1. Swansea Application Route
Assessor Training
“If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins”
Benjamin Franklin
Being an assessor requires reasoned judgement of the
applications made by impassioned teachers…
July 30, 2015
2. Purpose of this training
• To establish a basic understanding of the IT@S scheme and its
component parts including the SAR
• To ensure a working knowledge of UK PSF and an overview of
the HEA Fellowship categories
• To support consistency and appropriateness of judgement
• Making recognition decisions at D1/D2
• Exploring the differences between D2 and D3
• Making recognition decisions at D3
• To explain the online application process and your role in the
scrutiny/feedback process
3. Inspiring Teaching at Swansea
(IT@S) Overview
Swansea
Application
Route
AFHEA
FHEA
SFHEA
Module 1
Introduction to
teaching in HE
AFHEA AND
SHTM34
Teaching and Learning for
Health Profession’s
Educators
AFHEA
SHTM33 Designing and Evaluating your Teaching
PM – M19 Assessment and Feedback
FHEA
SHTM28
Teaching and
Learning for
Practice Teachers
AFHEA
or
Route 2
PGC in teaching in
Higher Education
D1, D2
Route 3
PGC in Education for
Healthcare Professionals
D1, D2
Route 1
Swansea Route
D1, D2 and D3
Inspiring Teaching at Swansea
Module 2
Developing
Teaching at
Swansea
FHEA
AND
4. D1 D2 D3
Certificated
routes
Introduction to Teaching in HE Pg Certificate in
Teaching in HE
SHTM28 Teaching & Learning
for Practice Teachers
Pg Certificate in
Education for
Healthcare
ProfessionalsSHTM34 Teaching & Learning
for Health Professions’
Educators
Swansea
Application
Route (written)
Reflective account & Teaching
philosophy
2 referees
Reflective account &
Teaching philosophy
2 referees
Reflective account &
Teaching philosophy
2 Case Studies
2 referees
Swansea
Application
Route
(presentation)
Account of practice
Supporting reflective
presentation
2 referees
Account of practice
Supporting reflective
presentation
2 referees
Account of practice
Supporting reflective
presentation
2 Case Studies
2 referees
4
Swansea University pathways to Fellowship
5. Quality Assurance and Moderation
The IT@S panel will assure the quality of the decisions made by the
subcomponent panels through the moderation of the following:
• A sample of the taught programme acceptances
• A sample of all outcomes from the SAR
IT@S Panel
SAR Panel
- Sample of accepts
- All clarification or return
outcomes
PGC HP Panel
- Sample of accept
outcomes
PGC HE and Student
Demonstrator Panel
- Sample of accept outcomes
6. Future Plans
Responsibility for the
PG Cert teaching in Higher Education will move to SALT
(Staff already enrolled will be supported to complete the
programme.)
A revised tHE will be offered (anticipated start of January
2016). Proposed final task will be to apply for HEA
Fellowship through the SAR approach.
To offer an enhanced range of CPD for experienced staff
7. Fellowship growth at Swansea
9% - 2015
(106
Fellows)
18% - 2016
(100
applications)
50% - 2017
80% - 2020
Starting from a low base to
achieve ambitious strategic
goals
8. The Academy recognises staff against the UKPSF
through its Fellowship scheme.
