the scheme in teaching and supporting learning....aberystwyth –bangor universities’ cpd scheme...

Aberystwyth –Bangor Universities’ CPD Scheme Handbook April 2015

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The Aberystwyth - Bangor Universities' Joint

Scheme

Recognising Continuing Professional

Development

in Teaching

and Supporting

Learning.

Scheme Handbook 2014 - 15


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Table of Contents

1 Introduction and context Page 4

2 What is the UKPSF and how would I use it? Page 5

3 The UKPSF Dimensions of Practice Page 8

4 The UKPSF Descriptors Page 18

5 Routes to Recognition Page 26

6.1 Associate Fellow (Descriptor 1) Page 29

Differentiation of Descriptor 1

Descriptor 1 Statements

Vignettes for Descriptor 1

Application Process for Associate Fellow

Evidencing Your Practice

Typical Applicants

6.2 Fellow (Descriptor 2) Page 32




Application Process for D1 and D2


6.3 Senior Fellow (Descriptor 3) Page 45

Typical Applicants

Pre-Requisite


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Application Process for Senior Fellow


6.3 Principal Fellow (Descriptor 4) Page 50

Typical Applicants

Pre-Requisite




Application Process for Principal Fellow


7 Preparing Your Application: Recording CPD Activities Page 57

8 Guidance for referees Page 60

9 Submissions and Professional Recognition Process Page 63

10 Appendices Page 69

Appendix A: The UKPSF and Summary

Appendix B: Remaining in Good Standing: HEA guidelines

Appendix C: Proformas for Individual Route Applications (Descriptors 1-4)


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1 Context and Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 The UK Professional Standards Framework (UK PSF) for teaching and supporting

learning in higher education was originally proposed in the White Paper The Future of

Higher Education (2003), and was developed in consultation with UUK, SCOP, and the

UK HE funding bodies. It underwent review in 2011.

1.1.2 The quality of teaching is an important indicator of student success and the

framework encourages staff to engage in a scholarly approach to their teaching and

teaching-related activities. The UK PSF provides a structure and benchmark against

which staff can plan, record and reflect on their CPD activity. The UK PSF is of direct

relevance to academic staff, but other staff supporting student learning will also be able

to provide evidence of scholarship at least of Descriptor 1.

1.1.3 With the addition of Descriptors 3 & 4 the UK PSF is also relevant to senior staff

within the university in their roles as programme leaders, mentors of other staff, and

strategic managers.

1.1.4 The Aber-Bangor strategic plan outlines key objectives to provide a high quality

and flexible student learning environment, and is committed to aligning the objectives

and operation of the university with the aims of the UKPSF. This includes a continued

well-established approach to the professional development of staff engaged in teaching

and supporting learning and recognises the impact this has on innovation and the

student experience.

1.1.5 The UK PSF provides some parity across the HE sector and increasingly is

embedded within HR structures in Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities and across the

sector.

1.1.6 The Aberystwyth-Bangor CPD Scheme for academic and academic-related staff,

whilst meeting the UK PSF, has enough flexibility to encompass a wide range of

developmental scholarly activity, including co-working opportunities, your role as tutor,


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incorporating research into your teaching, cross-institution collegial learning, or

accredited programmes such as the PgCertHE programmes. It encourages you to take

the time to consider your recent career, your current scholarly activity, your ongoing

professional development, and to open your practice to peer comment and review

2. What are the standards described in the UKPSF and how would I use them?

What are the standards in the UKPSF?

What is the UKPSF for?

Who does the UKPSF belong to?

How does the HEA use the UKPSF?

How do Aberystwyth and Bangor universities use the UKPSF?

How else might you use the UKPSF?

2.1 What are the standards in the UKPSF?

The UKPSF provides a structure and benchmark against which staff can plan, record

and reflect on their CPD activities by provides a general description of the main

dimensions of the roles of teaching and supporting learning within the HE environment.

It is written from the perspective of the practitioner and outlines a common national

framework for comprehensively recognising and benchmarking teaching and learning

support roles within Higher Education.

The UKPSF has two components:

1) Dimensions of Practice: These are a set of statements outlining the:

Areas of Activity undertaken by teachers and supporters of learning within

HE

Core Knowledge that is needed to carry out those activities at the

appropriate level

Professional Values that someone performing these activities should

embrace and exemplify


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2) The Descriptors:

These are a set of statements outlining the key characteristics of someone

evidencing four broad categories of typical teaching and learning support roles

within Higher Education (D1-D4).

The following guidance notes set these two components out in more detail in Sections 3

and 4 below.

2.2 What is the UKPSF for?

The UKPSF’s central purpose is to help those seeking to enhance the learning

experience of their students, by improving the quality of their teaching and learning

support. It has a wide range of uses, but it could, for example, be used to:

• Promote the professionalisation of teaching and learning support within the HE

sector;

• Foster creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning;

• Enable HE staff to gain recognition and reward for developing their capabilities

as teachers and supporters of learning;

• Facilitate and support the design and delivery of initial and continuing education

development programmes and activities ;

• Demonstrate to students and other stakeholders the professionalism that staff

and institutions bring to teaching and support for student learning; Support

Senior Staff seeking to:

o develop policies and systems for the recognition and reward of

teaching and learning support staff

o promote a strong culture of teaching and learning support.

The UKPSF has been designed to apply to all aspects of teaching and learning support.

If you have a substantive role in the education of students or staff, it will be relevant to

you.

Depending on your specific role you can use it to become an Associate Fellow,

Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow. This will give you national and,


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increasingly, international recognition as a higher education educator. Review the

descriptors (D1-D4) to see which one would be appropriate for you. Although, in

principle, each category of fellowship encompasses the one below it, you don’t

necessarily have to start as an Associate Fellow and work through to Fellow, Senior

Fellow and Principal Fellow. You can gain recognition appropriate to your current role

and recent experience.

You can use the UKPSF to plan and guide your continuing professional development

(CPD) in the area of teaching and supporting learning. There is a natural progression

through the UKPSF as the scope of your teaching/learning support role widens and

deepens and the UKPSF can help you whatever stage you are at and whatever your

goals in this field of activity.

2.3 Who does the UKPSF belong to?

The UKPSF has been developed by the HEA on behalf of the HE sector as a whole and

so it is the property of all of those with a direct interest in the HE sector.

2.4 How does the HEA use the UKPSF?

The HEA provides a recognition and accreditation service which enables staff providing

teaching and/or learning support to be recognised, depending on their role and

experience, as an Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow of the

Higher Education Academy. This recognition may be by individuals making direct

application to the HEA or by completion of a course of study that has been accredited

by the HEA. More recently, the HEA uses the UKPSF to recognise each university’s

own ‘CPD Framework’ and so allow universities to build their own progression routes in

teaching development and to award fellowships of the HEA locally, removing the need

for individuals to apply directly to the HEA.

2.5 How do Aberystwyth and Bangor universities use the UKPSF?

The purpose of the CPD framework is to develop, reward and recognise teaching by

providing UK-wide approved accreditation against the UKPSF for all staff who teach

and/or support learning across both institutions. It recognises the UKPSF as an


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important vehicle for enhancing the student experience of learning and teaching, linked

to a teaching route to promotion.

The Aberystwyth-Bangor CPD Framework (T&L) represents an essential part of both

institutions’ equal commitment to both the student experience and academic

professional development.

The learning outcomes of the postgraduate certificates in teaching in HE (PgCertHE) of

both institutions (PgCTHE in Aberystwyth and PgCert HE in Bangor) have been

designed around the UKPSF, and accredited recognised by the HEA for over a

decade, permitting those who complete the full certificate to become Fellows of the

HEA (FHEA).

From September 2014, the two universities are accredited to run their own joint

Recognition of CPD in Teaching and Supporting Learning scheme. The

PGCertHEs now form part of the scheme (HEA Associate Fellow and Fellow), but you

can also make a direct application to the scheme, based on your experience, for any of

the 4 categories of Fellowship. This replaces direct individual application to the

HEA.

2.6 How else might you use the UKPSF?

If you are involved in the training and development of teaching and/or learning support

staff, you can use the UKPSF to design and structure your development programmes,

such that those provisions more clearly support the UKPSF.

If you have a senior managerial role, you can use the framework to help you to enhance

the quality and prominence of the teaching and learning activities within your remit.

3 The UKPSF Dimensions of Practice

This guidance note answers the following questions

Why are there three Dimensions?

How do the Dimensions relate to each other?

How could I evidence my engagement with the Areas of Activity? (A1-5) How

should I evidence my understanding of the appropriate Core Knowledge? (K1-6)


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How should I evidence my commitment to the Professional Values? (V2-4)

3.1. Why are there three Dimensions?

These reflect the complexity and multi-faceted nature of the professional role of staff

teaching and supporting learning.


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The framework identifies the separate component parts of teaching and supporting

learning roles. These are articulated in the dimensions of the Framework. However, in

practice when carrying out teaching and learning support roles all of the Dimensions will

be manifested in varying degrees. The diagram in the UKPSF document is intended to

illustrate the interactive nature of the three Dimensions.

It is not desirable or even possible to separate out the dimensions when considering

The Dimensions consist of three sets of statements outlining the:

Five Areas of ac tivity undertaken by teachers and supporters of learning

within HE

Six aspects of Core knowledge that are needed to carry out those activities at

the appropriate level

Four Professional values that someone p erforming these activities should

embrace and exemplify

3 . 2 . How do the Dimensions relate to each other?


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how to evidence practice. This is particularly true when working with Descriptors 3 and

4. Linking and combining different dimensions more accurately reflects the true nature

of teaching and enables the use of examples of real work. This approach might need to

be supported by ‘sign posting’ indicating how and where the dimensions are evidenced.

3.3 How could I evidence my engagement with the Areas of Activity?

3.3.1 Evidencing Area of Activity A1: Design and plan learning activities and/or

programmes of study

The evidence of Designing and Planning Learning Activities will normally be small scale

for Descriptor 1, typically individual activities and/or sessions. This would range from

module design to a whole programme of study for Descriptor 2 and those working

towards Descriptor 3. In all cases, one would expect the design to reflect developing

knowledge and understanding of the Core Knowledge and Professional Values

dimensions.

3.3.2 Evidencing Area of Activity A2: Teach and/or support learning

In demonstrating the activities of teaching and supporting learning the evidence should

demonstrate an increasing awareness of different approaches to and methods of

teaching and supporting learning as well as a growing ability to choose the most

appropriate approach for the achievement of curriculum aims.

