Other Professional Development Resources
On this page, below, you will find further useful professional development tools developed by staff and students at the International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of St Andrews. These resources are designed to support educators, enhance teaching practice, and foster professional growth. Click the links below to explore, use, and interact with these tools, each created to provide practical insights and innovative approaches for professionals in international education and lifelong learning.
Living in another country is an enriching and rewarding experience, but can also cause confusion and conflict. Different groups of people have different ways of behaving and looking at the world, and the “rules” behind them are often unspoken.
The cultural encounters website is designed to provide a range of Cultural Encounter Exercises, which can be used in classes or in the workplace in order to simulate difficult or confusing situations that people may find themselves in when living or traveling abroad. These exercises are reflective and have been created to encourage dialogue and understanding.
The language teaching conceptual toolkit professional development resource is designed for language teachers and explores five key concepts that shape language education: Language, Dynamicity, Ideology, Decolonisation, and Identity. Through in-depth audio discussions, experts examine each concept’s theoretical foundations and its practical implications for teaching.
The education-focused lecturer career narratives website showcases the diverse and evolving career paths of education-focused staff in higher education, particularly at the University of St Andrews. Through podcast interviews, educators share their career journeys, offering insight, inspiration, and reflection on the varied roles within teaching, leadership, scholarship, and outreach.
While primarily designed for those in higher education, educators from all sectors may find these narratives valuable for reflecting on their own career progression and professional growth.
Language Learner Autonomy Research Portal, developed by a postgraduate research (PGR) student student within IELLI, provides valuable resources for learners, educators, and researchers, offering insights and tools to support language learner autonomy.
Not affiliated with a university but still eager to engage with high-quality research and scholarship? You’re not alone—and you’re in the right place. In this stand alone podcast episode, we explore the wealth of academic resources available to independent researchers, teachers and educational professionals, from open-access journals and digital archives to public library collections and online academic communities.
Join host Aaron Rotsinger as he speaks with our resident expert, Sharon Nangle (our Academic Liaison Librarian) who shares practical strategies and insider knowledge to help you navigate academic resources available beyond Universities.
Whether you’re an independent scholar, a professional seeking evidence-based insights, or just someone who loves to learn, this podcast episode will equip you with the tools to find, use, and contribute to academic resources and conversations — no university login required.
Start listening and unlock a world of knowledge!
In the podcast, the speakers talk about some useful resources, which are linked below: