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Journal of Education and Development in the Caribbean

Tales from Practice: Enhancing University Teaching Skills Using the Critical Friends Approach

Pages: 
53-69
Publication Date: 
December 2016
Issue: 
Abstract: 

This reflective essay looked at the critical friends approach to faculty development, in particular, its role in enhancing teaching skills and reflection in a Certificate in University Teaching and Learning project. The paper drew on the experiences of teaching staff, engaging in a faculty development project and used the insights from actual practice to corroborate the literature and advance the conversation on critical friends. The experience of learning throughout the faculty development project was enhanced by reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Throughout the project, it was observed that the role of the critical friend was supportive, exerting a push factor, propelling participants to greater levels of reflection. This reflection on the programme supported other findings indicating that in supportive and safe environments, the critical friends approach contributed to heightened reflection on teaching, improvements in teaching and transformational learning.

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