LETTERS TO AN EARLY CAREER ACADEMIC
Joint Chairs of Symposium: Eimear Enright, University of Queensland, Laura Alfrey, Monash University Steven Rynne, University of Queensland
Discussant:Dr. Michael Gard, Southern Cross University, Australia
Congress Subtheme: Professional learning and development of PE teachers and sports coaches
Chairs
Dr. Eimear Enright, University of Queensland, Australia
Dr. Laura Alfrey, Monash University
Dr. Steven Rynne, University of Queensland, Australia
Presenters
Dr. Eimear Enright, University of Queensland, Australia
Dr. Laura Alfrey, Monash University
Dr. Steven Rynne, University of Queensland, Australia
Professor Kathleen Armour, University of Birmingham, UK
Professor David Kirk, University of Bedfordshire, UK
Professor Doune Macdonald, University of Queensland, Australia
Professor Kim Oliver, New Mexico State University, USA
Professor Mary O’Sullivan, University of Limerick, Ireland
Professor Mikael Quennerstedt, Örebrouniversitet, Sweden
Professor Steven Silverman, Teachers College Columbia, USA
Professor Richard Tinning, University of Auckland, NZ & University of Queensland, Australia
Professor Pierre Trudel, University of Ottawa, Canada
Professor Penny Werthner, University of Calgary, Canada
Professor Jan Wright, University of Wollongong, Australia
Discussant
Dr. Michael Gard, Southern Cross University, Australia
Overview
Letters to an Early Career Academic
Eimear Enright, University of Queensland, Laura Alfrey, Monash University & Steven Rynne, University of Queensland
Early Career Academics(ECAs) are emerging academicsand are usually defined as being within the first five years of receipt of their PhD. While studies of ECAs have contributed important insights into factors that support and hinder their progress, limited research on the topic has been undertaken within the physical education and sport pedagogy (PESP) field of inquiry (Casey & Fletcher, 2012). Taking our lead from Rainer Maria Rilke’s (1929) Letters to a Young Poet, this symposium is based on a dialogue between PESP ECAs and leaders of the field. The dialogue began with threecomposite letters generated by the ECAs and took the form of a request for guidance from a respected and more experienced colleague. We were particularly interested in stimulating both intergenerational exchange and ideas about the role of ECAs as both contributors to the field and leaders of change within it. Next, a number of PESP professors were invited to respond, once again, in the form of letter. The original letter and the responses from the professoriate are the subject matter for this symposium.
This symposium serves a number of ends. First and most obviously, it presents ideas about ECA career development from a cross-section of voices, many of whom will not be present at this conference. Second, it presents a rare example of open, scholarly communication that articulates a broad range of theoretical traditions and geographically informed orientations to academic life. Last, it attempts to begin a conversation about the roles and responsibilities of the International PESP professoriate and ECA community in progressing our shared field of inquiry. [263 words]
References
Casey, A. & Fletcher, T. (2012). Trading Places: From PhysicalEducation Teachers to Teacher Educators. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.31, 362-380.
Rilke, R. M. (1929). Letters to a young poet.Leipzig: InselVerlag.
Abstract 1
Letters from Early Career Academics: Waiting in the wings or winging it?
Eimear Enright, University of Queensland, Laura Alfrey, Monash University & Steven Rynne, University of Queensland
Early Career Academics (ECAs) are emerging academics and are usually defined as being within the first five years of receipt of their PhD. While studies of ECAs have contributed important insights into factors that support and hinder their progress, limited research on the topic has been undertaken within the physical education and sport pedagogy (PESP) field of inquiry (Casey & Fletcher, 2012).The purpose of this paper is to shareinsight into the experiences (joys, frustrations, enablers, challenges, visions) of PESP ECAs.In the first phase of this narrative inquiry forty PESP ECAs were invited to write narratives on their experiences in academia. These narratives were inductively analysed and key themes and questions were constructed from the data. Three composite letters, informed by these key themes and questions, were then createdand shared with the participating ECAs to ensure the letters were meaningful to them. Follow-up interviews were also undertaken with a number of the participating ECAs. The key themes constructed from the data included work-life balance, locating appropriate mentors, establishing programmes of research and publication, job security, managing the teaching-research nexus, motivation, and access to funding.
This study aligns most closely with the professional learning and development congress theme. We would argue that in order to best support the professional development of teachers and coaches, those of us involved in teacher/coach education also need to be supported in identifying and engaging in our own professional development opportunities, such as the one represented by this study. [240 words]
References
Casey, A. & Fletcher, T. (2012). Trading Places: From PhysicalEducation Teachers to Teacher Educators. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.31, 362-380.
Abstract 2
Letters to Early Career Academics: A necessary dialogue?
Prof. Kathleen Armour, Prof. David Kirk, Prof.Doune Macdonald, Prof. Kim Oliver, Prof. Mary O’Sullivan, Prof. Mikael Quennerstedt, Prof. Steven Silverman, Prof. Richard Tinning, Prof. Pierre Trudel, Prof. Penny Werthner, & Prof. Jan Wright. (institutional affiliations noted on cover page)
Mentoring, a process of influencing and fostering the intellectual development and career aspirations, is important not only from the perspectives of the individuals involved in mentoring relationships but also for the growth and development of fields of inquiry(Billett, 2003; Lave & Wenger, 1991).Surprisingly perhaps, given its educational orientation, the current university environment is generally not considered to be conducive to generative mentoring relationships (Altbach, 2000). Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s ‘Letters to a Young Poet’, this paper is an effort to think a little differently about mentoring in PESP and begin intergenerational dialogue about how ECAs might progress, and progress within, the PESP field of inquiry.
In the second phase of this narrative inquiry three composite ECA letters (discussed in abstract 1)which sought to make apparent key experiences, issues and questions as seen through the eyes of PESP ECAs were shared with the 11 participating PESP professors. Each professor was asked to write a response letter of approximately 1500 words. They were told they could choose to respond to one or all three of the letters or to a theme, issue or question that interested them within or across the letters. While the professors’ response letters are still in production we will be in a position to share these letters with attendees prior to the symposium at AIESEP. This will allow us to ensure that the time allocated to this presentation will be spent engaging in dialogue around if and how the ECA letters and the letters from the professoriate enhance our understandings about what it is we do.
This study aligns most closely with the professional learning and development congress theme. We would argue that in order to best support the professional development of teachers and coaches those of us involved in teacher/coach education also need to be supported in identifying and engaging in our own professional development opportunities, such as the one represented inthis study. [294 words]
References
Altbach, P.G. (2000). The changing academic workplace: Comparative perspectives. Boston,
MA: Boston College Center for International Higher Education.
Billett, S. (2003). Workplace mentors: Demands and benefits. Journal of Workplace Learning, 15(3), 105-113.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.