University Teachers and Their Reflections on Their Pedagogical Development

Abstract

In this paper, I deal with the question of how university teachers perceive and evaluate their pedagogical development. I originate from a qualitative analysis of 9 in-depth semi-structured interviews with teachers from different faculties of Masaryk University who participated in a two-semester educational program aimed at increasing pedagogical competencies organized by the university. The respondents draw attention to the lack of educational opportunities to support pedagogical competencies, identifying several areas in which they would like to develop. That is why they had applied for a program organized by the University. As a part of this program, it wasn‘t the intensive full-time course led by experienced lecturers that teachers evaluated as the best, but a collaboration with a mentor they chose from their colleagues on their own. These findings are discussed in the context of current efforts of higher education institutions to achieve excellence in teaching.