Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå
Centre for Teaching and Learning
Sven B Eriksson
[email protected]
2012-11-01
January 23th-25th, 2013 in Tallin, Estonia
Higher education – higher level learning?
Abstract
Towards a professionalization of pedagogical
leadership at Umeå University
The pedagogical leadership, often characterized as a middle management leadership,
in higher education is more and more focused. It is underlined by the fact that several
universities in Sweden in different types of plan of actions states both that
pedagogical leaders should be found on different levels in the organization and what
the leaders overall tasks are.
The seminar presents the result of a case study at Umeå University, Sweden, where
we have studied how the acquired knowledge and skills from a course in pedagogical
leadership have contributed to the participants’ professionalization of pedagogical
leadership.
The course “Pedagogical leadership” is a course directed to pedagogical leaders
(directors of studies or equivalent) at Umeå University arranged by the Centre of
Teaching and Learning at the same university and is given once a year.
The case study was conducted through group interviews with participants a year after
the course ended. The respondents stated that they had a stronger confidence in the
role as a pedagogical leader. They also said that the course contributed to the
professionalization of the role of pedagogical leaders by a) strengthening their
identity as leaders, b) initiating an ethic for pedagogical leaders consisting of partially
shared values regarding the pedagogical responsibility and c) providing education
and training in skills that are based on theoretical knowledge. The course
”Pedagogical leadership” thus can be said to support the process of
professionalization of the pedagogical leadership at Umeå University.