Innovation in Language Learning

The rapid digitalisation of higher education has increased the need for teachers to develop strong digital pedagogical competence. However, effective integration of technology into teaching requires more than technical skills; it demands pedagogically informed decisions that enhance learning throughout the educational process. To address this challenge, one higher education institution piloted an internal professional development programme, which was designed to strengthen teachers’ pedagogical and digital pedagogical competence while simultaneously supporting course development. The programme was grounded in contemporary frameworks of digital pedagogy, including TPACK [1] and DigCompEdu [2], and emphasised learning design, digital tools, interaction and community building, assessment and feedback, and course quality enhancement. Approximately thirty teachers from different disciplines including ten language teachers participated in the pilot. During the programme, participants either redesigned an existing course or developed a new one while applying the concepts and methods introduced in the training. One distinctive feature of the programme was the use of peer-learning groups [3]. These self-selected groups met between training sessions and provided a space for collaborative reflection, feedback, and knowledge sharing. The clubs were facilitated by experienced digital pedagogy mentors who supported participants in applying institutional quality guidelines and learning design principles. The peer-learning model was informed by social constructivist theory [4], which views learning as a collaborative process of knowledge construction through interaction with others. Participant feedback highlighted the value of peer support in fostering reflection, generating new ideas, and enhancing confidence in course development. Teachers reported that discussions with colleagues from different disciplines broadened their perspectives and supported the practical application of new pedagogical approaches. The findings also suggest that peer-learning structures contribute to professional identity development and strengthen collegial networks within the institution.