This paper argues that in undergraduate architectural design education, professional learning and the formation of casual academics as university educators occur while 'situated' in tutorials through design conversations with students and as-needed chats with colleagues. For casual academics, such disciplinary, routine, and informal activities develop their agency, construct/reconstruct their personal knowledge about teaching, build shared knowledge, and foster supportive communities. Given the discontinuous contractual engagements of casual academics in universities, understanding the nature and characteristics of their teaching conversations makes visible their teaching knowledge, expertise, and professional development needs as university educators.