Associate Fellow = D1
Fellow = D2
Senior Fellow = D3
Principal Fellow = D4
8
The Fellowship Scheme
9. 9
The Dimensions of the UKPSF
Core Knowledge
Needed to carry out those activities
at the appropriate level
Professional Values
Someone performing these activities
should embrace and exemplify
Areas of Activity
Undertaken by teachers and
supporters of learning within HE
10. The UK PSF Dimensions
•A1 - Design and plan learning activities and/or
programmes of study
•A2 - Teach and/or support learning
•A3 - Assess and give feedback to learners
•A4 - Develop effective learning environments and
approaches to student support and guidance
•A5 - Engage in continuing professional development in
subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating
research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional
practices
Areas of
Activity
11. The UK PSF Dimensions
•K1 – The subject material
•K2 – Appropriate methods for teaching, learning and
assessing in the subject area and at the level of the
academic programme
•K3 – How students learn, both generally and within their
subject disciplinary area(s)
•K4 – The use and value of appropriate learning
technologies
•K5 – Methods of evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
•K6 – The implications of quality assurance and quality
enhancement for academic and professional practice
with a particular focus on teaching
Core
Knowledge
12. The UK PSF Dimensions
•V1 – Respect individual learners and diverse learning
communities
•V2 – Promote participation in higher education and
equality of opportunity for learners
•V3 – Use evidence-informed approaches and the
outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing
professional development
•V4 – Acknowledge the wider context in which higher
education operates, recognising the implications for
professional practice
Professional
Values
13. Associate Fellowship
• Successful engagement in
• two areas of activity
• appropriate teaching and related
practices
• appropriate core knowledge (at least
K1/2)
• appropriate professional values
• relevant professional
practices/research/ scholarship
• CPD in teaching, learning and
assessment activities
Fellowship
• Successful engagement in
• five areas of activity
• appropriate teaching and related
practices
• all core knowledge
• all professional values
• incorporation of research/
scholarship within activities
• CPD in teaching, learning and
assessment activities & related
professional practices where
appropriate
13
D1 and D2 requirements
14. •Applications should relate to the positive impact
on student learning
•At D3 individual must show sustained record of
success/achievement
•Claims should evidence successful engagement
with appropriate dimensions of UKPSF
•Claims should not be based on role, job description
or status of individual
•Outcomes, impact and influence (and reflection of
evidence of same) much more important than role
activities per se 14
General Principles
15. 15
Considering T&L Practice and Evidence
for Recognition
Scope
of Activity, Role
Sphere
of Influence
Source
of Evidence
Promoting Teaching: making evidence count (HEA, 2013: 10)
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/recognition/making-
evidence-count-web
16. It is essential that applicants should
provide evidence of having accessed and
utilised external advice and guidance
based on educational scholarship to inform
their professional practice.
16
Scholarship at D1/D2
17. In groups discuss & note:
1. What you would expect the application look like as
it stands
e.g. Mapped to the criteria and UKPSF
2. How would you advise the applicant
17
Making recognition decisions at D1 and D2
18. • Convey enthusiasm for/commitment to teaching and enhancing
the student learning experience
• Provide specific examples, particularly where different approaches
have been adopted to suit different student needs
• Draw upon an informed understanding of pedagogy
• Evidence creativity in teaching, learning & student support
• Exhibit a student-centred disposition;
• Show evidence of the constructive alignment of the UKPSF in their
role
• Articulate the synergy between research, scholarship and
professional activities with their teaching and their students’
learning experiences
• Show clear evidence of active, ongoing CPD
18
Strengths
19. • Descriptive of activities rather than reflective of approaches
used
• Lack a rationale for approaches adopted
• Lack examples of effective practice and how this effectiveness is
demonstrated
• Rarely mention the students’ learning experiences
• Overly brief
• Lack structure and focus
• Rarely mention the UKPSF and/or ignore important aspects of
the framework (e.g.. professional values, core knowledge);
• Written in the 3rd person and/or a general account of their
experience of teaching and learning.
19
Weaknesses
20. • 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
20
D3 requirements
21. • 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
21
D3 requirements
22. 22
Considering T&L Practice and Evidence for
Recognition
Scope
of Activity, Role
Sphere
of Influence
Source
of Evidence
Promoting Teaching: making evidence count (HEA, 2013: 10)
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/recognition/making-
evidence-count-web
23. D3.7 Successful coordination, support,
supervision, management and/or mentoring
of others (whether individuals and/or teams)
in relation to teaching and learning
At Descriptor 3, it is particularly important to
demonstrate how you know your practice has
influenced others, been effective and
generated impact.
This is the overarching descriptor and evidence
for this should be found across the application.
It is the essential distinguishing characteristic of
the Senior Fellow.
23
Exploration of 3.7
24. It is essential that Senior Fellows provide evidence of
having accessed and utilised external advice and
guidance based on educational scholarship and likely
that they themselves will be undertaking some kind of
research which may well (though this is not essential)
include research for publication in peer review journals.
24
Scholarship at D3
25. In groups discuss & note:
1. What you would expect the application look like as it
stands
e.g. Mapped to the criteria and UKPSF
2. How would you advise the applicant
25
Making recognition decisions at D3
26. Written Application for
HEA FELLOWSHIP
Reflective
Elements
Reflective Account
(focus on the Areas of Activity
and cross reference Core
Knowledge and Professional
Values)
Administrative
Elements
Applicant
Information
2 References Line Manager
Signoff
Applicant
checklist
Case Studies (for Senior
Fellowship)
27. Reflective Account
Within each of the 5 areas of Activity sections, there must be cross referencing to the
Core Knowledge and Professional Values, along with hyperlinks/references/ attached
evidence where appropriate to substantiate the reflection and statements.
