Developing the Whole Academic: Teaching and Research in Tandem

It is often acknowledged that the early stages of postgraduate researchers’ (PGRs) careers are vital in developing the fundamental attitudes and behaviours needed to succeed in the world of academia. This is certainly a view I hold, having worked in higher education for the last 10 years as both an academic and in my current role as an Educational Developer. In the current higher education climate, we are seeing the integration of a larger number of PGRs who teach, also known as Postgraduate Teaching Assistants (PGTAs), to deal with increasing student recruitment and growing class sizes which puts more emphasis on the importance of equipping them with the necessary tools and techniques to be able to teach and support learning effectively.

Increasingly, it is recognised in pedagogical literature that teaching and research, often seen and treated as separate entities or spheres, can function symbiotically and inform one another. There are two clear benefits of research and teaching working in tandem. Firstly, some of the core principles around research can quite easily be applied when we think on and evaluate our teaching practices: learning through inquiry, thinking critically about our practice, experimenting, questioning assumptions about why we do things the way we do and most importantly, adopting an evidence-based approach to support the development of our practices. Secondly, discussing our own research openly in our teaching environments involves students as active producers of knowledge in the process.

It is crucial in this case that we see the development of research and teaching skills as part of the same pathway. This is reflected in descriptor 4.5 Teaching and learning of Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework (RDF) 2025 and in Advance HE’s Professional Standards Framework (PSF), where the core dimensions for effective and inclusive teaching practices include associations between these two interrelated spheres. Both frameworks support core professional values that promote engagement with continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to develop your practices. The principle of inclusive teaching is also central to both frameworks, with an emphasis placed on recognising effective approaches within your context, and using this knowledge to effectively guide and support all learners.

Research-intensive learning and teaching (RILT) is an established approach which was adopted by the University of Birmingham some time ago and remains a core method in many subject disciplines. Research by Hadjianastasis (2018) indicates the following dimensions of RILT:

• Dimension 1: it requires a shift from an often-divisive vision of these two dimensions of our practice as separate and often in competition with each other.
• Dimension 2: designing curricula based on past principles (such as research-informed or research-based learning) to allow students to learn through a process of critical enquiry, enabling them to change mindset from that of passive ‘receivers’ of ‘knowledge’ to active pursuers and creators of it. 
• Dimension 3: the boundaries between staff and students may be blurred, as learning and advancement of knowledge may occur in mutually beneficial fashion.
• Dimension 4: staff and students may end up co-creating new knowledge, and reap the recognition and benefits which may result from this, such as publication or research success.

These dimensions are pertinent as they embody established principles around learning, such as the shift away from students as passive recipients of knowledge, to active producers of it. It also places the importance of teaching as a scholarly activity that can influence the way we think about pedagogy and research.

There is an increasing amount of evidence which demonstrates that engaging with both accredited and non-accredited CPD as a PGTA can enhance teaching practices and future career prospects. A study by members of our Educational Development team, Els Van Geyte and Marios Hadjianastasis (2021), highlights the impact of such CPD on PGTA confidence, understanding of HE pedagogy, teaching quality, and career development, with accredited CPD having longer-term impact such as continued engagement with learning and teaching-related CPD and publications in pedagogical journals. The study also positions some of the fundamental skills associated with research, such as reflection, critical thinking and communication, as central aspects of effective teaching, and emphasises an enhancement-based approach to teaching, with critical evaluation and the use of appropriate learning and teaching methods, as a core principle. Principally, the article shifts the notion of teaching from a perceived ‘distraction’ from research to a pathway to deeper academic engagement.

I’d therefore like to finish this post with a call to action: start your teaching development journey as soon as possible! Over the years we have seen countless examples of academics who have flourished and benefited greatly from early-career teaching CPD, both in a teaching and research capacity. This is not ignorant of the fact that we operate in a climate where research is often valued over teaching due to its prestige and perceived financial worth. However, by removing the barriers between the two we may begin to facilitate an environment which develops successful, rounded academics for contemporary higher education institutions.

The Educational Development Team offers a range of accredited and non-accredited CPD pathways for PGTAs, including the Introduction to Learning and Teaching programme (self-paced online CPD – non-accredited), the Introduction to Academic Practice for Doctoral Researchers (20 credit Masters Level Module – accredited to Descriptor 1: Associate Fellow of Advance HE), and the Beacon Professional Recognition Scheme (accredited, experiential route to Associate Fellowship and Fellowship of Advance HE).

References

• Hadjianastasis, M. (2019) Research-intensive learning and teaching. University of Birmingham. Available at: https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/courses/39296 (Accessed: 24 September 2025).
• Van Geyte, E. and Hadjianastasis, M. (2021) ‘Quality and qualifications: the value of centralised teaching courses for postgraduates who teach’, International Journal for Academic Development, 27 (1), pp. 4–16. doi: 10.1080/1360144X.2020.1863810.