Memorandum 43
Submission from the Heads of Educational
Development Group
STUDENTS AND
UNIVERSITIES
We have concentrated our responses on the section:
"The balance between teaching and research"
and particularly the subsection
"The availability and adequacy of training
in teaching methods for UK academics and the importance of Teaching
Excellence for the academic career path, including the consideration
of the role of teaching fellows":
In summary we note that:
1. Widespread introduction and recognition of
pedagogical development programmes for staff new to HE teaching
is valued and successful. This will need continuation with sensitive
regards to mixtures of experience and research evidence led inputs,
provision for part-time staff and programme credit ratings.
2. Opportunities for continuing professional
development and appropriate staff recognition need renewed attention.
3. The end of the TQEF and introduction of TESS
with funding rolling into the block grant should not be allowed
to lead to an unintentional undermining of sound processes and
practices which HEIs have developed to enable the enhancement
of learning, teaching and the student experience.
4. While HEIs vary the balance between teaching
and research in relation to their place in the sector, the RAE
has been seen as taking attention and funding away from learning,
teaching and educational development, thus influencing the quality
of the student experience. A robust future focus is sought on
more research informed teaching, pedagogical research, scholarship,
ways of linking research and teaching and developing students
as researchers. This should now be given more serious consideration
and application across the sector.
OUR CONTRIBUTION
IN FULL
The widespread introduction of pedagogical development
programmes for staff new to teaching in Higher Education has been
successful as proven, for instance, in improving student satisfaction
scores across the sector. The common presence of such programmes
will need continued and sensitive steering, to retain the current
mix of research evidence and experience informed inputs and opportunities.
In particular, we must ensure that programmes equipping
staff for teaching responsibilities, show parity in standards
and quality across the sector, to the benefit of equitable student
learning experiences for all HE students. In common with programmes
preparing for other professions, this is done through an accreditation
process administered by the profession itself—in our case,
the HE sector through the HE Academy. We welcome differences in
institutional missions and identities being reflected in development
programmes for new academics and note that themes covered in such
programmes now include more than learning and teaching ( eg leadership
development, research development). However, we also note that
the current accreditation process is increasingly allowing disparities
between institutions that relate to agreed standards for learning
and teaching (Professional Standards Framework standards 1 or
2), the level of engagement with "learning to teach"
(credit size of programmes) and a shift from academic engagement
with learning and teaching to training for teaching. Some of these
disparities have caused substantial discussion and in light of
the intention to achieve a high standard of learning experiences
for all HE students, this needs consideration.
Some further consideration also needs to be
given to development for part-time staff and visiting lecturers
and Graduate students who teach. If the golden rule is the ensuring
of appropriate learning and teaching professional development
for all who are teaching/facilitating the learning of students,
then they and other colleagues clearly are entitled to appropriate
development provision , support and recognition, including mentoring
schemes, and time allowances.
Moreover, further informed and focused commitment
to the development and recognition of appropriate continuing professional
development schemes for established staff continues to be needed.
It is crucial that the healthy and imaginative
developments to support established staff, and enhance the quality
of learning and teaching and the student experience should not
be eroded by the cessation of the TQEF and the rolling of the
TESS into a block grant. This could in some instances lead to
erosion of recognition and reward of effective schemes for teaching,
learning, assessment, curriculum development and enhancing the
student experience which have been established and nurtured during
the TQEF funding period..
With reference to teaching fellowships,on the
one hand, National Teaching fellows are variously appreciated
and their expertise made use of within their institutions. On
the other hand, there are residual questions about the contributions
and benefits to the institution that has supported them. Some
colleagues report that their NTFS are providing models for teaching
excellence awards, internal fellowship projects and other innovation,
enhancement and recognition processes. Some leadership in relation
to ways for engaging NTFS more fully in institutions and the sector
would be welcomed.
HEDG members represent the full range of HEIs,
some more research intensive, some more teaching oriented. There
is widespread indication that the RAE exercise has been seen as
taking precedence over L&T. We consider that post RAE, more
energy and focus should be dedicated towards:
— Research informed teaching
— The development of pedagogical research
— Scholarly approaches to learning and
teaching
— Relating teaching and research
— Developing students as researchers
and that prioritisation and funding should underpin
their further developments.
Good practice in terms of the focused and imaginative
breadth of continuing professional development activity that is
being nurtured and carried out across the sector is being shown
by many HEIs to lead directly to enhancement of the student learning
experience. This good practice needs to be maintained, developed,
mapped further against the professional standards framework, and
shared as a norm of provision, across the sector. This will only
be possible with appropriate strategic direction and funding support.
December 2008
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