As learning developers, our professional backgrounds, support for students across disciplinary boundaries, and our ‘third space’ (Whitchurch, 2013) positioning afforded us a unique perspective on approaches to learning and teaching. We had been in a prime position to share this expertise with learning developer peers as well as colleagues in the library, careers and academic departments, helping to inform inclusive curriculum design and delivery and enhance students’ learning experience. This workshop explored how involvement in staff development could help us bridge disciplinary and professional boundaries and act as an opportunity to extend our impact on students by sharing learning development principles and practice. In this session, participants had the opportunity to: reflect on their collective expertise and how this was relevant to other staff in their institutions. review examples of development activities we had used with staff in diverse roles and explore how these might work or be adapted in their contexts. discuss some of the potential challenges of being involved in staff development while maintaining a core focus on working with students. This was a space for us to discuss activities based on our practice and consider their application within the working remits and structures within which we found ourselves (Webster, 2024). We also explored our potential to push beyond these, break down silos, and promote inclusive learning environments.
McKay et al. (Tue,) studied this question.