‘It feels like you’re going back to the beginning…’: addressing imposter feelings in early career academics through the creation of communities of practice

Abstract

In exploring imposter feelings in early career academics, this article examines the impacts of adopting social constructivist pedagogies. It reveals the significance of reflective practice in a Post-Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice programme (PGCAP), supporting professional development in teaching, learning and assessment for new academics in a UK Higher Education context. A qualitative case study approach enabled researchers to gain insight into participants’ experiences; data was collected via semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that causes for imposter feelings are multi-faceted, encompassing factors including interactions with students, and adjusting to university language, culture and systems. Alongside similar studies internationally, the authors present that employing social constructivist pedagogical tools in a planned programme of professional development for early career academics supports the creation of mutually empowering communities of practice (CoP), so addressing threats to professional identity, providing a horizontal alternative to organisational hierarchical support mechanisms, and enabling the construction of a secure academic identity.