This paper describes a project which aimed to leverage the students’ interest and experience of technology and multi-modal environments in an academic English writing course. Students were expected to follow a model, research a topic, and craft a digital video tutorial on an aspect of academic writing which would form part of the established flipped classroom model. Evaluation from students suggests that student-created videos can promote deeper understanding of the topic through the activity of teaching, as well as encourage students to monitor their English and strive for accuracy. However, it was also noted that students prefer a teacher explanation than a peer explanation and there were concerns over the “trustworthiness” of a peer-produced video tutorial.

Diaries have long been seen as tools for reflection in learning languages, and learning about teaching. Despite this recognition of the importance of narratives in diary writing, little attention has been paid to the role of research diaries in the process of learning about research, and learning how to be a researcher. During the author's own research into the construction of teaching knowledge by pre-service trainees, she became aware that her research diary was scaffolding her own construction of research knowledge. In this article the author discusses the role of a research diary based on a socio-cultural theory of learning. The diary acts as the expert other in the scaffolding of research knowledge by the novice researcher. The discussion of the nature of the scaffolding and the role of diary writing draws on examples from the author's research diary written during her doctoral studies.

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Peer observation is often an unpopular form of professional development amongst faculty. Some of the reasons for this attitude are practical and logistical difficulties in organisation, possible threat to professionalism and uncertainty of aims and processes. However, peer observation with a specific focus on learning can be an essential form of professional development amongst faculty in a higher education institution. This paper describes a peer observation programme which took place at an English language medium university in the Gulf. Results suggest that teachers found peer observations provided learning opportunities and affective benefits and impacted positively on teaching.