The professional development of academics: In pursuit of scholarship

CITATION: Frick, L. & Kapp, C. 2009. The Professional Developments of Academics: In Pursuit of Scholarship, in E. Bitzer (ed.). Higher Education in South Africa: A Scholarly Look behind the Scenes. Stellenbosch: SUN MeDIA. 369-408. doi:10.18820/9781920338183/12.The original publication is available from AFRICAN SUNMeDIA - www.sun-e-shop.co.zaIn this chapter we explore the development of academic staff as an area or theme for study and research in the field of higher education – from both a theoretical and a practical stance. We start by providing a broad definition and an overview of a number of theories underlying the concept and continue to discuss the issues and challenges that it faces in higher education. The notion of scholarship forms the basis of the discussion. A brief discussion on how academic professional development is practised ensues and a South African case study of formal education for academic professional development and the scholarship of teaching is explored. We conclude this chapter with a number of ideas on future developments in the field, which may be of interest to scholars who wish to study the professional development of academics within institutions of higher education.Publishers' versio