Developing a shared pedagogical statement for a university psychology teaching department: is it possible?

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Curriculum Design and Delivery
• Educational Accreditation

Background:

• The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) mandates pedagogical statements for higher education providers.
• These statements outline collective approaches to curriculum design and delivery.
• This study focuses on one regional Australian university's attempt to create such a statement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the process of developing a pedagogical statement at a regional Australian university.
• To explore how staff pedagogy and practices inform curriculum development.
• To meet accreditation requirements for a collective approach to teaching and learning.

Main Methods:

• A multi-stage, embedded mixed-methods approach was employed.
• Included student feedback, staff reflexivity, and dialogic methods.
• Inductive thematic analysis of participants' accounts of their pedagogy.

Main Results:

• A traditional pedagogical statement could not be developed due to limited awareness of theoretical frameworks.
• A values-based teaching statement, reflecting professional importance, was created instead.
• Staff reported increased confidence in discussing and conceptualizing pedagogy.

Conclusions:

• Values-based statements can emerge when theoretical awareness is limited, highlighting professional priorities.
• This approach may foster further reflection on teacher philosophies and practices.
• Findings have implications for pedagogical culture, accreditation, and educators.