Reflective Account
Teaching
Philosophy
Area of Activity
1
Area of Activity
2Area of Activity
3
Area of Activity
4
Area of Activity
5
Each
section -
500
words +/-
10%)
28. KEY DIFFERENCES IN WRITTEN
REQUIREMENTS
All 5 Areas of Activity (3000 words)
Demonstrate ALL Core Knowledge
Commitment to all Professional Values
Associate
Fellow
Fellow
Senior
Fellow
2 of the 5 Areas of Activity (1500 words)
Minimum K1 and K2 (Core Knowledge)
Commitment to all Professional Values
All 5 Areas of Activity (3000 words)
Demonstrate ALL Core Knowledge
Commitment to all Professional Values
(2 Case Studies
(up to 3000
words across
both)
29. Presentation Application for
HEA Fellowship
Reflective Elements Administrative
Elements
Areas of Activity,
Core Knowledge,
Professional
Values Listing
Applicant
Information
References
Line
Manager
Signoff
Applicant
checklist
Presentation
Delivery
Presentation
Summary
Case Studies
(for Senior
Fellowships)
30. KEY DIFFERENCES IN PRESENTATION
REQUIREMENTS
All 5 Areas of Activity, Core
Knowledge and Professional Values
(Listings)
Associate
Fellow
Fellow
Senior
Fellow
2 of the 5 Areas of Activity , at least
K1 and K2 (Core Knowledge),
Commitment to all Professional
Values (Listings)
All 5 Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge
and Professional Values (Listings)
(2 Case Studies
(up to 3000
words across
both)
Presentation
Duration: 40
minutes.
Presentation
Duration: 30
minutes.
Presentation
Duration: 20
minutes.
Plus time
for
questions
from
assessors
31. Submission Deadlines and SAR Panel
Dates
There are 4 submission deadlines per year
October, January, April and July.
Submission Deadline Date of SAR Panel
Fri 02/10/15 at 2 p.m. Fri 6/11/15
Fri 8/01/16 at 2 p.m. Fri 19/2/16
Mon 4/04/16 at 2 p.m. Thurs 12/05/16
Fri 1/07/16 at 2 p.m. Mon 01/08/16
32. The application review process
Stage
1
Administrative checks –
for complete evidence,
word limits
Stage
2
Assessor Review – by at least 2
assessors (a 3rd external
assessor for Senior Fellowship
applications)
Stage
3
Review and Ratification by SAR
and then the IT@S Panel
33. Assessor Workload
• Each application allocated to a
‘set’ of two assessors.
• Each application reviewed
independently by each assessor
• Hopefully no more than 5
applications to each ‘set’
• Senior Fellowship applications will
be allocated ‘more time’, so fewer
of these to review.
• Each assessor involved in 2 of the
4 deadlines
• Attendance at SAR Panel
• Can’t assess someone’s
application if you’ve mentored
them.
34. Assessor Review
• Areas of difference will be discussed at the SAR Panel
• An agreed recommendation and feedback comments
will then be recorded
34
Category No
Assessors
Of Which
Fellows
Of Which
Senior
Fellows
Of which
externals
Associate
Fellows
2 2 - -
Fellows 2 1 1 -
Senior
Fellows
3 - 2 1
35. Assessment templates for the Reflective Account/Presentation and
Case Studies (where applicable)
Reflective Account templates supported by indicative activities that
you might identify within the submission. But remember – not
descriptive, but reflective.
Recommendations will be one of the following 3 options:
No changes needed.
Recommend application
for approval
Proceed Clarify
Some minor
amendments
needed.
Re-submission
Return
More substantial
revisions before re-
submission will be
considered
37. Introduction to Pebblepad
Pebblepad is an e-portfolio software available
through home.swan.ac.uk
Used to support reflective learning
in the Swansea Employability Award
and, for example, in Health Science
modules which require reflection.
38. Why use Pebblepad
• Enables sharing of applications with
mentors/others for comment, with referees
and line managers without arranging a login.
• Enables ease of sharing with assessors and
electronic feedback for applicants
• Facilitates a robust administrative structure
and QA evidence for reporting
41. • Personal pronoun
• Emphasise the positive
• Where gaps are evident, make suggestions for
how the applicant might address these
• Be specific
• Make suggestions for future development
opportunities
• Don’t write anything that you would not be happy
for the applicant to see
41
Giving feedback
42. Feedback to Feedforward
Application
Returned or
Clarified
Applicant
(hopefully) reviews
the Feedback
template comment
Discusses with a
mentor/SALT Team
Revises
application and
Resubmits
Application Assessed
Your feedback comments
are vital.
They will be released to
the applicant
following the
IT@S panel.
