Our recent webinar held on Wednesday 12th March 2025 provided an insightful exploration of TATAL (Talking about Teaching and Learning), a vibrant community of practice dedicated to reflective teaching. The webinar was hosted by Mei Li and Robert Kennelly, and with the expert facilitation from colleagues from the HERDSA executive, Kwong Nui Sim, Lee Partridge, Alice Brown, Manisha Thakkar, and Gesa Ruge. The audience was from the broader tertiary teaching and learning community in Australia.

Webinar Highlights:

1. Overview of TATAL
   • A brief history and the purpose of TATAL.
   • TATAL as a community of practice focused on teaching and learning.
2. TATAL and HERDSA
   • The HERDSA professional learning portfolio, including TATAL, Fellowships, and Mentoring and Coaching Support for Career Advancement Program (MACS) for international academics.
   • Progression from TATAL to HERDSA Fellowships.
   • The HERDSA SoTL modules and their redevelopment.
   • Communications and the importance of the platform for professional growth.
3. Interactive Sessions – A taste of TATAL
   • Participants were divided into breakout rooms to discuss their teaching philosophies and goals.
   • Reflective writing activity on beliefs about good teaching and student learning.
4. Ongoing Projects
   • The TATAL longitudinal study (McCormack (dec.), Kennelly, Northcote & Reinke)
   • The transformative impact of TATAL communities of practice (Schonell, Ruge, Schönwetter & Shekhawat)
   • Scholarly teaching and learning practices in health education (Schönwetter et al)
5. TATAL Perth 2025
   • Online from Monday 23rd June
   •  All day workshop Monday 7th July
   • Sign up via the HERDSA conference registration

Key Takeaways:

• Community and Collaboration: TATAL fosters a supportive environment for educators to reflect on and improve their teaching practices.
• Professional Development: Participation in TATAL can lead to further opportunities such as HERDSA Fellowships, opportunities for SoTL and development of collaborative journal articles, and involvement in professional learning communities.
• Reflective Practice: Engaging in reflective writing and discussions helps educators clarify their teaching philosophies and enhance their resilience.
• Ongoing Research: Various research projects are being conducted to evaluate and improve the impact of TATAL on teaching and learning.

Participant impression:

“It was fantastic to have this type of seminar for the broader HERDSA membership as update and bring the TATAL groups and projects together.” -Rega