In this blog we would like to share the experiences of the fellowship journey. It’s a journey between mentee and mentor. We use Woodhouse and Nicholson’s (2020, p. 2) definition of mentoring as

“a form of educational process concerned with the personal and professional development of individuals through intentional and strategic relationships that will ultimately also benefit the organisations within which individuals work.”

We have presented reflections thematically; first from the mentee’s perspective (Ruth), followed by the mentor’s perspective (Kathie). We hope it encourages you to join our Fellowship community and become an Associate HERDSA Fellow. However, there are lessons to be learned beyond the fellowship. Being part of a reflective collaborative opportunity responds to the neoliberal culture which finds academics stressed and in distress. It opens spaces that include relational connection, care, and conversations about professional pathways.

The benefits of reflection

Ruth: Undertaking the Fellowship has been one of the most reflective professional experiences of my career. Writing my Portfolio provided me with a unique opportunity to pause and examine how my teaching and student support practice has evolved. What began as an exercise to seek out evidence and document, quickly transitioned into a step-by-step process of reflection that helped me identify the values that guide my work and decision making, in my roles as a Learning Advisor and educator.

Kathie: I have been a mentor ever since I became a Fellow in 2018. I believe in helping other academics enhance their teaching and learning practices no matter what institution they serve – quality education benefits us all. Working transdisciplinary allows me to learn about other disciplines, contexts and cultures.

Clarifying My Teaching Philosophy

Ruth: One of the most significant stages of the portfolio process was writing my philosophy of teaching statement. This task challenged me to delve deeply into not only what I do but rationalising why I do it. This reflection revealed three core pillars of my educational practice: active participation, connection, and reflective practice. These principles draw on the work of Zeichner and Liston (1996) who emphasise reflective teaching as a means of critically examining one’s practice and the beliefs that underpin it. In addition to these, I identified several key values that guide my work: equity, inclusion, connection, courage, kindness and evidence-based design. Recognising these values has helped me better understand the way I support students, collaborate with colleagues, and lead initiatives within teaching and learning.

Kathie: The teaching philosophy is crucial. It underpins the portfolio. I was able to assist Ruth with theories and pedagogies new to her. Spending time, hearing what truly makes a person tick is a privilege. Sometimes this conversation goes for many weeks, sometimes, like in Ruth’s case, she had written a philosophy years ago, so it was a matter of clarifying what was still current and engaging in ideas new to her.  I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t committed to putting the student front and centre.

Reflecting Critically on Practice

Ruth: The portfolio process also encouraged me to scrutinise my practice, and to question how well my actions align with both evidence and student needs. According to Brookfield (2017), effective educators must engage in critical reflection in order to continually refine and improve their teaching. This perspective resonated strongly with my experience of the Fellowship.

Through reflection, I was prompted to demonstrate greater courage in leadership (Krause, 2014) and draw on my pedagogy of kindness (Denial, 2024) to advocate for students. Surprisingly, I found myself confidently questioning certain practices around assessment design and student support, by initiating discussions that focused on improving learning outcomes and raising the student voice.

Kathie: Taking time out of a busy schedule is not a burden. I see mentoring as integral to my identity as an academic developer. Asking questions about ‘what have you learned about yourself in regard to teaching and learning’ activates a new awareness for educators – usually we’re focused on student learning. I also really enjoy collaborating on ideas about where to next, for each of the different criteria (areas of practice). For Ruth, one such brainstorm led to the submission of an abstract for the upcoming HERDSA conference. This highlights what is achievable in the broader context of teaching and learning through the Fellowship.

The Power of Mentoring and Community

Ruth: While the portfolio itself was integral to my growth, working closely with my mentor has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the Fellowship journey. Lave and Wenger (1991) argue that professional identity and expertise develop through participation, dialogue, and shared learning within a community. My rich conversations with Kathie have embodied this idea. Through mentoring, discussion, and collaboration, I have gained new perspectives on my practice and developed greater confidence in my role as an educator and leader. Our conversations have also helped me refine my reflective practice, offering clarity and perspective drawing on scholarship and experience.

Kathie: The Fellowship invites curiosity, reflection, collaboration, and a willingness to question established practices in pursuit of better learning outcomes. Each journey is unique. What starts out as a first meeting can grow beyond the mentoring. I now have long term and enduring friendships; collaborative research projects; colleagues across disciplines, the country, the globe. For me it is about building connection, modelling care and kindness. It has highlighted that meaningful change rarely happens in isolation. It gradually occurs through shared learning, dialogue, and the collective quest for better educational practice which includes the wellbeing of the academic.

Recognising Impact and Continuing the Scholarly Journey

Ruth: Completing my Fellowship Portfolio has made me more aware of the impact of my work on student success, curriculum enhancement, and the professional development of colleagues. Often, the day-to-day demands of teaching and support roles mean we focus on immediate tasks rather than reflect on their wider influence. The Fellowship process provided the space for me to recognise those contributions and understand how they positively impact wider institutional practice.

Kathie: Ultimately, the Fellowship is an ongoing scholarly endeavour. Each criterion must draw on scholarly practice, starting with the underpinning learning and teaching theories. Because of the diversity of mentees, my knowledge of good evidence-based practice grows, which in turn enriches my own practice.

………………………………………….

You can be anywhere in the world and become an Associate HERDSA Fellow. The portfolio generally takes one year, writing, and meeting regularly (about 3hrs a month).

………………………………………….

Blog Authors

Ruth is a learning advisor at Mater Education linkedin.com/in/ruth-donoghue-562ab7155

Kathie is an Associate Professor and Senior Academic Developer at the University of Notre Dame. She is also the HERDSA Fellowship Officer. linkedin.com/in/kathie-ardzejewska-phd-7a4b0535

References are available here

Banner image generated by chatGPT