You remain
anonymous
(unless application
is by presentation)
Application
Successful
At Swansea, as outlined, we have a few ways in which staff can gain Fellowship of the HEA.
Certificated routes through the PGCert teaching in HE or the PG Cert in Education for Healthcare professionals
Experiential route – through a written or presentation submissions
Swansea doesn’t offer internal application for D4, just D1- D3
The categories are underpinned by the UKPSF
Areas of Activity, Core knowledge and Professional Values.
Triangular, inter-related and integrated Dimensions.
You have copies of the UK PSF and also some A5 summaries of each of these Dimensions.
There are 5 areas of Activity.
All areas of Activity are covered in Fellowship and Senior Fellowship.
For Associate Fellowship, you must demonstrate at least 2 of the 5 areas of activity.
These are often ‘easier’ for people to articulate
The Core Knowledge is more difficult to articulate, in particular K5 and K6
Is how to demonstrate the evidence of looking at the methods of evaluating
And how do I know that I am aware of quality assurance and quality enhancement,
K5 – module evaluations, informal feedback from students, informal ‘minute papers’ or quick questions, and you may notice increased access of the VLE or that student’s grades have gone up but it’s a trend. It may not be scientific and doesn’t have to be.
A simply one for K6 is – involvement in validation or revalidation because you have to write material in accordance with University process.
Subject benchmarks, module learning outcomes and level descriptors.
Quality enhancement – do you deliver the same thing every time you lecture. If you are going to deliver lectures on marketing or glaciology or some historical feature, you won’t always deliver it in the same way.
Reviewing yourself how well things went when you perhaps included a particular case study or got them to do group work, or clickers or whatever it might be.
Its often easy to think that its automatic, this issues of reviewing/reflecting and making changes, but its not, it’s a considered reflex action.
The things that’s difficult is V4 – that the University belongs to a wider universe.
Its recognising that Universities are not in a bubble.
We can influence and be influenced by the outside world
How does Employability fit into curriculum
Outside influences – how do I use them?
Professional bodies impact
Its making a relationship between what happens within University and how students go onto to operate in employment or further study
The differences between D1 (Associate Fellow) and D2 (Fellowship are outlined above.)
D1 could be considered a subset of D2.
Associate Fellows – 2 areas of activity – any two
Depends on the person’s role as to what can be achieve.
Non academic staff such as technicians, librarians, careers advisers, etc – because the particular activities they have means they don’t get sufficient evidence to qualify for all 5 areas of activities.
and at least knowledge of K1 The subject material And K2 – Appropriate methods for teaching, learning and assessing in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme
The breaking up of A1-A5 can be helpful, but also can be difficult.
Relevant professional practices/research/scholarship and CPD in LTA and Assessment – these two are usually the ones causing the most problems, in both application and assessment.
We don’t mean that you are the foremost research in the subject and a lot of pedagogical work.
Scholarship to be the range of professional information and things I need to know to be able to carry out the job effectively.
Show clip from E stream 16.57 – 20.58 Example of the technician in the computer lab and the relevant scholarship and also the accountant and tax laws
See Chapter entitled ‘Examples of Scholarship and CPD”
https://mrclabsestream.swan.ac.uk/view.aspx?id=5701~4n~NRVA9cmG&chapID=32
Applications need to demonstrate a positive impact on student learning – either directly through teaching or indirectly through supporting teachers
There should be sustained evidence – approximately 5 years, not necessarily doing the same thing.
E.g. I’ve mentored members of staff for 2 years, is that enough? No, not in itself, but have done other things, e.g.. chairing a special interest group.. Its the theme of leadership that’s important.
Successful practice with the UKPSF – what do I do, How do I do it, Why do I do it like that?
Is it because of the student profile, subject matter, learning environment that you choose to do things in that manner.
How do I know if its any good? What might you do differently?
Lots of applications seen by HEA assessors tend to focus on what the applicant does – a very descriptive account – and not give the reflection or rationale for why they choose to do things in that way.
The problem with the Fellowship Category is that it implies hierarchical progression.
Vicky Davies in Ulster is an Academic Developer and has Principal Fellowship - its because she has an institutional role, she’s an HEA assessors and consultant. Its about range and sphere of influence that is important.
1. What is the scope of that person’s activity and role, e.g.. PhD who doesn’t have full areas of activity?
2. What's their sphere of influence?
D1 and D2 – is primarily the student and their learning environment; maybe starting to influence colleagues
Mandy will show an excerpt from Vicky’s training outlining this from the perspective of the D3, Senior Fellow.
