Becoming an Associatefellow of the HEA-The Portfolio Route

Becoming an AssociateFellow of the HEA-the portfolio route

A Guidance Handbook for how to gather evidence for your portfolio and prepare for your verbal reflective discussion

Dr. Marj Spiller

September 2016

Contents

Page(s)

Introduction 3

Staff Contact Details 3

Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow? 3

How you will be assessed 5

Portfolio evidence you will require 6-7

How to structure your portfolio of evidence 8

In-Faculty/Service advice and guidance 8

What to do when your portfolio is ready 8

How to prepare for your verbal reflective discussion 9-10

What happens following the verbal reflective discussion11

Appendices

Reference template Appendix 1

Action-plan template Appendix 2

Associate Fellowship Evidence Checklist Appendix 3

Associate Fellowship Cross-referencing grid Appendix 4

Evidence Coversheet Appendix 5

Learning and Teaching theory: a snapshot of some factors influencing

student learning in Higher Education Appendix 6

Introduction

The HE Academy launched the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) in 2011 in order to provide a scheme of professional recognition for all staff involved with learning and teaching within the sector. Full details of the framework can be found via the link below:

This Framework aims to:

professionalise learning and teaching in HE

to provide individuals with opportunities to gain national recognition of their professionalism

to ensure that their practice is aligned to the UKPSF

to provide an indicator of professional identity

Staffordshire University has now been accredited by the HEA to run an internal CPD/portfolio scheme (under the umbrella of the ‘Routes to Fellowship’).This CPD/portfolio route allows staff to gather evidence about their teaching and then be assessed against the UKPSF.

The Routes to Fellowship CPD/portfolio route is essentially based on evidence collection and then followed by a verbal reflective discussion about how this evidence meets the required criteria of the UKPSF.

Staff contact details

If you have any queries about the Routes to Fellowship scheme, please do not hesitate to contact Marj Spiller (scheme manager) or Ellen Lockett (scheme administrator) by the following means:

Marj Spiller
 4403
 / Ellen Lockett
 4127


Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow?- understanding the difference

The decision about which level of Fellowship you should apply for depends on the extent of responsibility you have for learning and teaching. Below is an explanation of the different levels to help you make this decision.

Associate Fellow (D1) This is for staff with some responsibility for teaching e.g. technicians, PhD researcher or some part-time academics but it may not be their primary role.

Fellow(D2)This is for staff who have full responsibility for teaching. They may be early-career academics, experienced academics with a broad portfolio of teaching, experienced academics who are relatively new to UK Higher Education, or staff with some teaching responsibilities e.g in work-based settings. The PgCHPE also qualifies you for this level of Fellowship.

Senior Fellow(D3)This is for experienced staff who have responsibility for leadinglearning and teaching within a defined subject area e.g. Award Leaders, AGLs and Heads of School. As a result, they are able to demonstrate impact and influence on others through their responsibilities for leading, managing or organising programmes, subjects and/or discipline areas

To apply for this level, we recommend that you have at least 3 years in a rolwhich offers opportunities to influence and impact on the learning and teaching of others.

Principal Fellow (D4) This is for staff who work at a senior level and have a strategic responsibility for learning and teaching, either across the Faculty or University.Typically they will be responsible for the strategic leadership of learning and teaching and policy-making. Their influence should extend beyond their subject and thereby influence change in learning and teaching across other areas.

To apply for this level, we recommend that you have at least five years in a position to influence learning and teaching at a University / national / international level, beyond your own curriculum area.

The remainder of this handbook assumes that you have decided to apply for the AssociateFellowship level.

Within the UK Professional Standards Framework, this is Descriptor 1 which requires that you:

Demonstrate an understanding of specific aspects of effective teaching and learning support methods and student learning. You should be able to provide evidence of:

1. Successful engagement with at least 2 of the following Areas of Activity

A1 Design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study

A2 Teach and/or support learning

A3 Assess and give feedback to learners

A4 Develop effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance

A5 Engage in continuing professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices

1. Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to these Areas of Activity

3. Appropriate Core Knowledgeand Understanding of at least K1 and K2 below

K1The subject material

K2 Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme

K3 How students learn, both generally and within their subject/ disciplinary area(s)

K4 The use and value of appropriate learning technologies

K5 Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching

K6 The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular focus on teaching

1. A commitment to appropriateProfessional Valuesin facilitating others’ learningfrom V1-V4 below

V1 Respect individual learners and diverse learning communities

V2 Promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners

V3 Use evidence-informed approaches and the outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing professional development

V4 Acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates

recognising the implications for professional practice

1. Relevant professional practices, subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the above activities

1. Successful engagement, where appropriate, in professional development activityrelated to teaching, learning, assessment responsibilities

How you will be assessed

There are 2 stages in the assessment process when applying for a Fellowship using this portfolio route:

1. A portfolio of evidence gathered from your own teaching experience

(Suggested content for your portfolio is outlined on pages 6 - 8of this handbook.)

