversations that facilitate learning, ignite passion for new approaches and help individuals, without judgment, navigate the ever-changing landscape of teaching and learning. We talk much about student diversity and it is my role as ED to honour the diversity of experience, understanding and circumstances of my colleagues.
Over the next few months I will re-evaluate, add to and change aspects of my philosophy – and isn’t this what I should also be striving to model to my faculty colleagues, when helping them reflect on who they are as an instructor?
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