Giving teaching advice meaning: the importance of contextualizing pedagogical instruction within the discipline

Having an understanding of the teaching processes, both within and across the disciplines can have a profound effect in developing a cohesive academic program. With this understanding, an effective course developer can implement positive pedagogical change without undermining a discipline’s integrity. The course developer needs to have knowledge, not only of how, but of what and why knowledge is taught within a discipline. An in-depth understanding of a subject cannot be achieved by a few broadly-based sessions with an academic. This paper highlights the importance of contextualising pedagogical instruction within a discipline when considering course evaluation and/or redesign.