NOTES

Note 1: I adopt Askew and Lodge’s definition of feedback as “all dialogue to support learning in both formal and informal situations” (Askew & Lodge, 2000 as cited in Carless, Salter, Yang & Lam, 2011 )

Note 2: I define critical thinking as a practice that involves “actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication” (Scriven & Paul, 2013). Critical thinking helps uncover assumptions, biases, and unexamined ways of being. The act of critical thinking shapes beliefs and guides actions (Duncan, n.d.).

Note 3. Purposeful reflection is “underpinned by a transformative approach to learning that sees the pedagogical process as one of knowledge transformation rather than knowledge transmission.” (Ryan and Ryan, 2012, p.246)

1) Approaches

• Multidisciplinary approaches, where the disciplines remain intact but focus simultaneously on a common theme,
• Interdisciplinary approaches where there is conjoining of the disciplines to develop a shared understanding of a theme or solution to a problem,
• Transdisciplinary approaches where disciplinary distinctions are not evident

2) Curriculum

• Multidisciplinary: Curriculum revolves around themes or problems that bring together a number of disciplines
• Interdisciplinary: Curriculum revolves around themes or problems where the focus is on commonalities between disciplines
• Transdisciplinary: Curriculum revolves around real-world experiences, without regard for discipline-specific understandings

References:

Drake, S. M. (1993). Planning integrated curriculum: The call to adventure. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Harden, R. M. (2000). The integration ladder: A tool for curriculum planning and evaluation. Medical Education, 34(7), 551-557.

Pearson, M. (2011).  Integration in the BSc (Pharm) Curriculum. (PhD comprehensive exam, used with permission)

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.
word
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.