3.3.3 Evidencing Area of Activity A3: Assess and give feedback to learners

Clear differentiation of how this area is evidenced would be expected for the different

Descriptors. For example, for Descriptor 1 an understanding of the importance of

assessment and feedback and of the criteria for making informed, formative judgements

about work and the role this plays in supporting learning through activities such as

tutorials, work placements, observations, and practical work would be appropriate. For

Descriptors 2 and 3 there would be an increasing emphasis on the use of feedback and

feed-forward approaches being routinely used to improve learning and develop learner

autonomy. At Descriptor 4 the focus might be about a wider sphere of influence in

policies and practices concerning assessment and feedback in supporting learning.


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3.3.4 Evidencing Area of Activity A4: Develop effective learning environments and

approaches to student support and guidance

The definition of ‘learning environments’ has been widely contested and is open to

diverse interpretation. Individual practitioners work beyond the physical environment of

the classroom, the laboratory, studio or work place or the distance learning or electronic

learning environment. They take the nature of the learning environment, the learning

culture being developed, the nature and extent of the support infrastructures into

account and are able to distinguish between academic and pastoral interventions.

Individuals also take the range of environments available to students into account as

well as how they are enabled to access, understand and utilise them.

3.3.5 Evidencing Area of Activity A5: Engage in continuing professional

developments in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research,

scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices

The Framework provides a powerful means of articulating the varied aspects of role and

the potential for development in all areas of the teaching and supporting learning

endeavour. This Area of Activity is concerned with enhancement and comprises three

elements integral to teaching and supporting learning roles. Whilst the three elements

might be viewed holistically it is important the elements are understood and

demonstrated, particularly at Descriptors 1 and 2 to ensure successful integration.

The elements are:

Continuing professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy

Incorporating research and scholarship

The evaluation of (one’s own) professional practices

Evidence could appropriately focus on the question: How might an individual

demonstrate that they have become a better teacher through continuing professional

development, research and the evaluation of their teaching and learning related

practices?


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3.4 How should I evidence my understanding of the appropriate Core

Knowledge?

The Dimension of Core Knowledge is most easily evidenced through the Areas of

Activity. For example, designing and planning a learning activity (Area of Activity 1)

successfully would be determined by the use of appropriate teaching and learning

methods (Core Knowledge 2), an understanding of how the particular students learn

(Core Knowledge 3) and the use of appropriate learning technologies (Core Knowledge

4). Linking the Core Knowledge to Areas of Activity provides greater coherence and

depth to the evidence and more accurately reflects the reality of practice.

3.4.1 Evidencing Core Knowledge K1: The subject material

This area is effectively evidenced with reference to the Areas of Activity or other areas

of Core Knowledge. Evidence should fundamentally relate to how an understanding of

the nature of the subject is used to inform the design and planning of learning activities

and programmes of study, the teaching strategies, the assessment and feedback. This

would normally make reference to the distinctive nature, or culture, of the discipline and

the particular expectations of teaching; the issues or challenges arising from the context

in which teaching takes place, and the appropriate methods of delivering the subject at

different levels (e.g. first year undergraduate to masters level).

3.4.2 Evidencing Core Knowledge K2: Appropriate methods for teaching and

learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme

This is concerned with pedagogic approaches that are distinctive and/or characteristic

of the subject, or what makes the teaching or supporting of the learning in the subject

different to the teaching of another one. It is also concerned with acknowledging that

some approaches may be more appropriate than others given the nature of the learning

desired, the level of the material being taught and the readiness of students. This is

clearly linked to demonstrating Core Knowledge 1 with its focus on an understanding

the subject material, but is specifically concerned with the strategies and approaches

used to teach or support the learning of the subject.

3.4.3 Evidencing Core Knowledge 3: How students learn, both generally and


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within their subject/discipline area?

How students learn might be evidenced through demonstrating how an understanding

of the characteristics of different learners (such as mature students, recent school

leavers or workplace learners) impacts on how their needs might be met in the context

of learning, how this might reflect on the learning environment, teaching approaches

and practices. Reference could be made to different theories of, or approaches to,

learning and how these are evidenced by the use of different strategies for teaching

and supporting learning. This might relate specifically to the nature of the subject (Core

Knowledge 1).

3.4.4 Evidencing Core Knowledge 4: The use and value of appropriate learning

technologies

Evidence needs to demonstrate how and why specific technologies, of all types and

ages are used appropriately to support learning. Evidence will address what the

learning and teaching needs are and why particular technology is used to address

them. Evidence is likely to be linked to other areas of Core Knowledge, for example;

how and why technology is used within a specific discipline, professional or vocational

areas; for specific groups of learners; in specific learning contexts or environments.

3.4.5 Evidencing Core Knowledge 5: Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of

teaching

An essential part of work in Higher Education is ensuring the effectiveness of teaching

practices. This focuses on the methods (formal or informal) employed to gather

information and data about the impact of teaching, how they are used and the impact of

their use on developing practice.


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3.4.6 Evidencing Core Knowledge 6: The implications of quality assurance and

quality enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular

focus on teaching

Quality assurance and quality enhancement are deeply embedded in higher education

through procedures such as programme validation, monitoring and review. These

processes shape academic practice and are implicit in what individuals do. Key to

evidencing this area is how an individual might demonstrate engagement with feedback

to enhance practice and the student learning experience. This might include an account

of how they seek opportunities to obtain feedback other than relying on the institutional

procedures already in place. For those working outside higher education institutional

policies and practices, they will need to evidence a personal interest, understanding

and commitment to quality assurance and enhancement procedures established and

embedded within their practice. This will include knowledge and understanding of the

quality assurance frameworks at a national level and how these are manifested at an

institutional level.

3.5 How should I evidence my commitment to the Professional Values?

The focus of Professional Values is the integrity of the individual practitioner. How they

are manifested is likely to be different if the individual has the identity of an academic

(working within an academic discipline) as compared to a professional (working in a

professional or vocational area). Much will depend on the context and nature of their

work.

Professional values are often considered implicit within professional practice; there are,

however, few assurances that this is the case. The UKPSF articulates how the

professional values should explicitly underpin teaching and support learning in higher

education; it requires the explicit demonstration of ‘a commitment to all the professional

values’.

As with the other dimensions there is some utility in separating the different

components to ensure an understanding of each, but in reality the professional values

overlap and are integrated in individual and institutional practice. For example, the

Professional Values impact on the Core Knowledge and the Areas of Activity by


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shaping the activity and the understanding and knowledge in an almost unconscious

way. Evidencing the Professional Values takes place in a setting which itself reflects

values through the institutional mission and culture, although this may shift in emphasis

over time. Individuals may themselves place different emphases and importance on

values in their professional practice and, like all values, they are hard to evidence.

3.6 Evidencing Professional Values in Descriptor 1, 2 and 3

The evidence of commitment to the professional values in practice will be demonstrably

linked to the level of regard for institutional/organisational values and how these

influence teaching and learning, and to the adoption and communication of positive

attitudes and behaviours. In the process of programme accreditation, this will be

demonstrated through exploring the ways the institutional processes (such as

promotion and developmental review or appraisal) reflect the Professional Values. This

could be through the alignment of the UKPSF Professional Values in

institutional/organisational statements about their own values.

3.7 Evidencing Professional Values in Descriptor 4

The Professional Values are enshrined within evidence of ‘a commitment to and an

understanding of the use and value of the UKPSF’. This locates the Professional

Values at the heart of why things are done a certain way, what is held as important by

the individual and the aspirations and forces driving their work. Evidencing this might

draw on examples of how practice is influenced by an individual’s personal obligation

and responsibility to the Professional Values.

3.8 Evidencing Professional Value 1: Respect individual learners and diverse

learning communities

This focuses on the way teaching and supporting learning incorporate activities, actions

and approaches which respect individual learners. It depicts the ways we communicate

and interact with individuals and different communities in the context of teaching and

supporting learning. The term ‘diverse learning communities’ might include campus

based groups of students, electronic communicates, work based communities, or be

defined on the basis of ethnicity, faith, social class, age etc. The practitioner needs to

be able to demonstrate that they value and can work effectively with and within these


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diverse communities.

3.9 Evidencing Professional Value 2: Promote participation in higher education

and equality of opportunity for learners

The focus here is on providing evidence of how a commitment to participation in Higher

Education and equality of opportunity for learners underpins practice related to teaching

and supporting learning. There is potential to cover a broad spectrum of activities,

approaches and behaviours linked to all the Areas of Activity and Core Knowledge.

Evidence should ideally indicate wide and pervasive approaches to ensuring equality of

opportunity.

3.10 Evidencing Professional Value 3: Use evidence informed approaches and the

outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing professional development

This focuses on the use of evidence informed approaches, the ability to draw on and

contribute to many sources of evidence and to use them to inform teaching and learning

practice. It is about using the outcomes from research, scholarship and professional

development to make principled, informed and considered judgements which enhance

practice and the learning experience. This value advocates the importance of direct

professional involvement in enquiry (in teaching and learning) to support the individual’s

own professional development and to enhance their teaching or learning support

activities.

Evidence might include consideration and application of the findings from studies,

reading, personal enquiry of (for example) teaching, learning, learners, the subject, the

environment etc. to enhance practice and the student learning experience. Using one’s

own discipline based research to enhance the curriculum should be informed by

reading or research about curriculum design, the nature of the subject itself and the

learners in order to provide a rationale for the design of the curriculum and its delivery.

3.11 Evidencing Professional Value 4: Acknowledges the wider context in which

higher education operates recognising the implications for professional practice.

This is concerned with being alert to the issues that may impact on institutional

missions and/or which might have an influence on curriculum design and/or personal


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and collective professional practice. This might for example include how an individual

has responded to the current demands of the Disability Discrimination Act, the

employment agenda, or the widening access and participation agenda. Current

agendas include; sustainability (the practice of sustainability and education for

sustainability), and student engagement.

4 The UKPSF Descriptors

What are the Descriptors?

Why are there four Descriptors?

How do they relate to each other?

How can you use the Descriptors?

4.1 What are the Descriptors?

These are a set of statements outlining the key characteristics of someone performing

four broad categories of typical teaching and learning support roles within Higher

Education.

Each Descriptor begins with a general statement addressed to the practitioner, which

briefly indicates the level of understanding required for the performance of teaching and

learning support role of that type at an appropriate standard within a higher education

institution. This is followed by a series of between five and seven further statements

which draw on the Dimensions of Practice to identify what someone performing such

roles should be able to evidence.

