Collaborating for success: an analysis of the working relationship between academics and educational development professionals

Abstract

This paper analyses the development of a collaborative relationship between one academic and one educational development professional (EDP). The paper aims to assist academics and EDPs to establish successful long-term collaborations. Improving the success of such collaborations is important because the adoption of technology enabled learning and teaching materials in higher education requires academics and EDPs to collaborate successfully over extended periods. Despite the critical importance of successful collaborations between academics and EDPs, even well intentioned collaborations are subject to high rates of failure. In addition, existing guidance in the literature has thus far been unable to improve this situation successfully. This paper uses an autoethnographic research approach to analyse the development of a successful collaboration between one academic and one EDP over time. The paper's findings highlight the existence of a small set of key success factors, as well as the change in the relative importance of these factors during the lifespan of the collaboration. The paper is valuable for academics, EDPs, and higher education managers because it provides practical evidence-based guidance that supports the creation of successful and sustainable collaborative working relationships between academics and EDPs.