Mapping Teaching Authorship and Learning Practices in Higher Education Settings: First Step in Creating a Knowledge Base Through Sharing

摘要

Learning Design (LD) is a research field developed to help teachers to create pedagogically effective learning interventions using digital technologies. LD as a research area is based on three core concepts: guidance, representation, and sharing. This study focuses on the sharing perspective and aims to add to the current knowledge on teaching authorship and learning practices in higher education settings. The present study is based on a qualitative-quantitative and exploratory approach aiming to identify the authorship profile of undergraduate teachers in a university in south Brazil, as a survey to verify the viability of creating a knowledge base to foster innovative practices development. Data were collected using an online questionnaire answered by 243 teachers (46.7% of the total). The answers were analyzed on two major categories: authorship profile and pedagogical practice representation. The evaluation of the authorship profile revealed two characteristics: (a) teachers produce their own teaching resources and (b) teachers are open to a process of sharing educational resources. In the pedagogical practice representation category, we identify the majority of the teachers did not describe the sequence, resources and tools of the proposed activities in a clear way. Therefore, we highlight the importance of defining a framework for documentation of learning practices that will allow sharing of pedagogical know-how among educators. In conclusion, the present scenario is impeditive for the adoption and adaptation of learning practices. A series of interventions must be formulated to foster authorship of innovative educational resources as well as standardization of pedagogical practices documentation.