For example, if you work in a role encompassed by Descriptor 2, you would be

expected to be able to provide evidence of successful engagement across all five Areas

of Activity and of appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core

Knowledge etc.

The general statements for Descriptors 1 to 3 are very similar; differing only in the depth

and breadth of understanding required with some additional detailed differences in

construction. They have a number of key features in common.

Descriptor 4 is rather different in character and will be treated separately below.

4.2 Why are there four Descriptors?


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The Descriptors are intended to provide coverage of the full range of teaching and

supporting learning roles within higher education. Since these roles are highly diverse it

was necessary to create a number of descriptors to capture all of the kinds of roles that

staff may be engaged in.

Descriptor 1 is intended to relate to staff whose role in teaching and/or supporting

learning is focused on at least two, but not all, of the Areas of Activity. They would also

be expected to possess the appropriate Core Knowledge and be committed to

appropriate Professional Values. Perhaps also, they might undertake their role with the

assistance of more experienced teachers or mentors. Each Descriptor is accompanied

by suggestions for typical job roles covered by that descriptor. An example role for

Descriptor 1 is an early career researcher with some teaching responsibility.

Descriptor 2 is intended to relate to staff with a more substantive teaching and

supporting learning role(s) covering all of the Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge and

Professional Values.

Descriptor 3 brings in a strong educational leadership (which may not necessarily be

managerial) dimension, whilst Descriptor 4 is designed for highly experienced staff who

have made a sustained and substantial impact at a strategic level in relation to teaching

and learning support.

The Aberystwyth-Bangor CPD Scheme provides a recognition and accreditation service

for each of these categories so a member of staff providing teaching and/or learning

support can be recognised, depending on their role and experience as following:

• Descriptor 1: An Associate of the Academy (AFHEA)

• Descriptor 2: A Fellow of the Academy (FHEA)

• Descriptor 3: A Senior Fellow of the Academy (SFHEA)

• Descriptor 4: A Principal Fellow of the Academy (PFHEA)

4.3 How do the descriptors relate to each other?

The Descriptors can be seen as both independent and hierarchical, depending on the

individual and/or the context in which they work. For example: an academic may see

their career path (expressed in terms of teaching professional development) as moving


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through the roles of Graduate Teaching Assistant (Descriptor 1) through a Lecturer post

(Descriptor 2), as the main career grade, to an academic leadership role or middle

management (Descriptor 3); and possibly to a more senior leadership role with

demonstrable impact (Descriptor 4). In this case the Framework can be viewed

hierarchically, as there is clear progression between the descriptors with descriptor 2,

being subsumed within descriptor 3.

For other individuals, there may be no clear career pathway to progress their teaching

or they are in a position in which they are likely to remain. This might be the case for

learning technologists, physiotherapists engaged in workplace teaching, careers

advisors, librarians and medical clinicians where career progression would not imply

movement through the Descriptors. In this case the Framework is not viewed as

hierarchical; the Descriptors provide the mechanism for recognising what the individual

does and for their individual professional development, enabling them to focus on how

they might develop different aspects of their teaching and supporting learning activity.

An example might be a tutor who covers only some elements of teaching and learning

and who might therefore align their work activities to Descriptor 1. They may however

have opportunities to look beyond their immediate work and/or adapt to potential

changes in their role, by working towards Descriptor 2.

It is therefore possible that individuals do not progress through all descriptors of the

Framework and instead work within the Descriptor most relevant to the role they have.

In either case the Framework should be seen as developmental, where clear

opportunities are provided for individuals to identify areas for development and engage

with the Descriptor beyond that relevant to their current work and career stage.

4.4 How can you use the Descriptors?

The Framework (and particularly the descriptors) provides the means of articulating the

individual’s progress in terms of developing knowledge, expertise, impact, influence and

leadership in teaching and supporting learning. They can be used to gain recognition as

an Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow of Principal Fellow and also they can be

used as the basis for professional reflection on the roles related to teaching or

supporters of learning in a higher education institution.


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4.4.1 Using Descriptor 1

This Descriptor is relevant to those who do not engage in the full spectrum of activities

that might define academic or academic related practice, but who have a specific role in

teaching and supporting HE learning. Such individuals, whatever their role or status, are

not able to evidence engagement and expertise in all dimensions of the UKPSF. The

descriptor is designed to be flexible and reflect the variety of different combinations of

activities that HE teaching and learning may include. The typical role/career stage

illustrations show that teaching and supporting learning at

Standard Descriptor 1 is often not a ‘formal’ activity and can take the form of more

informal, facilitative approaches.

Individuals need to demonstrate engagement with a minimum of two of the Areas of

Activity. They should choose areas that are relevant to their work and/or which will

develop their skills for future roles and activities. For example; a graduate teaching

assistant may not be required to design or plan learning activities and/or programmes of

study (AA1) nor to assess and give feedback to students (AA3) but may well be

teaching in small seminar groups or in laboratory sessions (AA2) and will be

responsible for ensuring that they provide their learners with appropriate resources and

for following up tutorial sessions and other front-line teaching (AA4). It may also be the

case that they are required to reflect upon the effectiveness of what they are doing,

gather evaluative information on their teaching and to show how they are addressing

the issues raised (AA5). Individuals should also demonstrate Core Knowledge (CK)

relevant to the two Areas of Activity; in this example CK4 and CK5 are potentially the

most relevant. If there are any other areas of Core Knowledge that are appropriate to

their practice these could also be demonstrated and used as indicators of progress.

In addition to the Areas of Activity and the Core Knowledge an awareness and

commitment to all the Professional Values should be evidenced. This might be

integrated into the evidence presented for the Areas of Activity and Core Knowledge

through providing a relevant rationale as to why particular approaches have been used

(Professional Value 1), the principles (Professional Value 2) and relevant

research/theory that underpins their practice (Professional Value 3). In addition to the

selected Areas of Activity and Core Knowledge and the Professional Values, and in


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keeping with the particular characteristic of higher education, evidence of incorporating

relevant subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the activities chosen

is expected.

Other examples of those working towards or at Descriptor 1 would be a clinician who

supports students’ learning in the clinical setting and who is involved in objective

structural clinical examinations (OSCEs); a learning technologist with responsibilities for

staff development who is engaged in designing and delivering workshops and online

materials but who has no responsibility for assessment, or a librarian who similarly

supports student learning, designs activities to develop students’ library research

capabilities, but who plays no role in assessment.

This Descriptor allows the user to interpret and apply the dimensions of the framework

in a way that is meaningful to their practice whilst ensuring that the expectations of a

restricted teaching and supporting learning role are addressed.


Descriptor 2 reflects main grade teaching responsibilities and is the expected descriptor

for all staff who undertake substantive teaching as part of their role. The descriptor

recognises and acknowledges good practice within the learning contexts of higher

education, wherever this takes place, and however teaching and the support of learning

is approached. Further, it recognises the diversity of staff who, in different ways, provide

such teaching and support.

Individuals who are within descriptor 2 will be able to demonstrate achievement and

success in all the dimensions of the framework including the areas of activity, core

knowledge and professional values. As before, they are expected to incorporate

relevant subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship in their approaches. How

this is evidenced will be dependent on the context in which the individual is working,

nature of the subject, discipline or profession in which they teach, and the expectations

of the institution in which the individual works.

Such individuals will be demonstrating engagement in continuing professional

development activities with specific regard to learning and teaching and which result in


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the enhancement of their teaching. These activities are likely to be wide ranging,

incorporating both formal and informal approaches to continuing professional

development. Examples include: presenting or participating in conferences on teaching

and learning (often discipline-specific), attending workshops or training events,

engaging in peer observation or peer review of teaching, to the less formal activities

that individuals are increasingly able to draw on and recognise as valuable contributions

to their continuing professional development as a teacher. These might include regular

departmental meetings where the discussion is about learning and teaching issues;

‘corridor discussions’ about teaching; bidding for and involvement in projects or

research on teaching and learning; implementing new approaches; subject and other

network activities, reading, and visits to other institutions/organisations etc.


Individuals working towards or attaining, Descriptor 3 will normally have a considerable

level of expertise, developed over time, in supporting high quality student learning in all

dimensions of the framework. They will have gained relevant experience through the

use of a range of approaches including, mentoring, coordinating, supervising and

managing individuals and groups. Individuals will evidence the depth and sophistication

of their understanding and demonstrate a sustained and successful engagement with

the UKPSF, indicating specifically how such knowledge, understanding and expertise is

used in their approach to teaching, mentoring and their leadership roles.

Descriptor 3 recognises extended good practice both within the classroom (or learning

environment) and in supporting the student learning experience in a wider context. This

would normally include evidence of effective and significant impact on students, on

colleagues and on the organisation/institution. Evidence of a wider sphere of influence

than the classroom and the student group (the basic expectation for Descriptor 2), is

required here. A relatively limited experience of programme and/or module

management, for example, or in mentoring new staff, will not be sufficient.

Descriptor 3 incorporates all the requirements for Standard Descriptor 2 and can,

therefore, be viewed as building on Descriptor 2. One way to view the difference is that

Descriptor 2 is primarily concerned with all who teach and is a core expectation, whilst


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Descriptor 3 addresses experienced teachers and others who demonstrate leadership

in their learning and teaching practices and related activities. The Descriptor requires

evidence of wider impact, sustained success and influence. This would be the case with

individuals who, for example, have developed and led substantial programmes of

teaching and learning, led cross (and inter-) institutional teaching and learning focused

projects, provided leadership for work in discipline based communities, or those who

have led consultancy for major pieces of pedagogic work in subject associations and

professional bodies.

An individual who has previously been recognised at Descriptor 2 might progress to

Descriptor 3 on the basis that they have already demonstrated all areas of activity, core

knowledge and professional values and that they need only evidence the elements of

Descriptor 3 that are different to Descriptor 2 and which demonstrably make the case

for Descriptor 3. It is, of course, possible for an individual who has not previously been

recognised at Descriptor 2 to be recognised at Descriptor 3. This would normally be

someone who has substantive professional experience, has evidence of CPD in

pedagogy/teaching and learning and who leads major programmes and/or mentors

colleagues etc. and who can demonstrate their expertise, impact and influence. They

could, for example, be a mid-career professional who is a highly experienced and

effective teacher with substantive teaching responsibility.

