Resumen de Facilitated multi-source feedback – exploring a new modelfor professional development of academic staff
M.K. Christensen, I.M. Pedersen
Recent years have seen institutional and political calls for tools and strategies to 1) appreciateteaching and research on an equal footing, and 2) implement mandatory professional developmentfor teachers at all career levels to ensure high quality teaching. However, comprehensive models fordeveloping and appreciating quality teaching are scarce, leaving the measure of teaching performanceand quality of teaching primarily to student evaluations. Several higher education researchershave raised a critique of such mono-source instruments, as they yield limited insight into teachers’actual performance and practices. Alternative feedback models seem to be needed in professionaldevelopment to provide sufficient insights into teachers’ performance and practices, which are aprerequisite for determining the need for change.Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study to explore structured and facilitated multi-sourcefeedback as a new direction in professional development in higher education.The aim of the study was to investigate the potential viability of a Facilitated Multi-Source Feedbackmodel (FMSF-model) to facilitate teachers’ professional development at all levels.We collected qualitative data from semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 15) withparticipating teachers and students. Qualitative data coding and analysis were initially inductive but,after the themes emerged, we used organizational learning theory to group themes into cultural aspectsof importance for multi-source feedback processes and professional development.Findings show that the FMSF-model is viable. It yields relevant knowledge about strengths andweaknesses in teachers’ competencies and shows potential to facilitate individual action-orientatedreflection that qualifies further professional development. However, cultural facets and lack of peerobservationinfluence teachers’ motivation and ability to provide comprehensive feedback. The findingssuggest further development of the model as it shows potential to address the call for innovation in thefield of higher education professional development.
