Action-learning projects to build leadership capacity among academics in first-year science and mathematics: SaMnet

Significant change is required in university teaching, particularly in the daunting first-year ofuniversity science. Such large-scale change requires a 'movement', says sociologist of highereducation Parker Palmer (1992). In a movement, Palmer argues, individual innovations gaincollegial support and become fodder for widespread conversations. Then, one needs toestablish reward structures to sustain the movement for change. This strategy is beingapplied in a Leadership Project funded by the Commonwealth Office for Learning andTeaching. We aim to shift practices in university teaching of science and mathematics awayfrom traditional, didactic, content-heavy delivery where many such attempts have failed in thepast. Our initiative involves developing the capacity of effective teachers to influence policyand practice within their schools, faculties, and institutions through 'distributed','transformational' leadership. This session provides a glimpse of our strategy.