There is a lack of common terminology which presents difficulties in the interpretation of

the term ‘mentoring’. In the context of the Framework ‘mentoring’ is seen as applicable

to the context in which it takes place and would normally be understood to mean

providing support, challenge and guidance to less experienced members of staff or

colleagues in order to help them develop themselves and, in particular, the teaching

and learning aspects of their professional practice. This may or may not take place

within the formal umbrella of institutional mentoring schemes,


Descriptor 4 is distinctly different to Descriptors 1, 2 and 3. It is relevant to highly

experienced teachers who are or have been widely respected for their effective

teaching and who have progressed into senior roles. They will have substantial

experience and knowledge of teaching and supporting learning and will be using this to


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make an impact at a senior level. The nature of their work may mean that they will not

currently have any direct contact with students in teaching or supporting learning. Their

work will normally include the effective strategic leadership of academic

practice/development leading to the development and implementation of high quality

student learning experiences.

The evidence used for Descriptor 4 will be dependent on the context in which the

individual is working but in many respects is likely to be fundamentally different from the

type of evidence required for Descriptor 3. The focus need not primarily be on an

individual’s teaching and learning practices but might focus on the contributions made,

for example, to subject pedagogy, innovative approaches, and the evidence of

effectiveness and impact at a strategic level. This evidence can draw on a broad range

of experiences and activities and be underpinned by an understanding and commitment

to the Core Knowledge and Professional Values.

One approach to demonstrating the Descriptor would be to present a synoptic narrative

which evidences all aspects of the Descriptor. As the individual will not necessarily have

immediate contact with learners they would need to draw on examples of their work

which illustrate their understanding of the use and the value of the UKPSF. This might

include how they have used the framework to shape and develop policy, strategy and

schemes within their organisation. For example: a learning and teaching strategy

underpinned by professional values; an institution wide peer review of a teaching

scheme incorporating the UKPSF which is then further recognised in promotion

structures; the development and implementation of innovative teaching and learning

approaches within the organisation in response to the specific needs of their students.

At the heart of this Descriptor lies the demonstration of ‘strategic impact and influence’

in the context of one or more location, institution or organisation. Evidence will therefore

need to draw on ‘cycles’ or ‘levels’ of influence including evidence drawn from

institutional, national and/or international settings. The emphasis on ‘a sustained and

effective record of impact’ means that it would be highly unusual for Descriptor 4 to be

evidenced solely on the basis of completing a programme or course. However,

completion of a relevant programme or course, (in leadership for example,) might


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constitute part of the evidence but would not alone be adequate for successful

demonstration of the Descriptor.

Because Descriptor 3 and Descriptor 4 are distinctly different it is not necessary to

resubmit evidence (with or without additions) for having attained Descriptor 3. However,

evidence already provided for Descriptor 3 might be appropriately drawn on, to provide

background and context for the developments used to evidence Descriptor 4. This

would need to be accompanied by relevant additional evidence of the interpretation and

application of the Dimensions for Descriptor 4 in current work.

The HEA has developed some Guidance Notes to support the effective use of the

Framework; these will be extended and amended over time. If you would like to know

more, please go to http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-recognition for further

information. Alternatively you can contact the Professional Recognition team directly at

[email protected] or by calling 01904 717 500.

5. Routes to recognition against the UKPSF within the Aberystwyth-Bangor CPD

Framework

Recognition

award

Pa

thw

ay 1

Qu

alifi

cati

on

rou

te

Successful completion

of HEA-accredited and

H.E. qualifications.

Pg Certificate Teaching in Higher

Education (PgCertHE) credit –

based

Fellow

Stand-alone module –

progression requirement for

Stage 2 of PGCertHE.

Associate Fellow

Pa

thw

ay 2

Ind

ivid

ua

l ro

ute

Successful recognition

through individual

application to the

appropriate Aber-

Bangor recognition

panel

Individual application

showing evidence to meet

limited range of areas of

activity, core knowledge

and professional values

Associate Fellow


showing evidence to meet

all areas of activity, core

knowledge and

professional values

Fellow


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showing evidence of all

Descriptor 3 requirements

through a reflective

statement and case studies

Senior Fellow


showing evidence of all

Descriptor 4 requirements

through a reflective

statement and case studies

Principal Fellow

5.1 Pathway 1: Qualification Route PgCertHE leading to Associate and full

Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (Stage 1 and 2 below respectively).

This is a structured development route. Typically individuals seeking recognition at D1

would include postgraduate students who teach, academic staff who currently have a

small teaching role, probationary staff with fewer than 3 years prior experience; and

support staff who directly support student learning. It comprises the following stages:

• Stage 1 (aligned to Descriptor 1 of the UKPSF and specified domains of the RDF)

Entitlement for everyone with a teaching/support role and PGR students.

Requirement for all new probationary staff and PGR students with a substantive

teaching role and no previous professional recognition/qualification relating to

supporting learners in Higher Education.

• Stage 2 (aligned to Descriptor 2 of the UKPSF and specified domains of the RDF)

Entitlement for everyone in a teaching role. Requirement for all new academic

staff with fewer than 3 years prior teaching experience and/or no previous

professional recognition/qualification relating to supporting learners in Higher

Education.

Please see respective PGCertHE Handbooks in both institutions for further detail on

the process of completing the PGCertHE.


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5.2 Pathway 2: Individual Route:

Available for staff where the qualification route is not a requirement. This is an

evidence-based claim to be professionally recognised at an appropriate Descriptor of

the UKPSF. Typically, this will include: o Descriptor 1 Postgraduate students/ staff with

a limited teaching role but who have experience and enough evidence to meet the

descriptor.

o Descriptor 2 new teaching staff who have no prior teaching accreditation

but have more than three years teaching experience and feel they have

evidence to meet the descriptor.

o Descriptor 3 Typically academic/academic related staff with substantial

experience of teaching or supporting learning in Higher Education and can

evidence this at D3 or D4.

5.3 Which Fellowship Descriptor is appropriate for you?

Please see the guidance in section 6 below. Diagnostic proformas will be provided

during Induction workshops. These will serve as a guide to identify the breadth and

depth of your experience against the UKPSF. This will help to identify how you currently

align with the criteria and help to suggest ways in which your practice can be

developed.

6 Direct Individual Route Applications to the Aber-Bangor Joint Scheme for

Professional Recognition

This section will take each category of Fellowship and provide outline guidance on the

following:

Typical Applicants

Differentiation of Descriptors

Descriptor Statements

Vignettes for Descriptors




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6.1 Descriptor 1: Associate Fellow

Typical Applicants

Applicants for recognition at this level will be able to provide evidence of an

understanding of specific aspects of effective teaching, learning support methods and

student learning. For example:

Early career researchers with some teaching responsibilities (e.g. PhD

students, contract researchers/post-doctoral students etc.)

Staff new to teaching at Aberystwyth/Bangor Universities (including those

with part-time academic responsibilities)

Staff who support academic provision (e.g. learning technologists, learning

developers and learning resource/ library staff)

Staff who undertake demonstrator/ technician roles that incorporate some

teaching- related responsibilities

Experienced staff in relevant professional areas who may be new to teaching

and/or supporting learning, or who have a limited teaching portfolio.


Within this descriptor, individuals need to demonstrate engagement with a minimum of

two of the first four Areas of Activity. They should choose areas that are relevant to

their work and/or which develop their skills for future roles and activities. In addition to

the Areas of Activity an awareness and commitment to all the Professional Values

should be evidenced. This could be through: the rationale for adoption of a teaching


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approach (V1), how the design of programmes values individual learners’ experience

and encourages engagement (V2), how teaching and learning is underpinned by

research/scholarly activity (V4). Individuals should also demonstrate Core Knowledge

relevant to the two Areas of Activity that are appropriate to their practice.

D1 Statements

I. Successful engagement with at least two of the five Areas of Activity

II. Successful engagement in appropriate teaching and practices related to

these Areas of Activity

III. Appropriate Core Knowledge

IV. A commitment to appropriate Professional Values in facilitating others’

learning

V. Relevant professional practices, subject and pedagogic research and/or

scholarship within the above activities

VI. Successful engagement, where appropriate, in professional development

activity related to teaching, learning and assessment responsibilities.


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VIGNETTES FOR DESCRIPTOR 1 (for further editing and contextualising)

Sara has worked in higher education for a number of years in the Information Library

Services Unit and provides information literacy training to students from the School of

Education. She has been instrumental in the design of on-line resources to assist

students in information literacy and uses this resource to scaffold her face-to-face

teaching. Due to the nature of her work Sara is not involved in the summative

assessment processes that her students undertake, however has built on-line

formative opportunities for students to self-assess their progress. The majority of

Sara’s role is within the Library itself, offering support and advice to individual

students. Her face-to-face contact time is very limited. Sara also sits on a cross-

constitutional Information Literacy Forum and attends conferences and workshops in

this area. She is clearly able to meet some of the Areas of Activity but due to her role

is unable to evidence all Areas.

Hannah is a Reader in the School of Management and supervises a number of PhD

students. Due to the nature of her contract the majority of her time is spent carrying out

research activities. She is however able to clearly evidence engagement with two of the

Areas of Activity through her research supervision and is keen to further develop her

supervisory skills. Hannah engages in CPD activities both within her disciplinary area

and in respect to her role as supervisor and wants to further develop her facilitatory skills

to ensure that she is enabling the students to achieve their potential.


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6.2 Descriptor 2

Typical applicants

Applicants for recognition at this level will be able to provide evidence of broadly

based effectiveness in more substantive teaching and supporting learning.

Early career academics

Academic-related and/or support staff holding substantive teaching and learning

responsibilities

Experienced academics relatively new to UK Higher Education

Staff with (sometimes significant) teaching-only responsibilities including, for

example, within work-based settings


Within this descriptor, individuals need to be able to demonstrate engagement and

success in all the dimensions of the framework including Areas of Activity, Core

Knowledge and Professional Values. This will be influenced by the subject,

profession and discipline context in which the individual is working and the

expectations of the institution. Evidence of the engagement in continuing

professional development (CPD) activities and the integration of subject and

pedagogic research and/or scholarship, with specific regard to learning and

teaching and which result in the enhancement of their teaching should be

articulated. These activities are likely to be wide ranging and will draw on both

formal and informal approaches to CPD.


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D2 Statements

Individuals should be able to provide evidence of the following six statements:

I. Successful engagement across all five Areas of Activity

II. Appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core

Knowledge

III. A commitment to all the Professional Values

IV. Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to Areas of

Activity

V. Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and/or

scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to

academic practice

VI. Successful engagement in continuing professional development in relation to

teaching. Learning, assessment and where appropriate, related professional

practices.


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VIGNETTES FOR DESCRIPTOR 2 (for further contextualisation)

Rob has been a Lecturer in the School of Art and design for the past three years.

