Recognition as a Professional Teacher in
Higher Education:
The Higher Education Academy professional
recognition scheme
Helen Barefoot
Deputy Head of the
Learning and Teaching Institute
Workshop Outcomes
On completion of this workshop participants should have:
• considered the importance of being a ‘dual professional’
• had the opportunity to comment on key issues of
interest and concern
• had the opportunity to consider and discuss the HEA
recognition scheme
• had the opportunity to begin to draft one’s own
submission.
UH’s view
“ At UH we consider our academic staff to be dual
professionals, that is professional teachers in HE and
professionals in their own discipline. As ‘dual
professionals’ all academic staff should engage in
continuous professional development as relevant and
appropriate to their learning and teaching role. UH
supports the national professional recognition
scheme of the HEA and views it as an important
marker of learning and teaching professionalism.”
Continuous Professional
Development (CPD)
• Dual professionals
• Most academics undertake a considerable
amount of CPD
• CPD may be an obligatory part of keeping up
professional accreditation
• Professional teachers - CPD is often
unplanned/informal
UK Professional Standards
Framework (UK PSF)
Standard descriptors
1. Demonstrates an understanding of the student learning
experience through engagement with at least 2 of the 6
areas of activity, appropriate core knowledge and
professional values; the ability to engage in practices
related to those areas of activity; the ability to
incorporate research, scholarship and/or professional
practice into those activities.
UK Professional Standards
Framework (UK PSF)
Standard descriptors
2. Demonstrates an understanding of the student learning
experience through engagement with all areas of activity,
core knowledge and professional values; the ability to
engage in practices related to all areas of activity; the
ability to incorporate research, scholarship and/or
professional practice into those activities.
UK Professional Standards
Framework (UK PSF)
Standard descriptors
3. Supports and promotes student learning in all areas of
activity,core knowledge and professional values
through mentoring and leading individuals and/or
teams; incorporates research, scholarship and/or
professional practice into those activities
The Higher Education Academy
“Our mission is to help institutions, discipline groups,
and all staff to provide the best possible learning
experience for their students.”
HEA Professional Recognition
Scheme
The scheme has been designed to support the
implementation of the Professional Standards Framework
3 categories of professional recognition:
1. Associate of the Higher Education Academy (AHEA)
2. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
3. Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Professional Accreditation Benefits
• Be recognised for the valuable professional work you
do and to celebrate this
• Valuable portable asset recognised across the sector
• Might be critical for promotion/career progression
• Help to keep up to date with latest developments in
learning and teaching (CPD events, networking)
• You can become involved in shaping national policy
through work with the HEA
HEA Professional Recognition
Scheme
Recognition
Scheme
Accredited
Programme
Associate
x
x
Fellow
x
x
Senior Fellow
x
Collaborative
agreement
x
NFTS
individual
award
x
Areas of Activity
1.Design and planning of
Learning activities &/or
programmes of study.
2.Teaching and/or supporting
student learning.
3.Assessment and giving feedback
to learners.
4.Developing effective
environments and student
support and guidance.
5.Integration of scholarship
,research and professional
activities with teaching and
supporting learning.
6. Evaluation of practice and
continuing professional
development.
CK1 CK2 CK3 CK4 CK5 CK6 V
1
V
2
V
3
V
4
V
5
HEA’s National Accreditation
Scheme
Areas of activity
1. Design and planning of learning activities and/or
programmes of study
2. Teaching and/or supporting student learning
3. Assessment and giving feedback to learners
4. Developing effective environments and student support and
guidance
5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional
activities with teaching and supporting learning
6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional
development
HEA’s National Accreditation
Scheme
Core knowledge (knowledge and understanding of)
1. The subject material
2. Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject
area and at the level of the academic programme
3. How students learn, both generally and in the subject
4. The use of appropriate learning technologies
5. Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
6. The implications of quality assurance and enhancement for
professional practice
HEA’s National Accreditation
Scheme
Professional values
1. Respect for individual learners
2. Commitment to incorporating the process and outcomes of
relevant research, scholarship and/or professional practice
3. Commitment to the development of learning communities
4. Commitment to encouraging participation in higher
education, acknowledging diversity and promoting equality of
opportunity
5. Commitment to continuing professional development and
evaluation of their own practice
Application process
Detailed information on HEA website
Step 1. Complete application form
Step 2. Identify 2 appropriate referees
Step 3. Return form to HEA with the 2 references
Step 4. Normally notified within 2 weeks of receipt.
Step 5. Panel of Accreditors assess application normally
within 12 weeks
Step 6. If accepted notified and have to send
recognition fee £50.00 ( nb at present no annual
renewal fees)
Information to aid application
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CV
Appraisal forms (Peer Observation forms + SFQ data)
List of responsibilities
Programme reviews/validations/curriculum
development
CPD activities
Funding applications/awards
Pedagogic research/evaluations
Professional and other organisations you are involved
with
External examiner work
Key words in the process- reflective
accounts!!
“Please give reasons for your choice of activities and
techniques and how they relate to developing the
learners’ understanding of the subject.
Please explain how you know that your work is
effective and how you try and improve it.
We expect our core knowledge and values to underpin
the practice of Associates or Fellows. Please provide
examples , where appropriate, of ways in which this
underpinning is apparent.”HEA
HEA’s National Accreditation
Scheme
Activity
1.Brainstorming ideas in pairs to fill in the sections
2.Working individually on sections
3. Plenary to share ideas
HEA’s National Accreditation
Scheme
Criteria to judge your progress against
• Areas of Activity 1-6 (Associates: any one of 1 to 4
plus 5 but Fellows need all 6)
• Core Knowledge 1-6
• Professional values 1-5
Academic Staff Development and
support (provided by LTI)
• Continuous Professional Academic Development programme
- CPAD:
– New Staff Route HEA accredited (PgCert  HEA Fellow)
– Experienced Staff may attend any modules, e.g. student
support and guidance, blended learning
• Faculty/School/individual support and liaison
• General L&T workshops – e.g. on Assessment,
Internationalising the curriculum
• BLU workshops
• Innovation, development and dissemination of good practice
• Staff Educational Research and Scholarship Network (ERSN)
Some useful web-sites
Higher Education Academy (HEA)
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/
HEA Subject Centre Network ( find on the HEA home page) eg
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/physsci/
http://www.engsc.ac.uk/
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/
(go to Academic Infrastructure to find your disciplines
Benchmark Statement)
Interesting one for LT&A resources
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/about.htm