1. A verbal reflective discussion

(Preparation for your verbal reflective discussion is given on page 9-10of this handbook)

The assessment of both a) your portfolio of evidence and b) your verbal reflective discussion will centre around your coverage of at least 2 out of the following UKPSF Areas of Activity, at least K1 and K2 of the Core Knowledge and appropriate Professional Values:

Areas of Activity

A1 Design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study

A2 Teach and/or support learning

A3 Assess and give feedback to learners

A4 Develop effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance

A5 Engage in continuing professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices

Core Knowledge

K1 The subject material

K2 Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme

K3 How students learn, both generally and within their subject/ disciplinary area(s)

K4 The use and value of appropriate learning technologies

K5 Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching

K6 The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular focus on teaching

Professional Values

V1 Respect individual learners and diverse learning communities

V2 Promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners

V3 Use evidence-informed approaches and the outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing professional development

V4 Acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates

recognising the implications for professional practice

All portfolios and verbal reflective discussions will be assessed by ‘Routes to Fellowship’ Assessors from across the University. These are staff who have already been through the assessment process and are typically either Senior Fellows or Principal Fellows.

Once you have been assessed, the judgement is taken to the next ‘Routes to Fellowship’ approvals panel (normally held twice a year).

Portfolio evidence you will require

In a nutshell, to meet the UKPF criteria for Associate Fellowship, you need to give evidence in your portfolio of:

Your teaching context

5 pieces of evidence from 2 of the following areas

• How you design and plan learning
• How you teach and support learning
• How you assess and give feedback
• How you develop effective learning environments
• How you engage in CPD to support your own teaching

2 pieces of evidence showing how you evaluate and continuously improve your teaching/support for learning

2 references from colleagues who are in a position to comment on your practice

An action plan for how you plan to further develop your teaching.

Each piece of evidence which you include in your portfolio should have an ‘Evidence Coversheet’ (appendix 5)briefly explaining what it illustrates.

The following table is designed to help you understand the type of evidence needed for your Associate Fellowship portfolio. Please try to include evidence of how your improved digital capability enhances student learning:

How to evidence this
Your teaching/facilitation of learning context / Write a statement (couple of paragraphs) about
What your role is
What you teach/how you facilitate learning
How long you have been teaching/facilitating learning
Who you teach/facilitate learning for (e.g.UG or PG)
How you teach/facilitate learning (e.g.face-to-face or distance-learning)
Any additional responsibilities you have for learning and teaching
5 pieces of evidence from 2 of the following sections
How you design and plan learning / Evidence such as
Module handbook (developed by you)
A scheme of work for how you intend to teach a module or facilitate learning in a workshop setting
A plan of how you intend to teach/facilitate learning ina session
Plans for how you intend to integrate the Staffordshire Graduate attributes
Other relevant examples from the context of your own teaching/facilitation of learning
How you teach and support learning / Evidence such as
Handout
PowerPoint and/or Prezzie slides
Teaching aid (e.g. photo of a completed flip-chart or other visual aid)
Learning resource pack
On-line learning materials
Other relevant examples from the context of your own teaching/facilitation of learning
How you assess and give feedback / Select 2 pieces of evidence from the following list:
Example of a formative or summative assessment you have designed and used
Example of formative or summative assessment guidance you have given to students
Example of assessment feedback you have given to students
Example of assessment standardisation/qualityassurance activities
Other relevant examples from the context of your own teaching/facilitation of learning
How you develop effective learning environments / Evidence such as
Examples of an on-line learning environment you have used
Materials or checklists you have used in workshops/personal tutorials
Photos of equipment, exhibitions or displays you have used in your own teaching/facilitation of learning
Other relevant examples from the context of your own teaching/facilitation of learning
How you engage in CPD to support your own teaching / Evidence such as
Conference or workshop attendance for your own discipline
Attendance at in-Faculty conferences or briefings re learning and teaching
StaffFest attendance relating to learning and teaching
Taking relevant accredited courses
Peer observation of teaching (or equivalent for your role)
Visits to other organisations
Resource-Link print-out of CPD over the past 2 years
Further evidence required
How you evaluate and continuously improve your teaching / Select 2 pieces of evidence from the following list:
Any actions you have taken as a result of feedback from students
Examples of changes you have made as a result of feedback from different sources (e.g. external examiners, validation panels or NSS results)
Completed observation of own teaching
Other relevant examples from the context of your own teaching/facilitation of learning
References / You need 2 references, one from your line-manager and one from a colleague, both of whom can verify that you can work in 2 of the following sections
How you design and plan learning
How you teach/support learning
How you assess and give feedback
How you develop effective learning environments
How you engage in CPD to support your own teaching
(Please see appendix 1 for a template to be used by referees)
These references must be included in your portfolio (i.e. do not just give us the names of your referees)
Action plan / You are required to write a brief action plan for how you intend to keep developing your teaching This should include
Intended actions
By when
Success criteria
(Please see appendix 2 for a template to be used for your action plan)