During this time Rob has redesigned the BA in product design to reflect industry

changes and to embed a culture of experiential learning. This has required him to look

at the way in which his assessments meet the learning outcomes and reflect

employability skills needed for the workplace. The assessment process that he has put

in place provides students with opportunities for feedback from peers, staff and industry

experts and places value on process as well as product. In redesigning the programme

he has also considered how he can best make use of their current physical and

social environment to encourage interaction and experimentation and has been

utilising the virtual learning environment to provide resources and engagement

opportunities for his students remotely. Rob continues his own product design

practice outside of the university through being involved in networks and acting in

a consultancy capacity. He is continuing to develop his own professional practice both

in relation to his discipline area and pedagogy.

Catrin has worked in the Careers Department for the past five years. Her role involves

working with both individual students and cohorts of students to encourage the

development of employability skills. Catrin has, along with colleagues, developed an e-

module to help students to develop a sense of professional identity and identify the skills

and knowledge that they need to succeed in gaining employment. This e-module is

combined with face-to-face sessions to provide a blended approach to learning. Within

the taught sessions she encourages student engagement and interaction through the

teaching methods she employs. The assessment of the skills gained is embedded into the

curriculum and Catrin is involved in providing formative and summative feedback to

students. She creates a safe environment for her students to practise interviewing skills,

to share written tasks to gain peer feedback, and provides a supportive environment

where questioning and challenge is the norm. She often attends workshops on learning

and teaching, together with ensuring currency in her practice within the Careers

Department.


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6.2.1 Application for D1 and D2

Applicants submit by written application on the provided proforma. This will include

• Teaching context: A brief resume of your career history and current role. (This will

be used to provide the panel with a context and will not form part of the

assessment)

• A brief summary of your learning and teaching philosophy

• Claim grid: Evidence of the three Dimensions of the UK PSF. (minimum of two Areas of Activity for D1 and all Areas of Activity for D2). Statements must demonstrate all the dimensions of the UKPSF

Peer Observation evidence

• A CPD plan for future personal development in teaching and supporting learning.

2 x Disciplinary Peer References

• A signature from your line manger to support your application (indicating that the

evidence is correct and that you have worked in H.E for a minimum of 2 years).

6.2.2 Evidencing your practice against the UKPSF

Summary of your learning and teaching philosophy (~300words)

This section provides an opportunity for you to outline your learning and teaching

philosophy and how this reflects your Professional Values. This is a reflective statement

of your practice (over the past 5 years) reflecting your philosophy. The statement will be

informed by all the dimensions and appropriate descriptor of the UKPSF.

Area of activity 1 - Design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study

This area is about how you plan for learning, and the ways in which you contribute to

the design and planning of learning activities. These might include involvement in the

design or redesign of curricula, courses and programmes of study and/or identifying and


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planning different kinds of interaction with learners in various contexts for single

sessions or larger programmes.

Equally it might include indirect involvement through, for example, participation in

validation panels, contribution to the creation of learning resource packs and computer-

based or open learning materials or the development of virtual learning environments.

Other activities equally valid include personal tutoring, internal/external examination,

responsibilities, disability support, e-learning support, acting as ‘critical friend’ to a

colleague, peer observation activity, mentoring of students or other staff, research

related to design or planning.

Within your work context, consider the contribution you make to design and planning of

learning, your choice of approach to this activity, and how your chosen approach

contributes to the learners’ understanding of the subject.

Evidence should reflect an understanding of the pedagogic literature in this area, and

might include principles of curriculum design such as constructive alignment, and

principles of teaching method. Assessment method may also be considered and

discussed in relation to design and planning.


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Area of activity 2 - Teach and/or support learning

This area is about how you work with learners including students and other staff.

Consider the range of teaching and learning activities or techniques you use and

comment on how you came to use them and why you think they are successful in

supporting student learning. In addition to lecturing, tutorial and seminar work the

activities might include, for example, studio, clinical, laboratory or work place-based

teaching, distance learning and the use of virtual learning environments. Support

might include, for example, teaching and supervision of postgraduates, mentoring

inexperienced staff or contributing to in-house learning and teaching programmes.

Other activities that could be included are co-working with a colleague, acting as

‘critical friend’ to a colleague, peer observation activity, mentoring of students or other

staff.

Within your own work context, consider reasons for your choice of activities and

techniques and how they relate to developing the learners’ understanding of the

subject.


might include principles of student-centred learning, the appropriate use of various

teaching methodologies, an awareness of appropriate student support, and

connection with curriculum design decisions.

Area of activity 3 - Assess and give feedback to learners

This area is about your approach to assessment and feedback to learners, whether

they are students or other staff.

Consider the types of formative and/or summative assessment you use with learners,

whether formal or informal. Justify how and why you choose the approaches and

methods you use, in so far as this is your own decision. In your justification you may

wish to address the issues of how you ensure your assessments are valid indicators

of what you want your learners to learn, that the marking is reasonably reliable and

the standards you set are appropriate.


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Consider how you give feedback to learners (e.g. in writing, orally, as part of the

supervision of research students). Justify how you try to ensure that the feedback

you give to learners helps them to improve their performance and develop as

learners.

Other activities that could be included are giving feedback to colleagues, acting as

‘critical friend’ to a colleague, peer observation activity, mentoring of students or

other staff.

Within your work context, give reasons for your choice of activities and techniques

and how they relate to developing the learners' understanding of the subject.


might include principles of formative and summative feedback and assessment,

assessment for learning (rather than of learning), recognition of the diversity of the

student cohort, and connection with curriculum design decisions.

Area of activity 4 - Developing effective learning environments and approaches

to student support and guidance

This area is about the ways in which you provide support for learners.

Consider the range of ways in which you contribute to making the learning

environment effective for learners.

Developing effective learning environments might include:

• managing the physical environment or virtual environment so that they are

appropriate to the learners’ needs

• working with learners and service providers to ensure that learners can

access and use a broad range of learning opportunities

• liaison and planning activities in support of fieldwork or work placements

You may also wish to consider how, from the students’ perspective, the aims and

objectives, teaching and learning methods and assessment processes are

appropriately aligned.


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Learner support might include such activities as personal and academic tutoring, one-

to-one advice, counselling (where appropriate to your work role), developing practice

to meet the learning implications of widening access, work placement or project

supervision, supporting learners with disabilities, learner support in IT/ study skills

workshops etc., laboratory work, studio critiques, information retrieval and

management.

Within your work context, consider reasons for your choice of approaches and

how they relate to developing the learners' understanding of the subject.


might include principles of student-centred learning, the way in which students learn,

current thinking on learning environments and social spaces, recognition of the

diverse needs of the student population, and how we might provide equitable access

to learning for all.

Area of activity 5 – Engage in continuing professional development on

subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research,

scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices.

This area is about how you evaluate the effectiveness of your practice and engage in

CPD to improve it. This may include the use of research, scholarly activity and/or

professional activities to develop your practice to enhance student learning.

Consider how you evaluate your own teaching/learning support activities, both

formally and informally, and how you use your findings to improve the student

learning experience and your working practice. Consider how you seek feedback on

your practice from colleagues and learners and how you evaluate this feedback.

Provide examples to show how you have used feedback in developing subsequent

activities.

You could also refer here to any activities you have undertaken to update yourself on

aspects of teaching and learning, for example, staff development activities or

conferences on learning and teaching or participation in projects to develop learning


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methods. Indicate how you have used the learning from these activities in your own

teaching.

You could also include peer learning opportunities, working groups and other

professional groups where appropriate. You may include co-working relationships

with more experienced colleagues, peer learning/ peer observation opportunities,

mentoring opportunities, work placements including the clinical environment, work

shadowing etc., one’s own professional practice (e.g. as designer, sports coach,

dietician).

Any evidence of how you continue to keep up to date in your role/ subject area can

be included, e.g. reading papers, articles, etc., attending conferences, becoming

familiar with new legislation, employment regulations, new ideas. Consider ways in

which you draw upon discipline-based and pedagogic research, scholarly activity

and/or other professional activities in the support of your role. Activities undertaken

as part of a group or team are valued as much as individual activities. Relevant

professional activities may include those you engage in outside the higher education

context.

Within your role, consider how you have actively sought opportunities to use

research, scholarly activity and/or professional activities to create connections to

enrich your teaching and/or support of learning.

This area may include your own publications in print, web or other format, or the

use of others’ publications or expertise. It may include attendance and/or presenting

papers at conferences, subject based professional bodies, common interest groups,

associations/ societies etc, working groups, employer liaison groups. You may

include funding you have secured. You may also include peer review or other

editorial activities for journals/ conferences/ professional publications etc.

You may include discussion of the relationship between research, scholarship and

teaching in your discipline area, e.g. innovative curriculum design, innovative

assessment, student involvement in research, etc.


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EVIDENCING CORE KNOWLEDGE

Evidencing Core Knowledge K1: The

subject material

This area is effectively evidenced with reference to the Areas of Activity or other areas of Core Knowledge.

Evidence should fundamentally relate to how an understanding of the nature of the subject is used to inform the

design and planning of learning activities and programmes of study, the teaching strategies, the assessment and

feedback. This would normally make reference to the distinctive nature, or culture, of the discipline and the

particular expectations of teaching; the issues or challenges arising from the context in which teaching takes place,

and the appropriate methods of delivering the subject at different levels (e.g. first year undergraduate to masters

level).

Evidencing Core Knowledge K2:

Appropriate methods for teaching

and learning in the subject area and

at the level of the academic

programme

This is concerned with pedagogic approaches that are distinctive and/or characteristic of the subject, or what

makes the teaching or supporting of the learning in the subject different to the teaching of another one. It is also

concerned with acknowledging that some approaches may be more appropriate than others given the nature of

the learning desired, the level of the material being taught and the readiness of students. This is clearly linked to

demonstrating Core Knowledge 1 with its focus on an understanding the subject material, but is specifically

concerned with the strategies and approaches used to teach or support the learning of the subject.

Evidencing Core Knowledge 3:

How students learn, both

generally and within their

subject/discipline area?

How students learn might be evidenced through demonstrating how an understanding of the characteristics of

different learners (such as mature students, recent school leavers or workplace learners) impacts on how their

needs might be met in the context of learning, how this might reflect on the learning environment, teaching

approaches and practices. Reference could be made to different theories of, or approaches to, learning and how

these are evidenced by the use of different strategies for teaching and supporting learning. This might relate

specifically to the nature of the subject (Core Knowledge 1).

