How does developing an innovation as part of a PDI impact mid career teachers’ learning?

Higher education teachers need professional learning and development to be able to adapt to or design educational innovations. However, it is currently unclear how professional development initiatives (PDI’s) in the context of educational innovation should be designed to make a meaningful impact on teacher learning. To further this knowledge, the current study investigates two PDI’s where teachers design an educational innovation. These PDI’s are well-established programmes for the professional development of mid-career teachers, but are usually not evaluated on the interplay between innovation and professional development. This study aims to further investigate this interplay by interviewing participants and facilitators of the two PDI’s. Interview questions focus on teachers’ and facilitators’ perspectives on effective facets of the programmes, as well as critical learning moments for the teachers. Preliminary findings show similarities in general programme design between the two PDI’s, both last 18 months, have a few communal meetings, and focus on exchange between peers. Teachers had designed a variety of innovations. Interviews with the course facilitators of programme 1 showed that throughout the years there have been clear “general themes” in innovations, where a majority of teachers wanted to focus on a specific innovation. Facilitators noted that teachers’ learning goals often got more specific throughout the programme, following teachers’ increased knowledge about educational sciences. Critical learning moments are currently being analysed. Tentatively, peer exchange seems to be an important factor. This study will provide evidence-informed guidelines for PDI design.