We cordially invite submissions to Issue 69/2 of Neofilolog, entitled “Developing Teaching Competences among Academic Staff in Philological Degree Programmes.”
The development of university teachers’ competences constitutes an important area of research and quality enhancement initiatives in higher education. This area encompasses both the preparation of newly appointed academic staff for their teaching responsibilities and programmes designed to support their professional development at subsequent stages of their academic careers. Research in this field addresses, among other issues, models of induction into university teaching, professional development courses and training opportunities, institutional support systems, and factors contributing to the effective professional development of academic staff.
An important dimension of this field also involves research conducted by university teachers themselves, aimed at reflecting on their own teaching practices and improving the quality of instruction. Research undertaken within the framework of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) contributes to a better understanding of teaching and learning processes in higher education and provides a foundation for designing and implementing innovative pedagogical approaches. Such initiatives are increasingly supported by university centres for teaching and learning, teaching excellence programmes, mentors, and educational consultants.
Although the development of university teachers’ competences has received considerable attention in the higher education literature, relatively little research has addressed the specific characteristics of teaching and learning in philological degree programmes. Yet this educational context is shaped by a number of distinctive features, including the use of foreign languages as languages of instruction, diverse pedagogical traditions, and strong involvement in international networks of academic and educational cooperation.
Over recent decades, philological degree programmes have also undergone a number of changes that have significantly influenced university teaching practices. Among the most notable developments are the increasing heterogeneity of student groups, changing profiles of students entering philological programmes, and the growing prevalence of hybrid learning. These developments present university teachers with new challenges and encourage them to seek appropriate forms of professional development.
The aim of Issue 69/2 of Neofilolog is to provide a forum for presenting empirical research, theoretical analyses, and practice-based insights into the preparation for university teaching and the development of teaching competences among academic staff involved in philological degree programmes. We welcome contributions addressing both institutional approaches and bottom-up initiatives undertaken by individual teachers, teaching teams, and academic departments.
We hope that this issue will contribute to a deeper understanding of current trends in the professional development of university teachers, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience among researchers and practitioners, and provide inspiration for designing initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of higher education in Poland and internationally.
We invite submissions that:
- Present theoretical perspectives, models, and conceptualisations of teaching and learning processes in higher education, with particular reference to the professional needs of academic staff teaching in philological degree programmes;
- Examine university teachers’ competences and approaches to their development and evaluation, taking into account the specific characteristics of the subjects taught;
- Analyse programmes designed to prepare academic staff for teaching responsibilities, as well as mentoring, tutoring, and other forms of professional support, including approaches based on open educational resources and open educational licences;
- Present case studies, examples of good practice, and critical analyses of teaching experiences and practices within philological degree programmes;
- Examine the role of international and intercultural cooperation in the professional development of academic staff teaching in philological degree programmes.
Bibliography
Berthiaume D., Rege Colet N. (eds.) (2013), La pédagogie de l’enseignement supérieur : repères théoriques et applications pratiques. T.1. Enseigner au supérieur. Peter Lang.
Boyer E. L. (1990), Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. Princeton, NJ: Carnegie Foundation.
Bugaj M. J. (2016), Uniwersyteckie strategie rozwoju zawodowego nauczycieli akademickich w Polsce. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. URL: https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/server/api/core/bitstreams/507ba950-2e30-425a-a143-81419d73cfff/content
Freeman D. (2024), Rethinking teacher professional development: Designing and researching how teachers learn. New York: Routledge.
Jendza,J., Karpińska-Musiał B. (2025), Dydaktyka akademicka w opiniach nauczycielek i nauczycieli akademickich Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego.
Maciejowska I., Sajdak-Burska A. (eds.) (2024), W poszukiwaniu doskonałości dydaktycznej. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego.
Mercer S., Farrell C., Freeman D. (2022), Self-directed teacher professional development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mercer S., Pawlak M. (2024), Language Teacher Professional Curiosity: Understanding the Drive for Professional Development. „Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching”, vol 14(3), pp. 393-420.
Paquay L., Altet M., Charlier E., Perrenoud P. (eds.) (2012), Former des enseignants professionnels. Quelles stratégies ? Quelles compétences ? Bruxelles: De Boeck.
Richards J. C., Farrell T. S. C. (2005), Professional Development for Language Teachers: Strategies for Teacher Learning. Cambridge University Press.
Sajdak A. (2013), Paradygmaty kształcenia studentów i wspierania rozwoju nauczycieli akademickich. Teoretyczne podstawy dydaktyki akademickiej. Kraków: Impuls.
Wach A. (2019), Stawanie się nauczycielem akademickim. W kierunku wspierania uczenia się poprzez refleksyjną praktykę. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Kontekst.
Woodward T., Graves K., Freeman D. (2018), Teacher development over time: Practical activities for language teachers. Routledge.
Important Dates
- 28 February 2027 – Deadline for manuscript submission;
- 15 March 2027 – Completion of the desk review process;
- 30 June 2027 – Completion of the peer review procedure;
- 15 September 2027 – Deadline for submission of revised manuscripts;
- September–October 2027 – Final selection of manuscripts for publication and language editing;
- 30 December 2027 – Expected publication date of Issue 69/2.
Manuscripts are accepted in Polish, English, and French.
Scientific Editors:
Joanna Górecka, Dr. habil., Adam Mickiewicz University (jgorecka@amu.edu.pl)
Magdalena Aleksandrzak, Associate Professor, Adam Mickiewicz University (magdalena.aleksandrzak@amu.edu.pl)
Detailed guidelines for manuscript submission via the Pressto platform are available on the Neofilolog journal website:
https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/n/about/submissions