Evidencing Core Knowledge 4: The

use and value of appropriate learning

technologies

Evidence needs to demonstrate how and why specific technologies, of all types and ages are used appropriately to

support learning. Evidence will address what the learning and teaching needs are and why particular technology is

used to address them. Evidence is likely to be linked to other areas of Core Knowledge, for example; how and

why technology is used within a specific discipline, professional or vocational areas; for specific groups of learners;

in specific learning contexts or environments.


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Evidencing Core Knowledge 5:

Methods for evaluating the

effectiveness of teaching

An essential part of work in Higher Education is ensuring the effectiveness of teaching practices. This focuses on

the methods (formal and informal) employed to gather information and data about the impact of teaching, how

they are used and their impact of their use on developing practice.

Evidencing Core Knowledge 6: The

implications of quality assurance and

quality enhancement for academic and

professional practice with a particular

focus on teaching

Quality assurance and quality enhancement are deeply embedded in higher education through procedures such as

programme validation, monitoring and review. These processes shape academic practice and are implicit in what

individuals do. Key to evidencing this area is how an individual might demonstrate engagement with feedback to

enhance practice and the student learning experience. This might include an account of how they seek

opportunities to obtain feedback other than relying on the institutional procedures already in place. For those

working outside higher education institutional policies and practices, they will need to evidence a personal interest,

understanding and commitment to quality assurance and enhancement procedures established and embedded

within their practice. This will include knowledge and understanding of the quality assurance frameworks at a

national level and how these are manifested at an institutional level.


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EVIDENCING PROFESSIONAL VALUES

Evidencing Professional

Value 1: Respect individual

learners and diverse learning

communities

The focus here is on providing evidence of how a commitment to participation in Higher Education and equality of

opportunity for learners underpins practice related to teaching and supporting learning. There is potential to cover

a broad spectrum of activities, approaches and behaviours linked to all the Areas of Activity and Core Knowledge.

Evidence should ideally indicate wide and pervasive approaches to ensuring equality of opportunity.


Value 2: Promote

participation in higher

education and equality of

opportunity for learners

This focuses on the use of evidence informed approaches, the ability to draw on and contribute to many sources of

evidence and to use them to inform teaching and learning practice. It is about using the outcomes from research,

scholarship and professional development to make principled, informed and considered judgements which enhance

practice and the learning experience. This value advocates the importance of direct professional involvement in

enquiry (in teaching and learning) to support the individual’s own professional development and to enhance their

teaching or learning support activities.

Evidence might include consideration and application of the findings from studies, reading, personal enquiry of (for

example) teaching, learning, learners, the subject, the environment etc to enhance practice and the student learning

experience. Using one’s own discipline based research to enhance the curriculum should be informed by reading or

research about curriculum design, the nature of the subject itself and the learners in order to provide a rationale for

the design of the curriculum and its delivery.


Value 3: Use evidence

informed approaches and

the outcomes from

research, scholarship and

continuing professional

development

This focuses on the way teaching and supporting learning incorporate activities, actions and approaches which

respect individual learners. It depicts the ways we communicate and interact with individuals and different

communities in the context of teaching and supporting learning. The term ‘diverse learning communities’ might

include campus based groups of students, electronic communicates, work based communities, or be defined on the

basis of ethnicity, faith, social class, age etc. The practitioner needs to be able to demonstrate that they value and

can work effectively with and within these diverse communities.


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Value 4: Acknowledged the

wider context in which

higher education operates

recognising the implications

for professional practice

This is concerned with being alert to the issues that may impact on institutional missions and/or which might have an influence

on curriculum design and/or personal and collective professional practice. His might for example include how an individual

has responded to the current demands of the Disability Discrimination Act, the employment agenda, or the widening access

and participation agenda. Current agendas include: sustainability (the practice of sustainability and education for

sustainability), and student engagement.


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6.3 Senior Fellow (Descriptor 3)

Typical Applicants

Pre-requisite

Differentiation of Descriptor


Vignettes for Descriptor



Typical applicants

Applicants for recognition at this level will be able to provide evidence of a sustained

record of effectiveness in relation to teaching and learning. Such individuals are

likely to lead or be members of established academic teams. They are likely to be

able to demonstrate impact and influence through for example:

• responsibility for leading, managing or organising programmes, subjects and/or

disciplinary areas

• mentoring within subject areas, or mentoring those new to teaching

• departmental and/or wider teaching and learning support advisory responsibilities

within the University

Pre-requisite

There is no pre-requisite for application at Descriptor 3. Applicants may not

necessarily have already attained recognition at Descriptor 2 (Fellow). Because the

evidence provided will demonstrate a considerable level of expertise across all areas

of activity, core knowledge and professional values of the Professional Standards

Framework, it will be inclusive of the Descriptor 2 requirements.

Differentiation of Descriptor 3 within the UKPSF

Individuals applying for recognition at this level will have gained relevant experience

through a range of approaches including mentoring, coordinating and supervising

individuals and groups. They will evidence depth and sophistication of their

understanding through sustained success in teaching, mentoring and leadership.


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They may provide evidence of effective and significant impact on students,

colleagues and/or the institution. Their mentoring role will have included supporting,

challenging and guiding others in order for them to develop themselves. They may

have developed and led substantial programmes of teaching and learning, led cross-

or inter-institutional teaching and learning focused projects, provided leadership for

work in discipline based communities, or have led consultancy for major pieces of

pedagogic work in subject associations and professional bodies. They may have

seeded and/or driven change which significantly impacted on teaching and learning

or institutional culture.

Descriptor 3 (Senior Fellow) Statements

Individuals should be able to provide evidence of the following statements:

I. Successful engagement across all five Areas of Activity

II. Appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core

Knowledge

III. A commitment to all the Professional Values

IV. Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to the

Areas of Activity

V. Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and/ or

scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to

academic practice

VI. Successful engagement in continuing professional development in relation

to teaching, learning, assessment, scholarship and, as appropriate, related

academic or professional practices

VII. Successful co-ordination, support, supervision, management and/ or

mentoring of others (whether individuals and/or teams) in relation to

teaching and learning.


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VIGNETTES OF TYPICAL APPLICANTS

Penny is programme director of a matrix of humanities options. When she took on this role three years ago, it was three completely separate programmes, two of which were struggling to recruit and maintain student numbers for a variety of reasons. She inherited a team with varying research interests and a variety of approaches to teaching. To develop the matrix, she got the team together and they looked at the positive aspects of the existing programmes and together planned the matrix which maximised student choice but gave clear pathways to identifiable outcomes. Her application provided examples of leadership in bringing the team together to develop an integrated curriculum which was clearly articulated in the application. She was able to demonstrate an ongoing reflective and inclusive approach to change management, and provided enthusiastic evidence from both students and staff.

Jack’s role involves supporting staff and course teams to consider creative approaches to developing students’ academic skills. His underlying philosophy is that academic skills are only meaningful to students when they are purposeful and integrated. His application drew on many examples where for example he worked with course teams to identify the appropriate academic skills for the discipline and related job market, and then helped them identify appropriate opportunities within the curriculum where these skills were explicitly developed and embedded into the assessment. His breadth of expertise was evident in the way he mentored staff in exploring different alternatives so they were able to make an informed decision about curriculum development.

Maddie has been working in higher education for seven years and has been involved in several teaching development initiatives over that time. A new member of staff, Sam, was appointed two years ago, and Maddie has acted as a mentor and critical friend to her. Maddie’s application drew on the approaches she took to ensuring that the new staff member felt both supported in her new role, and had opportunities to reflect on and discuss her teaching practice. There was evidence of peer observation and team teaching opportunities that provided a basis for discussion and debate and helped Sam identify her developmental needs as a teacher, and opportunities to meet these needs. The feedback from Sam indicated a positive, empowering relationship that developed her confidence and skills, and provided a safe environment to discuss teaching concerns.

Aberystwyth–Bangor Universities’ CPD Scheme Handbook April 2015

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The application process

Applicants will submit on the proforma provided:

• an outline of their teaching context (provided as contextual information only)

• an overview of their experience aligned to all dimensions of the UKPSF

• a reflective dialogue of their current practice (over the last 2-3 years)

informed by the first six attributes of Descriptor 3 of the UK PSF above

which demonstrates their sustained success as a teacher, and successful

and sustained engagement with continuing professional development

• two case studies which specifically address the differentiation of Descriptor

3 (and thus would include evidence of attribute VII)

• two references, one from someone senior to the applicant, and another from

a member of a team you lead, or a mentee.

• Line managers sign off form

• CPD Plan

The application form is included in Appendix C and is downloadable from the [insert

web link Guidelines for referees is provided in Section 8.

What sort of evidence is appropriate?

Evidence can be drawn from both formal and informal experiences, but should

demonstrate a high level of expertise across all dimensions (the Areas of Activity,

Core Knowledge and Professional Values) of the framework.

For example, evidence may draw on membership of a Learning and Teaching

Committee. However, though this may be an opportunity for personal and professional

development, membership itself does not necessarily impact on others. However, if

through this membership you have been able to demonstrate development of others or

a resultant change of practice within a teaching team or discipline area that has had a

positive impact on the student learning experience, this would be appropriate.


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Evidence may also include leadership in the design, delivery and evaluation of

programmes to ensure innovative practice, demonstrating depth of understanding

of scholarship and research into teaching and utilising this to inform practice.

Evidence may also include engagement in peer review both of research and

teaching and subsequent development of the mentee.

It could also draw on academic responsibilities both inside and external to the

institution (e.g. professional body responsibilities, external examining, peer review

and validation) which demonstrate leadership and drive change both within the

institution or discipline.

Evidence of completion of or engagement in particular activities do not constitute

evidence per se. However they may provide a starting point for discussing actions

and developmental impact.

Some examples include:

• Enrolment on on-line courses run by Epigeum which specifically consider

management and leadership in higher education

• Programme director events

• Teaching adviser networks

• School Learning and Teaching Committees (with all programme directors)

• Teaching Fellowships

• Programme redesign sabbaticals

• Quality assurance processes such as validation and review

• Staff Performance Review Scheme


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6.4 Principal Fellow (Descriptor 4)

Typical Applicants

Pre-requisite




Application Process for Principal Fellow


Descriptor 4

Typical applicants

Individuals, as highly experienced staff, able to provide evidence of a sustained and

effective record of impact at a strategic level in relation to teaching and learning, as a

part of the wider commitment to academic practice. This may be within the University

and/or wider (inter)national settings. Typically those likely to be at Descriptor 4 (D4)

include:

• Highly experienced and/or senior staff with wide-ranging academic or

academic- related strategic leadership responsibilities in connection with

key aspects of teaching and supporting learning

• Staff responsible for strategic leadership and policy-making in the area of

teaching and learning

• Staff who have strategic impact and influence in relation to teaching and

learning that extends beyond Aberystwyth or Bangor University.