How to structure your portfolio of evidence

It is recommended that the evidence in your portfolio should be presented in the following way:

1)An evidence checklist (appendix 3) signed by you to make sure you have included all the information required

2)An evidence cross-referencing grid(appendix 4)to demonstrate you have covered all the UKPSF Areas of activity, Core knowledge and Professional values

3)A section headed ‘Your teaching context’

4)2 sections headed either

‘Design and plan learning’

‘Teach and support learning’

‘Assess and give feedback’

‘Develop effective learning environments’

‘Engage in CPD to support your own teaching’

5)A section headed ‘Evaluate and continuously improve own teaching/facilitation of learning’

6)A section headed ‘References’

7) A section headed ‘Action plan’

Each piece of evidence which you include in your portfolio should have an ‘Evidence Coversheet’ (appendix 5)briefly explaining what it illustrates.

In-Faculty/Service advice and guidance

Associate Deans (Learning and Teaching) and Directors of relevant Services hold lists of their staff who are already Senior Fellows and are willing to give you additional support and guidance. However, if unsure about any aspect of the evidence collection process, please do not hesitate to contact Marj Spiller (ext 4403, )

What to do when your portfolio is ready

When you have completed your portfolio of evidence, you will need to contact either Marj Spiller (ext 4403, ) or Ellen Lockett (ext 4127, ) to put your name on the list for the next assessment day. You will then be invited to attend a verbal reflective discussion within your Faculty.

How to prepare for your verbal reflective discussion

What is a verbal reflective discussion?

It is a structured question and answer session with two assessors.

It is your opportunity to bring your portfolio to life and so all of the questions will require you to give examples from your evidence

It normally lasts 45-50 minutes

The assessors will complete a written template aligned to the questions asked

It will also be audio-recorded so that it can be sampled by the external advisor and/or the Routes to Fellowship Panel.

You will be expected to make reference to some aspect(s) of learning and teaching theory. To familiarise yourself with or/refresh your knowledge of learning and teaching theory, appendix 6 gives you some examples of what might be appropriate to discuss. During your verbal reflective discussion, you will only be expected to make reference to 1 or 2 of these theories or models.

The questions asked will encourage you to explain and justify the evidence in your portfolio and are likely to be similar to the one in the table below

In anticipation of these type of questions being asked in your verbal reflective discussion, it is strongly advised that you prepare some answers for these. Please feel free to bring these notes into your verbal reflective discussion with you.

The questions within the verbal reflective discussion will encourage you to justify the evidence in your portfolio and are likely to be similar to the following, dependent on the areas you have chosen:

UKPSF descriptor 1 criteria / Possible verbal reflective discussion questions
D1.1 Successful engagement with at least 2 of the 5 Areas of Activity / Justify why you have applied for an Associate Fellowship
When you are planning your teaching/support learning, what factors do you take into account? From the evidence within your portfolio, where is there a good example of this?
Based on your evidence, how can you show that you have tried to improve your teaching/the way you support student learning?
D1.2 Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to these Areas of Activity
D1.3 Appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core Knowledge / How do your teaching/facilitation of learning strategies take into account the a) need for all staff to be digitally capable in their teaching ?
b) different ways students learn or have different needs?
From the evidence within your portfolio, where is there a good example of this?
Based on the evidence within your portfolio, explain how you try to develop an effective learning environment
D1.4 A commitment to all the Professional Values / The University currently has a number of strategic initiatives affecting student learning such as inclusive learning , responding to the NSS, Staffordshire Graduate, employability, work-based learning, placement learning or fieldwork)What do you know about these initiatives and how do they impact on your teaching?
How do you ensure that you promote equality of opportunity for learners?
D1.5 Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and / or scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to academic practice / What educational models or theories underpin your approach to teaching/facilitation of learning? From the evidence within your portfolio, where is there a good example of this?
Based on your evidence, how can you show that you have tried to improve your teaching/facilitation of learning?
D1.6 Successful engagement, where appropriate, in professional development activities related to teaching, learning and assessment responsibilities / From the CPD you have presented within your portfolio, which event/activity do you feel had the greatest impact on your teaching?
Based on your action-plan, how do you intend to further develop your teaching?

What happens following the verbal reflective discussion