A teacher development coordinator in the polytechnic environment: Contributing to a culture of
innovative & quality teaching

Reflecting a wider trend toward quality teaching practices in tertiary education, Teaching Development Units have been in place at New Zealand universities for some years. The provision of a similar resource in Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics is a very recent development.

This paper describes the Teacher Development Coordinator role (TDC) in one New Zealand Technical Institute, exploring the benefits and potential limitations of such a resource. The aim of this discussion is to highlight how the TDC role is a key identifiable resource for supporting reflective teaching practices and consequently supporting achievement of quality teaching across the Institute.

Research is an integral part of this role. This paper will explore how the TDC, through research, contributes to enhancing the incorporation of new knowledge into the scholarship activities of teachers and how this role aligns with the goals of the NZ Ministry of Education's Tertiary Education Strategy 2002-20071 for increased teaching quality and innovation.

The TDC is relatively new in this Institute and with a gap in available literature about the effectiveness of such a role in the Polytechnic environment, a narrative methodology guides this discussion. A model has been created responsively, to meet ongoing needs of teachers and the Institute, as well as identify processes for qualitative and empirical measures of success.

Exploring the future development of the TDC resource rounds out this discussion of the value of this role and how it can continue to support and signal the value the Institute places on quality teaching.