Definitions

Below are some definitions that speak to my notions of educational development and educational developer. These resonate with my values and what I strive to achieve through my work. Note: I use the terms educational developer, faculty developer and academic developer interchangeably.
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Educational development: “The profession dedicated to helping colleges and universities function effectively as teaching and learning communities.” (Felten, Kalish, Pingree, & Plank, 2007, p.93)

Educational developer: “…an academic developer is any person who has a role in which they are explicitly expected to work with academics to assist them to reflect upon their academic role in relation to teaching, research, scholarship, leadership, funding applications and supervision of students. An academic developer may also work at a departmental/institutional level in a developmental role.” (Fraser, 1999, p. 90)

Note: In my opinion, academics include graduate students and staff who have a role in promoting teaching and learning, as well as faculty members.

References:
Felten, P., Kalish, A., Pingree, A., & Plank, K. (2007). Toward a scholarship of teaching and learning in educational development. In D. Robertson & L. Nilson (Eds.), To Improve the Academy: Resources for Faculty, Instructional and Organizational Development, Vol 25 (pp. 93–108). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Fraser, K. (1999). Australasian academic developers: Entry into the profession and our own professional development. International Journal for Academic Development, 4(2), 89-101.

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