Journal of PGR Pedagogic Practice

JPPP: Background, Aims, and Updates

Postgraduate researchers (PGRs) often play essential roles providing tuition to students. However, PGRs occupy a liminal space between ‘staff’ and ‘student’. They often lack access and connections to wider institutional, professional, and collegiate opportunities. Conversely, many PGRs who teach who do take up such opportunities develop sophisticated and innovative pedagogies and educational philosophies. Others reflect thoughtfully on the successes and failures of their teaching practice at the coalface. There are few opportunities for PGRs to share these experiences with each other, especially across disciplines, or the wider community of practice.

Academic research has noted that the self-efficacy of PGRs who teach declines after initial training has concluded. Other research has stressed the importance of peer-learning, and of the importance of social support and networks of trust to facilitating learning in higher education. With this first edition of the journal, we plan to construct the fundamental architecture so that PGRs can begin to share their practice and evidence their ongoing commitment to their continuous professional development. We will initiate a constructive, cross-disciplinary dialogue to collectively raise the quality of teaching and enhance the outcomes of PGR experiences.

JPPP: General Information

We invite both short critical reflections, and more substantial research led pieces from all PGRs and ECRs who teach in any capacity and in any discipline at Warwick and beyond. We also welcome pieces from those who support the professional development of PGRs, and those involved with pedagogy outside of the typical university teaching structure, such as student-led research projects, continued professional development. The journal invites contributions covering the role of PGRs in traditional seminar teaching and lecturing but also practical laboratories demonstrations and analytical teaching role. Whilst demonstrators may feel they are just ‘guiding’ students, often innovative pedagogies are at play and their contributions to a wider interdisciplinary discussion are invaluable. Additionally, the journal welcomes entries from those involved in managing innovative pedagogies such as student-led research projects, new teaching interventions, or the experience of continuous professional development as a PGR who teaches. It will welcome stories of success but perhaps more so stories of failure or adaptation.