Accrediting
Staff
Professionalism
In
Research-Led
Education
Dr Dilly Fung
Head of Academic Development
D.Fung@exeter.ac.uk
About ASPIRE:
Development
and Principles
Full HEA accreditation
against all four UKPSF
descriptors achieved
January 2012
Accrediting
Staff
Professionalism
In
Research-Led
Education
Principles of ASPIRE at Exeter
A genuinely developmental
framework based on peer dialogue
Recognition of diversity of applicants:
a flexible, inclusive scheme
Resourced appropriately with
specialist staff
Led by both the academic and
professional community
Aspiring to lead in the sector
About ASPIRE:
How does the
scheme work for
applicants?
Four levels of ASPIRE Fellowship:
Able to provide
evidence of
broadly based
success and
effectiveness in
their substantive
teaching and
learning support
role(s). They may
be members of
one or more
academic teams
or professional
services staff
who support the
education of
students.
Descriptor 3
Able to
demonstrate a
sustained track
record of success
& effectiveness
in teaching and/
or organisation
& management
of specific
aspects of
teaching and
learning
provision.
Principal Fellow
Able to provide
evidence of
success and
effectiveness in
relation to their
professional role,
which will include
at least some
teaching and/or
learning support
responsibilities,
sometimes but
not always with
assistance from
experienced
teachers or
mentors.
Descriptor 2
Senior Fellow
Descriptor 1
Fellow
Associate
mapped to HEA Fellowships
Descriptor 4
Able to
evidence a
sustained and
successful track
record of
impact as
strategic
leaders and
managers, with
a particular
focus on
teaching,
learning,
assessment and
related areas
within and
beyond own
institution.
Fellowships: routes to achievement
Initial
Professional
Development: • Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education (LTHE)
accreditation
• Postgraduate Certificate in
through
taught
Academic Practice (PCAP)
programmes
ASPIRE: CPD • Support from Academic
accreditation
Leads/Line Managers, using
through
PDR (appraisal) processes
submission of
evidence to • Summative assessment by
panel of experienced staff
assessment
panel
(academic and professional)
Descriptors
1+2
Descriptors
1, 2, 3, 4
Two routes for claiming an ASPIRE award
Written
application
Oral
application
• Written form, including mapping practice against
areas of activity, core knowledge and professional
values of the UKPSF
• 4 x 500 word case studies
• Two detailed references (including one internal
reference, backing up specific claims of candidate)
• Written form, including mapping practice against
areas of activity, core knowledge and professional
values of the UKPSF
• Twenty minute presentation to assessment panel,
plus 10 minutes Q&A
• Two detailed references (including one internal
reference, backing up specific claims of candidate)
Evidence of ‘professional development’ includes:
Peer
dialogue and
review
Analysing
feedback
from
students
Considering
the
literature on
teaching and
learning in HE
Attendance
of
workshops,
away days or
other events
Feedback
• Detailed feedback provided to
each candidate, on:
a) The strengths of their
application and professional
achievements
b) Possible future directions to
enhance practice (both
quality and range) further in
the future.
About ASPIRE:
How does the
University make the
scheme work?
Working together:
joint approach from Education Enhancement,
academics and Human Resources
High level university engagement
Engagement with colleagues from
across the sector
• Academic Staff Development Steering Group
• Scheme originally developed with the help
overseeing this vital area
of dialogue with colleagues in other HEIs,
• ASPIRE Management Group
through HEA pilot, including UEL, Durham,
• Engagement of DVC Education and Associate
University College Falmouth and University
Deans for Education in subject-based Colleges
of Southampton
• Career Development and Leadership Task and
Finish Group: produced new career
progression framework, which uses ASPIRE
Fellowships as evidence.
Developmental activities
Developmental activities to build capacity and expertise
Central Education Enhancementrun workshops for potential
applicants
Developmental activities with
Academic Leads /line managers
Formative support for applicants, to help them build a
case through PDR processes
Mentoring with Academic Leads
for academics
Mentoring with line manager for
Professional Services staff
Assuring standards
Leadership
of ASPIRE
Management
Group
Moderation
Annual
quality
review
Appointment of Quality and Enhancement Officer
Development of clear guidelines for assessment panel members;
assessors learn through doing
Use of external advisers
Moderation process keeps tabs on boundaries between descriptors
Sample drawn from range across descriptor levels, type of submission
and applicant type
Analysis of achievement and
feedback data
Report to Academic Staff
Development Steering Group
(along with quality data from
accredited taught programmes)
Discussion
Unexpected
benefits
Development of applicants
• The individual applicants have engaged in a
number of developmental activities in order to
prepare their applications, including ASPIRE
workshops. They build new support networks,
and access new kinds of developmental
opportunities.
• In receiving detailed feedback from the panel,
applicants, whether successful or unsuccessful,
receive targeted commendations and advice
about future developmental possibilities.
Development of senior staff
• A wide range of senior staff involved in ASPIRE
assessment panels - becoming very familiar with
UKPSF.
• An even wider range of staff have become involved
as referees – again, promoting familiarity with UKPSF.
• ASPIRE has enabled us to set up developmental
sessions for all Academic Leads (line managers) -a
catalyst for genuine and engaged discussion among
senior staff, many of whom are research-focused.
This enhanced knowledge can feed into the regular
PDR (appraisal) meetings.
Enhancement of other initiatives
• Looking at reforming teaching review scheme
into a more flexible Peer Dialogue Scheme, more
congruent with the ASPIRE scheme.
• The University has formally revised its reward and
recognition structure for teaching staff, so that
colleagues who are on teaching-led contracts can
attain full recognition at professorial level if they
meet certain criteria. ASPIRE/HEA Fellowships
form explicit evidence for colleagues’ claims for
progression.
Most notable
challenges
Demands resources
• Be under no illusions – time, money and
collaborative strategic planning are needed to
do this well
• Stepping out into the unknown - inventing
from scratch takes creative energy
• Internal publicity strategy: needs to be
continually re-worked
• Responding to others’ interest in the scheme
– great to be asked, but also takes time...
Demands significant leadership qualities
• The institution has to have confidence in its own
judgements: the scheme (and its leaders) must be
accountable
• Scheme leaders need to believe in their own
values and approaches, even under pressure:
need a team approach and a genuine
commitment to ongoing evaluation and change
• Effective communication is vital, internally and
externally.
Discussion