The Dynamics of Knowledge Creation: Academics' Writing Practices in the Contemporary University Workplace

The proposed study will investigate how knowledge is produced, shaped and distributed through the writing practices of academic staff working across a range of disciplines and at different career stages within the contemporary English HE system. Academic writing practices of various kinds (scholarly, pedagogic, and 'impact' writing) are central to the enterprise of higher education. It is largely through these writing practices that universities achieve their central objectives, against which the success of different institutions is measured. Available digital resources, increased managerialism and the internationalization of higher education are reorganizing the socio-material contexts within which academics carry out their writing work.

This study aims to inform future innovation, productivity and teacher training in HE through a better understanding the dynamics of these interconnected processes. The study will inform ideas about how the mission of the university sector can best be supported and developed in challenging times, when demands for greater accountability, increasing numbers of students, resourcing decisions, technologies and changes in the understanding of academics' roles are transforming the work of professionals in higher education.

The writing practices of academic staff in nine disciplinary sites will be followed over a year, through a combination of interviews, close ethnographic observation of both online and offline writing activities, and analysis of the wider organizational context. These methods will generate a multi-modal data set which will be analysed through the theoretical lenses of literacy studies and social material theory.

Literacy studies draws attention to how participants perform everyday tasks and enact "being an academic" in organizational settings. They link methodologically with studies of everyday practice and involve the close observation of textually-mediated interactions. Socio-material theory articulates the importance of both people and material artefacts in networks of activity. This approach identifies the trajectories of texts, how they circulate and co-ordinate activities across multiple sites; and reveals the underlying physical and information architecture of contemporary practices.

Combining these approaches will lead us to analyse elements of the everyday experience and activities of participants including: social networks and relationships; the purposes for academic writing and the location of these within the dynamics of other competing purposes and types of writing; resources and tools including digital and other technologies and library/learning resources; the distribution of academic activities across space and time; and disciplinary and institutional domains including activities of research, teaching, administration, consultancy and service.

Who are the beneficiaries?
Viewing the university as a workplace, the beneficiaries will be all those involved in the production of writing. This includes academics, those in management roles and other support staff. People in management roles include heads of departments, human resources staff and central university management. Other support staff include departmental administrative staff (or equivalent), IT staff, learning technology staff and information management staff.
Academics across all disciplines and types of university are potential beneficiaries. This covers academics in British universities as well as international universities where there is a focus on writing, and often, specifically academic writing in English. Research students training to be academics are also beneficiaries.
Related professionals in national agencies and intermediary networks include the Higher Education Academy, Research Councils and government departments, ESRC-Doctoral Training Centre Directors, UCU and trade union learning reps., Equality Challenge Unit and disciplinary professional associations. Representatives will be invited to our online advisory group and to our final symposium.
Looking beyond the university sector, professional workers in other sectors where there is extensive writing and demands are changing are also beneficiaries. This includes public sector, private sector and third sector professionals.

How will they benefit?
Professionals will benefit by being better able to manage work demands in a rapidly changing environment. Better implementation of change can be achieved and they can benefit from innovations in knowledge production. Training for academic and professional writing can be improved and the mentoring of early career professionals can be strengthened. This has the potential to enhance the health and quality of life of all involved and to improve creative output. It can increase the effectiveness of the university sector nationally and globally.

What is the timescale for impact?
By beginning impact alongside data collection in the sites, there can be local impact from the beginning of data collection. Over time we provide steps for this to move out to the institution as a whole and beyond. There will also be focused impact activities at the end of the project. Longer term impact on professional culture more broadly can be achieved through our collaboration with The Work Foundation which is part of Lancaster University. The symposium at The Work Foundation in Westminster will reach the national level and will enable a longer term dialogue with policy makers and other professionals beyond higher education.

What skills will project staff develop?
The researchers will be trained in interviewing, coding and fieldwork, using new technologies and newly developed methodologies. They will generate multimodal data and be trained in new data management and archiving skills. They will be supported to contribute to high impact publications and to develop their media presence, including the use of online social media.