3. What’s the source of evidence
Back to the 5 questions –
What do I do
How do I do it
Why do I do it?
How do I know its effective
What will I do differently.
Evidence- your own reflections, formal module evaluations, NSS, PRES, but also informal evaluations from students and also those emails you get such as ‘thanks so much for your support’ – don’t delete them – its unsolicited feedback.
It might mean they’ve been to a course/event
It might means they had a corridor conservation about e.g. using flipped classrooms – that leads to someone reading up, looking at YouTube/TED talk – its about informing yourself
It might involve trying out something you’ve seen at a conference – doesn’t mean you’ve actually read that person’s research and literature – termed ‘mediated scholarship’ to use in your own practice.
References are nice, but not essential for these categories. This is vital to D3 – senior fellowship but not here.
So, don’t assess using an academic referencing styles, with Harvard referencing its, its just evidence of external guidance in whatever form it might take.
In groups look at the sample overviews for D1 and D2 and, using the criteria outlined for the fellowship categories make notes of what would you expect to see on the application for each as they stand, and what would your recommendations be for them to be successful at the level they have applied for.
Ask the group for their opinions of what would make a strong application prior to revealing the slide information presented by the HEA.
How would you expect to see enthusiasm and commitment conveyed
It is all well and good saying I did this and that, but there must be specific examples
Knowing why they are doing things, this could be a good place for references either to research based or peers strategies
Creative use of strategies used else where maybe? Different approaches from different spheres. Any other suggestions?
How does it effect the student experience
This could be via brackets throughout or at the start or end of the section
What have they been doing, what have they seen, how has their CPD impacted on their practice?
How will they remain in good standing? You need to demonstrate that you are continuing to work in the parameters of the fellowship, which is why it is such a good idea to be an assessor!
Fellowship
For example they might provide evidence of K2 and 3 through reference to reading practical guidelines on how students learn in their discipline as well as having discussed this with their colleagues and reviewed and acted on student feedback.
Another example might be reading and explaining how they have applied the advice from an article on teaching and learning in a relevant subject specific journal.
What I did, rather then why?
Again why?
Need to provide evidence
Use comments from students is excellent
Needs enough detail
UKPSF
Difficult to be reflective in anything other that 1st person, however writing reflectively and with self congratulatory can be difficult. Remember that this is individual recognition of your own practice. This is where the referees should be good at substantiating this.
D3 is so broad.
Need to demonstrate all the same attributes of D2 but with the addition of how my leadership influences all of the above. It is not something that is just stuck on the end, it must filter through each of the other areas od activity.
There will be considerable variation in applications, reflecting differences in individuals’ experience, their job roles and institutional contexts. The reflective commentary and two case studies enable such diversity to be appropriately represented
D3 is so broad.
Need to demonstrate all the same attributes of D2 but with the addition of how my leadership influences all of the above. It is not something that is just stuck on the end, it must filter through each of the other areas od activity.
There will be considerable variation in applications, reflecting differences in individuals’ experience, their job roles and institutional contexts. The reflective commentary and two case studies enable such diversity to be appropriately represented
Show clip from Vicky Davies can be found on the HEA section of the SALT website https://salt.swan.ac.uk/fellowship-assessors/
https://mrclabsestream.swan.ac.uk/view.aspx?id=5702~4o~osjZKny4&chapID=31
What were the leadership approaches that they took and what was the impact and how did they know. Be careful with postgrads as examples. You need to think about relationships, if they are discussing the group of post graduates in terms of them supervising, then that is learning and teaching. If they are using a postgrad as a co teacher, doing seminars then that is a professional relationship, that is mentoring of colleagues.
The quality of the evidence is much more important than the quantity of examples provided
Where is isn’t necessary for D2 it is essential for D3. with senior fellowship, it is more about I am the influence, so it is vital to demonstrate what the evidence based influence was that instigated what they are discussing. They could be illustrating some form of action research, where they identified a problem or area of improvement, they would then discuss the intervention that they put in place, all the time they would be reflecting on the processes involved, whilst referring to the evidence provided by relevant literature to support their ideas and methods.
Not hard research, most likely to be AR but it could be publication. By publication is could just be dissemination, but could be evidence
What is Action Research? AR is a practical approach to professional inquiry in any social situation. Here it relates to education and are therefore of particular relevance to teachers or lecturers engaged in their daily contact with students. But professional practice need not be teaching: it may be management or administration in a school or college, or it may be in an unrelated area, such as medicine or the social services. The context for professional inquiry might change, but the principles and processes involved in action research are the same, regardless of the nature of the practice.