Pre-requisite

There is no pre-requisite, however, as Descriptor 4 is distinctly different to


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Descriptors 1, 2 and 3, it is expected that the applicant will already be recognised

at Descriptor 2 and a Fellow of the Academy and may be recognised as Senior

Fellow. Where this is not the case, evidence on the Claim Grid will provide

evidence of experience aligned to all the dimensions of the UKPSF.


Descriptor 4 is distinctly different to Descriptors 1, 2 and 3. It is relevant to highly

experienced staff who are or have been widely respected for their effective

teaching and who have progressed into senior roles. The nature of their work may

mean that they will not currently have any direct contact with students in teaching

and supporting learning.

At the heart of this descriptor lies the demonstration of ‘strategic impact and influence’

in the context of one or more locations, institutions or organisations. Evidence of a

sustained record of effective strategic leadership in academic practice and academic

development as a key contribution to high quality student learning will be fundamental.

The applicant’s substantial experience and knowledge of teaching and supporting

learning will be drawn upon to support the development and implementation of high

quality student learning experiences. Evidence already provided for Descriptor 3 might

be drawn on and used to provide background and context for the developments used

to evidence Descriptor 4. However Descriptor 4 is distinctly different and therefore

additional evidence would be needed to demonstrate how these have led to strategic

leadership that makes a significant impact on student learning.

Descriptor 4 Statements (Principal Fellow)

Individuals should be able to provide evidence of the following five statements:

I. Active commitment to and championing of all the Dimension of the

Framework, through work with students, staff and institutional developments

II. Successful, strategic leadership to enhance student learning, with a

particular but not necessarily exclusive focus on enhancing teaching quality

in institutional and/or (inter)national settings


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III. Establishing effective organisational policies and/or strategies for supporting

and promoting others (e.g. through mentoring, coaching) in delivering high

quality teaching and supporting for learning

IV. Championing, within institutional and/or wider settings, an integrated

approach to academic practice (incorporating, for example, teaching,

learning, research, scholarship, administration etc.)

V. A sustained and successful commitment to, and engagement in, continuing

professional development related to academic, institutional and/or other

professional practices


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VIGNETTES FOR DESCRIPTOR 4

Claire is the PVC for Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement within the university. Over the past ten years she has been instrumental in driving the development of the learning and teaching strategy within the institution to ensure the continuing and sustained enhancement of teaching and learning practices. This has been achieved through the development and embedding of a staff performance review scheme which focuses on the dimensions of UK PSF and promotes staff development opportunities both within and outside the institution to drive change. The impact of this has led to the university’s expectation of academic staff achieving ‘Fellow’ of the HEA and all new staff being required to gain Fellow status within a given period. Her experience was recognised in her appointment as a member of the group that led on the recent review of the UK PSF and as a HEA Accreditor for the recognition of CPD Schemes and Programmes.

Her strategic leadership has also led to changes in the validation process with greater emphasis on the enhancement process of curriculum development leading to validation, together with robust quality assurance mechanisms. The impact of this has led staff teams to work closely with the Learning and Teaching Development Unit and engage with students as partners in the design process, seeing validation as a process rather than an event.

Claire is a leader of one of the enhancement themes for Wales, liaising with the HEA, HEFCW and facilitating collaboration across Welsh higher education institutions. This has resulted in the inaugural Welsh conference “Graduates for our Future”, the outcome of which will be to produce a vision and pathway for moving the Welsh higher education agenda forward and establishing a strategic direction for future developments in which pedagogy is championed.


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Application process for Principal Fellowship

Applicants will submit an application consisting of two elements.

• Context details

• The first element will be a reflective dialogue of your academic practice (over the

last 5 years) reflecting your philosophy of teaching and supporting learning that

has led to the development and application of your strategic leadership. This

should be informed by all dimensions of Descriptor 4 of the UK PSF

• Statement and Claim Grid covering D1-D4

• Four case studies (each of 1000 words) that demonstrate specific examples of

evidence covering each attribute (I – IV) described under Descriptor 4. Attribute V

should be inherent within all the submitted documentation.

The application must be accompanied by three references; one from a colleague internal to

the institution, one from a colleague external to the employing institution and the third from

a person more senior than yourself. Referees are expected to comment directly on the

content of your account and to make additional, relevant comment, as they wish.

The application form is included in Appendix C and can be downloaded from the (insert

web link)

Referee guidelines are included in section 8 and can also be downloaded from the weblink


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What sort of evidence is appropriate?

Evidence can be drawn from a broad range of experiences and activities and should

be underpinned by an understanding and commitment to the Core Knowledge and

Professional Values

The evidence will draw on the individual’s record of effective sustained strategic

leadership in academic practice and academic development leading to the

development and implementation of high quality student learning experiences, over

the past five years. Evidence should include how the framework has been used to

shape and develop policy, strategy and schemes within the organisation and the

resulting impact. The focus need not primarily be on an individual’s teaching and

learning practices but how these have contributed to impact, change and innovation

at a strategic level. This may be within the institution, nationally or internationally.

Evidence of significant and sustained leadership contributions might include:

initiating or leading learning and teaching policy developments, embedding a culture

of engagement with the UKPSF through institutional policies and promotional

pathways, leading programme evaluations, discipline or subject reviews,.

The championing of an integrated approach to academic practice both with and

external to the institution could draw upon consultancy and ‘critical friend’ roles,

contributions to professional and scholarly bodies/societies that promote the

enhancement of discipline and pedagogy, institutional reviews or discipline

evaluations.

Completing a managerial/leadership course (e.g. Leadership in Higher Education)

will not be sufficient evidence but the impact and resulting change initiated by the

learning could be used to evidence the contribution to high quality student learning.

Achieving national and /or international recognition in areas related to learning and

teaching through conference presentation, publication, applied research and

scholarship, pedagogic innovation and policy development should be drawn upon,

together with evidence of sustained contributions to national policy making and

strategic committees (e.g. UUK & HEW). R

ATIO


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7 Preparing your application: Recording your CPD activities

It is good practice to keep a record and a reflective commentary on ongoing

professional development activities. This can then be used to inform an individual

route application. There is flexibility as to how you might record your CPD activity.

It is suggested however that you record:

• an outline of the events in which you have been involved, ranging from

conversations and planning within your discipline team, to team teaching activities,

to workshops attended or facilitated.

• a commentary on your personal learning as a result, your increased understanding

and integration of scholarship, and further considerations you wish to follow up in

your practice or CPD planning.

Since your CPD record is primarily for you, the format for recording is also

flexible. For example, you may wish to:

• document your activities as a story or conversation, in which, after outlining the

activity itself, you consider and reflect on the personal learning you have

undertaken. You may wish to use the UK PSF areas of activity, core knowledge

and professional values as guidance, or prefer to combine these into one dialogue.

• use another method of recording, e.g. that specified by your professional body

• store your file on your hard drive, personal space on Sharepoint, or into the

ePortfolio tool in Blackboard.

You may wish to also consider:

• how your ongoing evidence and reflective activity reflects the UK PSF Descriptor

appropriate to you and your role

• using your record for peer discussion through support networks/ structures how

this evidence could be used within the Staff Performance and Review Scheme


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7.1 CPD activities and opportunities

There is a large range of activities you may currently do, or wish to undertake

for development. They include:

Validated programmes leading to a qualification, for example:

Higher Education Academy accredited Post Graduate Certificate

Teaching in Higher Education

Aberystwyth 20 credit module Exploring learning and teaching in

higher education

MA in Education or Professional Development

Ed D

Masters, MPhil/ PhD in discipline area

Specific planned non-validated activities

Aberystwyth-Bangor’s shared CPD workshop programme

Peer observation and other activities falling within the Peer Review

and Development Scheme

Learning through co-working with someone more skilled or

knowledgeable, through work-shadowing, through getting feedback

from a trusted ‘critical friend’, through job swap opportunities,

through work placement outside the normal work setting

Staff development programme including:

o Learning and teaching conferences

o Management development programmes

o Internally run workshops on learning and teaching, IT, etc

o Lectures and workshops by invited speakers

o Induction programme for new appointments


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• External conferences, seminars etc in learning and teaching, e.g.

Higher Education Academy (HEA) external conference, Staff and

Educational Development Association (SEDA) conference,

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) conference

• External conferences or seminars within the discipline

• Funded or non-funded pedagogic projects, research or

secondments, e.g. through educational bodies such as HEA, JISC

(Joint Information Systems Committee), or through a professional

body, and the publication/ dissemination of research findings

• Engagement with pedagogic literature, including subject-based

pedagogic resources on the Higher Education Academy’s website

• Research within the discipline area, publication, dissemination

• Development of new resources, e.g. website resources, resource

for the HEA network

• Development of new programmes/ modules, new policy

documents

• Mentoring other staff, teaching other staff

• Developing a new specialism, taking on a new role, new

responsibility

Specific responsibilities (non-validated) within professional role

Programme director, year tutor


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External examiner

Involvement in teaching team meetings re quality enhancement

Involvement with various committees and working parties, e.g.

learning and teaching, assessment, disability, widening access,

equality, health and safety, professional development profiles

(PDP) (for students), employability

Involvement with committees, working parties and other

activities with professional body

Partnerships and other collaborative activities with other HEIs,

FE, SMEs and other businesses, Skills Councils

Workshops and support for individual route applications

ADU/CSAP workshops to assist staff with individual route applications leading up

to the panel submission dates. These generally are 90 minutes duration and are

run over a lunch time. Dates are listed in the website.

8 Guidance Notes for Referees

Thank you for agreeing to provide a reference to support an application to the

Aberystwyth-Bangor Universities' Joint Scheme for Recognising Continuing

Professional Development in Teaching and Supporting Learning.

The guidance below is designed to help you prepare your reference. If you have

any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:

Sue Clayton ([email protected]) at Bangor University or Graham

Lewis ([email protected]) at Aberystwyth University.

What is the purpose of the reference?


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The function of the reference is to provide a peer review of the applicant's

professional practice and experience in order to support and supplement the

information given in their application. You should refer to Section 6 in this

handbook relating to relevant criteria of the UK Professional Standards for

Teaching and Supporting Learning (UKPSF) relating to the category of fellowship

that is being applied for.

