Could ‘flipping’ professional development engage teaching academics? Perceptions of authenticity and relevance

Improving performance in learning and teaching through professional development (PD) of academic staff is a major goal of higher education institutions. However, gaps between strategy and implementation often hinder progress. Barriers include departmental cultures that do not value teaching, and insufficient attention to how academics perceive their PD needs. For decades, the significance of informal and social learning in the workplace has been known, yet academic development largely continues to be provided through formal instructional activities, focusing on individual development and with reports of low engagement. In this reflective study, we make use of two surveys of academic staff PD preferences in a STEM and health faculty of an Australian university, carried out in 2020 and 2021 for planning purposes during the COVID-19 pandemic but also in the context of a previous faculty re-think of academic development. Academic PD might be ‘flipped’ by addressing needs with recognition of perceptions of authenticity and relevance with informal, peer-to-peer workplace learning to complement formal activities. Understanding motivation for change is essential for engagement.