ESCALATE December 1 st 2008 Professional Development for

ESCALATE December 1 st 2008 Professional Development for Higher Education: Mapping the territory. Dr Liz Beaty, Director Strategic Academic Practice and Partnership

Overview • The History • The Challenges • What we should be aiming for.

It used to be a lonely road

Since then 1992 SEDA Accreditation 1997 Dearing report calls for professional qualification for teaching 1999 HEFCE TQEF funds 1999 Institute for Learning and Teaching 20002002 Teaching Learning Research Programme (TLRP) 20012003 White paper – HEA, CETLs 20022005 agreed. Professional standards for HE

And now? • Almost all Universities have an accredited programme of staff development, • Most Universities have a dedicated unit for staff and educational development, • There is the HEA and 24 subject centres, • There are thriving professional associations for staff and educational developers (SEDA) and various specialist associations eg (ALT), • A great deal more research to improve teaching.

Future Challenge: a University for the 21 st Century NOW WHAT?

Future Challenge: a University for the 21 st Century • • For everyone available anywhere integrated with work, home, leisure an active part of communities • Leading intelligent development – personal, social, economic and cultural.

Developing “WHAT” – content of educational development • Widening participation • Employer engagement • Personalized learning • Sustainability • Supporting local community and global position.

Learning and Teaching • Course design – – Separation of content and process New academic teams E and mobile learning Partnership developments • Lifelong Learning – – – Experiential Work based APEL and CPD Intensive f 2 f plus distance learning Portable credit

Developing “HOW” - Methods of CPD for staff • Seamless progression • Technology literacy • Challenge and support • Scholarship – research – evaluation • Model the process.

Enabling support tools • Mobile communications – Invest in supporting what people have rather than mandating specific hardware and software – Support communication across institutional boundaries – Focus on virtual as well as personal meetings. • Personal development portfolios – Support learners across time and space – Enable personal alongside professional development – Secure private space alongside shared and controlled space.

The agenda for CPD • • • Continuous development New Developments New Colleagues Multiple agendas Leadership Influencing policy and strategy

In Partnership Shared online resources Across educational levels Subject networks Teaching method networks Leadership for teaching and learning

Credit in a 21 st Century World Reputation and trust Personal record of competence and skill. Assessment of knowledge and experience at point of entry. Open accreditation – whose kite mark matters?

Credit in a 21 st Century World Build the brand Support personal portfolio of evidence of achievement. Facilitate individual development and employability Support connectivity and transferability.

Questions for the colloquium • Can one programme meet the aspirations : – individual members of staff, – strategic priorities of their institutions and – national transferability? • How can our programmes develop from the experience of the participants and from a robust scholarship base. • What are the relative merits of credit bearing and non credit bearing courses? • How can informal and formal systems of development be managed within one programme? • What is the role of research in our staff development practice?