Please carefully read the application before writing your reference, as this should

provide the basis for your comments.

What information do I need to provide?

If possible, please comment on the applicant's most recent role and

responsibilities.

Your reference should primarily refer to the applicant's experience and

achievements in teaching and learning and should refer to her/his research record

and wider involvements only insofar as these directly inform their teaching.

Base your reference on how the applicant meets the dimensions of the UK

Professional Standards Framework (Section 3 and Appendix A) at the appropriate

Descriptor (Section 4), using your knowledge of his/her work, professional practice

in teaching and supporting learning and the context within which the applicant

works.

Provide practical examples to support your comments wherever possible. If you

have been involved in peer observation of the applicant's teaching or support of

learners, please draw on the evidence this provides. Similarly, please comment on

any innovative practice, contribution to developments in teaching and learning at

institutional level, or contribution to national initiatives in developing approaches to

teaching and learning within the discipline in which the applicant is involved. The

Higher Education Academy expects the core knowledge and professional values of

the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in

higher education (UK PSF) to underpin the practice of those recognised by the


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scheme. Please provide examples, where appropriate, of ways in which this

underpinning is apparent in the account.

There is no standard form for references; you may find it helpful to comment under

the Dimensions of the UKPSF identified in the application (e.g. within the Areas of

Activity). The dimensions of the UKPSF are listed in section 3 of this handbook.

Please provide an electronic copy to the applicant and ensure that it includes your

name, job title, organisation (including department where applicable) and email

address.

It is the applicant's responsibility to collect the reference from you. We recognise

that this is a different kind of reference from one that is normally required for

promotion or job appointment, as we are looking specifically for evidence of

commitment to and effectiveness of teaching and/or supporting learning rather

than general academic achievement. We may wish to contact you to clarify points

in your reference.

Applications may be submitted at any time, but assessments and award panels will

take place twice every academic year. Each panel will receive and consider

applications at all four levels of fellowship.

Applications will consist of a merged document to include all required elements

(see section 9.2). Application may be submitted in Welsh or English (see 9.3). An

electronic copy, in Microsoft Word format will be submitted to [email protected]

or [email protected] An email confirming receipt will normally be sent to the

applicant within 5 working days.

<Detailed Guidelines on formatting etc. to be added>


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9 Submission and professional recognition process

The assessment of applications will be undertaken by a core award panel team

and a team of reviewers supporting the panel – in a similar model to the current

HEA process for direct individual applications.

9.1. Award panel

The award panel includes representation from both institutions as well as an as an

external member from another UK university. We also invite the HEA to send an

experienced UK PSF reviewer, where such a person from our Wales network is

unavailable.

The panel convenes twice yearly and includes:

• Chair: 1 PVC responsible for teaching and learning (alternating between

universities)

• 2 Heads of Academic Development

• 1 Co-ordinator of PGCertHE (alternating between universities)

• 1 Academic teaching staff member with SFHEA

• 1 Chair of Welsh sub-panel (see below)

• An external member experienced in making assessment decisions against all

four Descriptors of the UK PSF as an HEA accreditor.

• HR representative.

9.1.2 Reviewers

Reviewers are drawn from a wide cross-section of senior and cross-disciplinary

roles. This team includes: existing Fellows from both institutions’ teaching

excellence recognition schemes; holders of student-led teaching awards; SFHEA

and PFHEA holders; NTFS holders and staff serving as HEA reviewers.

Applications will be sent to two reviewers holding appropriate characteristics

(holders of Fellowships at the same category or above and having received


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training as a reviewer by the HEA or the scheme’s training programme). Some

panel members will also serve as reviewers.

9.2. Criteria for assessment judgments

9.2.1 Guidelines for the conferment of Associate Fellow and Fellow

The application – to be set out on the prescribed pro-forma- will comprise:

• Teaching context details

• Teaching philosophy statement

• Claim grid ( narrative against the criteria)

• 2 disciplinary peer references

• Peer Observation evidence

• CPD Plan

• Line manager sign off form

The Panel will determine whether the applicant meets the respective areas of the

UKPSF through the following evidence:

• awareness of pedagogical issues, both generally and within their

discipline • ability to choose, adapt and apply methods and approaches

that are relevant to the context in which they work

• integration of scholarship, research and/or professional activities with

teaching and supporting learning

• ability to demonstrate that evaluation and continuing professional

development inform their practice

Questions that the panel will use to judge the evidence include:

• Are the Dimensions of the Framework sufficiently evidenced?

• Is the integration of core knowledge and professional values into the

areas of activity convincing?


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• Is there a tangible sense of the relationship with the student group?

• Are the examples chosen as evidence appropriate to demonstrate the

appropriate Descriptor?

• Is there evidence of personal learning and reflection in the examples

chosen?

• Do the examples demonstrate a reasoned and justified approach

(rather than just a description) supported by pedagogic evidence?

9.2.2 Guidelines for the conferment of Senior Fellow

The application will be presented on the appropriate pro-forma and will comprise:

• teaching context statement

• a reflective narrative of the applicant’s teaching philosophy and current

practice (over the last 2-3 years) informed by the first six attributes of

Descriptor 3 of the UK PSF and which demonstrates their sustained

success as a teacher, plus successful and sustained engagement with

continuing professional development

• two case studies which specifically address the differentiation of

Descriptor 3 (as outlined within the document

• two references, one from someone senior to the applicant, one from a

mentee

• CPD Plan

• Line manger sign off form

Applications will be judged against Descriptor 3 of the UK PSF and will include

evidence of Descriptor 2.

Further questions that the panel will use to judge the evidence include:

• Are all the Dimensions of the Framework sufficiently evidenced?

• Is the integration of core knowledge and professional values into the

areas of activity convincing?


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• Is there evidence of a thorough understanding of strategies and

approaches to learning and teaching?

• Do the examples chosen demonstrate a deep understanding of

pedagogy? • Is the evidence of sustained leadership and/or mentoring

and its impact on learning and teaching of others convincing?

• Do the case studies illustrate the particular aspects of Descriptor 3

effectively?

Applicants may or may not already have Fellow recognition (Descriptor

2). It is expected that all applications will provide:

• evidence of meeting dimensions of Descriptor 2, or if already conferred,

evidence of ongoing recent engagement with Descriptor 2

• further evidence for attaining Descriptor 3

Where there is insufficient evidence to confer Senior Fellow, Fellow

recognition where not already attained may be conferred.

9.2.3 Guidelines for the conferment of Principal Fellow

The application will be presented on the appropriate proforma and will comprise:

• Context details

• a reflective statement of the applicant’s practice (over the last 5 years)

reflecting their philosophy and leading to the development and

application of their strategic leadership. This will be informed by all

dimensions of Descriptor 4 of the UKPSF

• four case studies (each of 1000 words) that demonstrate specific

examples of evidence covering each attribute (I – IV) described under

Descriptor 4.

Attribute V should be inherent within all the submitted documentation.

• Also included will be three references, one from a colleague internal to

the institution, one from a colleague external to the employing institution

and the third from a person more senior than the applicant. Referees

are expected to comment directly on the content of the application, and

to make additional, relevant comment as they wish.


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Further questions that the panel will use to judge the evidence include:

• Are all the Dimensions of the Framework sufficiently evidenced?

• Is there evidence of effective championing of the UKPSF?

• Is the evidence of sustained, effective strategic leadership convincing?

• Is there evidence of genuine impact in relation to the enhancement of

learning and teaching practice within the University and/or

(inter)nationally?

• To what extent is the development of others evident, and the resulting

effectiveness of this in relation to driving change and ensuring

sustainability?

• Are the examples given current, relevant and show a personal and

institutional commitment to high quality learning and teaching?

• Does the individual provide a reflective account, which evidences a

highly integrated approach to their research/scholarship and

professional activities?

• Has evidence been provided of a deep understanding and championing

of pedagogy?

• Do the case studies illustrate the particular aspects of Descriptor 4

effectively?

9.3 Application through the medium of Welsh

Both institutions are committed to providing the opportunity to engage in all

activities through the medium of Welsh. Translation of applications is not

acceptable as nuances in meaning can be lost. Rather than run parallel panels for

Welsh and English applications, which would pose problems with consistency, a

joint Welsh-medium sub-panel will consider all Welsh-medium applications. The

sub-panel will prepare recommendations on the basis of the criteria which will be

passed to the main panel by the Chair of the sub-panel.


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9.4 Referred applications

All unsuccessful applications will receive detailed feedback and be offered

consultancy before resubmission. In some cases, application, while being

referred at one descriptor, may nevertheless offer sufficient evidence for

fellowship at another. In such cases, the panel may decide to immediately award

at the agreed descriptor or suggest a resubmission at that level. Similarly, it may

be evident, from applications that a higher category of fellowship may be justified,

in which case, this will be indicated in the feedback and a resubmission at a

higher category recommended.

9.5 Record keeping

The application, the assessors’ response and the resulting letter from the Chair of

the panel are all kept on record. Also recorded are minutes of each meeting, and

a database of all applications presented to the panel.

The outcomes of each panel are sent to HR to be recorded, and to the relevant

Director of Institute, Dean of School. Head of Department or Service and Director

of Learning and Teaching.

9.6 Identification of good practice

Examples of good practice will follow the example of PGCertHE Exam Boards and

will be noted at the panel meeting. These are used in a number of ways:

• thematic ideas are embedded into workshops for applicants

• as exemplars (with appropriate consent)

• to encourage individuals to disseminate through other networks and

publication where appropriate.


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• To encourage those professionally recognised to progress through

applications for teaching awards and through teaching routes to

promotion, where appropriate.

9.7 Quality assurance

The joint panels, that include members from other institutions in Wales or beyond,

are a key feature to ensure quality and consistency of decisions across both

institutions in the scheme.

Both institutions operate an assessment process for their certificate routes

whereby work is wholly or partly assessed by experienced academics. All of these

assessors are now previous successful participants on the certificate and so will

have a clear understanding the criteria for D1 and D2. However, to ensure

consistency between awards made on the basis of completing the certificate with

those applying directly, we will include active certificate assessors on the award

panel and encourage other panel members to assess or familiarise themselves

with the standards of submitted certificate work. Education development staff also

take part in both assessment processes.

10 Appendices

Appendix A: The UKPSF

Appendix B: Pro-formas:

• Direct Individual Route Pro-formas (Descriptors 1-4)

the scheme in teaching and supporting learning....aberystwyth –bangor universities’ cpd scheme...

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