Embracing Academic Identity Through the GCAP Journey

Dr Caitlin Fox-Harding is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science within the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University. With a strong commitment to student-centered education, she brings together research, teaching, and leadership to enhance the academic experience. Her research spans women’s health and mental health and has a particular interest in curriculum innovation and mentoring across higher education at ECU. Dr Fox-Harding is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE and a Fellow with HERDSA.

Read on as Caitlin reflects on her journey through the Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice and the impact it’s had on her teaching.

From Classroom Experience to Educator Identity

Embarking on the Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (GCAP) in 2022 marked a turning point in my academic career. Being a member of the first full calendar-year cohort (being acutely aware of the ambitious six-month pilot cohort before), by all accounts, proved challenging to complete within the timeframe. I approached the GCAP with both eagerness and intention, knowing I was soon to go on maternity leave and motivated by my long-term aspiration to contribute meaningfully as an academic leader (Black, 2015).

Despite holding a PhD and several years of teaching experience, I hadn’t yet fully embraced the identity of an educator (Gravett, 2021). The GCAP presented the perfect opportunity to immerse myself in the theoretical and practical underpinnings of higher education pedagogy (Chadha, 2015). ECU’s offering provided a structured and reflective environment where I could better understand how students learn, the purposes and types of feedback, approaches to assessment, and the importance of inclusive practices across cultures, abilities, and learning contexts which were all grounded in scholarly literature and evidence-based practice.

An added benefit of the GCAP structure was the recognition of prior learning (RPL; Garnett & Cavaye, 2015). I was fortunate to gain microcredential credits from previous work in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) supervision training. This not only acknowledged existing skills but also allowed me to focus my energy on new areas of development and exploration.

Yet, the standout feature of the GCAP experience was undoubtedly the Community of Practice (CoP; Mercieca, 2016). This was my first real foray into engaging with professional and academic colleagues outside my immediate discipline in a meaningful and sustained way (Roper, 2021). The CoP invited vulnerability and, in return, offered support, collegiality, and perspective. It became a reflective space where I could share the nuances of my teaching journey and, more importantly, be gently challenged by others who noticed blind spots or undervalued strengths I hadn’t seen in myself.

Through the CoP, I was connected with staff across the university, beyond the silos that had naturally formed during my time as an academic (Trust et al., 2017). It expanded my thinking around learning and teaching to explore what it means, how it varies, and how it can be collaboratively enhanced across disciplines and roles.

The knowledge and confidence I gained through the GCAP have been immediately applicable. My understanding of curriculum design and assessment approaches has strengthened significantly (Colbeck et al., 2001), just in time to play a leadership role in the Curriculum Transformation Program (CTP) anticipated for our suite of exercise and sports sciences courses in 2026. Moreover, the experience informed my successful application for Senior Fellowship with Advance HE and my HERDSA Fellowship submission, further embedding my commitment to reflective, student-centered teaching.

The GCAP didn’t just provide a formal qualification as it offered the space to explore, question, connect, and evolve. I now walk into a classroom or contribute to program design not just as someone who teaches, but as an educator committed to excellence, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

References

Black, S. A. (2015). Qualities of effective leadership in higher education. Open Journal of Leadership, 4(02), 54.

Chadha, D. (2015). Evaluating the impact of the graduate certificate in academic practice (GCAP) programme. International Journal for Academic Development, 20(1), 46-57.

Colbeck, C. L., Cabrera, A. F., & Terenzini, P. T. (2001). Learning professional confidence: Linking teaching practices, students’ self-perceptions, and gender. The Review of Higher Education, 24(2), 173-191.

Garnett, J., & Cavaye, A. (2015). Recognition of prior learning: opportunities and challenges for higher education. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 7(1), 28-37.

Gravett, K. (2021). Disrupting the doctoral journey: Re-imagining doctoral pedagogies and temporal practices in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(3), 293-305.

Mercieca, B. (2016). What is a community of practice?. In Communities of practice: Facilitating social learning in higher education (pp. 3-25). Singapore: Springer Singapore.

Roper, L. (2021). Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration: A study of enablers and inhibitors across silos in higher education. Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies, 8(1).

Trust, T., Carpenter, J. P., & Krutka, D. G. (2017). Moving beyond silos: Professional learning networks in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 35, 1-11.