Teaching Associate Programme
Further particulars & application form
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Overview
The Teaching Associate Programme (TAP) is a year-long programme which supports
early career researchers who have some responsibility for teaching and learning.*
TAP is accredited by the Higher Education Academy (HEA), and, if you successfully
complete all elements of the programme, you will become an Associate Fellow of the
HEA. Applications are open to researchers from any discipline who can confirm both
that they have the minimum prior experience of teaching or supporting learning
within higher education and that they will have some teaching during the
programme. In this way, the programme enables you to reflect on your own current
practice, to explore ideas and approaches for enhancing your teaching, and to think
about your future development as a higher education professional.
To see how the programme fits together as a whole, and how participants navigate their way through it,
please see the table on page 4. In general terms, support is delivered through a blend of ‘plenary’
workshops/lectures and the provision of reading material and online resources via CamTools. In addition,
participants receive one-to-one guidance and feedback from one of a team of Cambridge Tutors. At the
end of the year, participants are assessed via the submission of a portfolio. This must include reflective
accounts of what they have observed and learnt, and what pedagogical skills they have acquired.
Successful completion of TAP requires BOTH that your portfolio is approved by the examiners AND that
you attend all specified sessions.
* Please see page 5 for more information about eligibility.
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UK Professional Standards Framework
In late 2011, the HEA launched its updated UK Professional Standards Framework
(UK PSF), which provides a general description of the main dimensions of the roles
of teaching and supporting learning within the higher education environment. The
Framework describes these dimensions in terms of areas of activity, core
knowledge, and professional values.
To complete TAP successfully, you will need to demonstrate:
 Successful engagement with at least two Areas of Activity – A1 and A2
 Successful engagement in appropriate teaching and practices related to these Areas of Activity
 Appropriate Core Knowledge and understanding of at least K1 and K2
 A commitment to appropriate Professional Values in facilitating others’ learning.
Areas of Activity
A1
A2
A3
A4
A5
Design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study
Teach and/or support learning
Assess and give feedback to learners
Develop effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance
Engage in continuing professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy,
incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices
Core Knowledge
K1
K2
K3
K4
K5
K6
The subject material
Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic
programme
How students learn, both generally and within their subject/ disciplinary area(s)
The use and value of appropriate learning technologies
Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and professional
practice with a particular focus on teaching
Professional Values
V1
V2
V3
V4
Respect individual learners and diverse learning communities
Promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners
Use evidence-informed approaches and the outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing
professional development
Acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates recognising the implications for
professional practice
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Programme
Term
Michaelmas
Sept to Dec
Component
Deadline for application forms
Notification of successful
applicants
Introduction to TAP Seminar
Teaching in Practice
‘Effective Supervision’ course
Tutorial One
Lent
Jan to Mar
Additional information
This includes the reflective assignment
‘Teaching Statement 1’ (500 words).
Lecturing Theory
Lecturing Practicals
Teaching observation
Optional Tutorial Two
Easter
Apr to Jun
TAP Review
Optional Tutorial Three
Submit portfolio
Indicative date
Mid-September
Late September
This is the first plenary session, which
presents the HEA and the UKPSF,
outlines how the programme will
proceed, and introduces participants to
the TAP Tutors.
Participants must observe at least two
different examples of teaching
activities, e.g. one lecture and one
supervision, and write a reflective
commentary on each.
For those who have not previously done
so, all participants must complete the
University’s centrally run blendedlearning course of effective supervision
practice.
Participants meet individually with their
Tutor, in order to review progress, ask
questions, or troubleshoot problems.
A Tutor-led interactive workshop on
good practice in the design and delivery
of undergraduate lectures, e.g.
meaningful learning, structure,
signposting, attention and
concentration.
In small-group streams, each participant
delivers a ten-minute lecture. These are
filmed and evaluated by the groups,
facilitated by a Tutor.
Each participant
See above.
The final plenary session is a chance,
collectively, to review experiences and
learning outcomes; to re-visit any issues
and outstanding concerns; and to
explore ideas for the future, including
the place of teaching in individual
career development. Specific guidance
is also given about the portfolio
submission and assessment process.
See above.
In addition to guidance given at the TAP
Review, participants can access sample
portfolio materials and information
about the UKPSF.
October
During Michaelmas
During Michaelmas
Arranged with Tutor
February
February / March
Arranged with Tutor
Arranged with Tutor
May
Arranged with Tutor
June
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Eligibility
TAP is open to postdoctoral research staff and graduate students in the 2nd year of
their PhD or above. Applications are welcome from any subject area.
In order to be eligible for Associate Fellowship of the HEA, you will also need, at the
point of submitting your portfolio, to have a minimum of 40 hours’ experience
of teaching and/or supporting learning. We require you to have completed at least
twenty of these hours prior to applying for TAP. Only higher education (universitylevel) teaching experience can be considered. You will also need to have some
confirmed teaching for the academic year to come, so that you have chance to put
your learning from TAP into practice and your Tutor can observe your teaching.
Please use the application form to quantify – in hours – your teaching experience to date and detail what
CONFIRMED teaching hours you will have in the coming academic year. Without this information, we will
not be able to consider your application for TAP.
Contact us
Fiona Sutton
TAP Manager
A. 25 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA
T. +44 (0) 1223 765774
E. fiona.sutton@admin.cam.ac.uk
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TAP application form
 Personal details
Name
Department
PhD student or postdoc
If PhD, year of study
Name of Supervisor
College (if applicable)
Email address
Telephone number
 Teaching experience
In order to help us ensure that you meet the minimum requirements of teaching experience, please
complete the information in the tables on the next page. It is important that you quantify your teaching in
hours.
Please remember that:
1. You must already have at least 20 hours of experience in teaching or
supporting learning in a higher education context
and
2. You must have completed a total of no fewer than 40 hours of
relevant experience by the end of TAP.
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Teaching already undertaken
Type of teaching
HE institution
Subject(s) taught
Learners taught
Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Other
Total
hours
Supervisions
Lectures
Demonstrations
Seminars
Other (please state)
Grand total:
Confirmed teaching for 2012-13
It is a requirement that you have some teaching experience during TAP. Please only include here teaching
that has been CONFIRMED. If you find part way through the programme that you have no teaching for your
Tutor to observe or will not make the minimum of 40 hours’ experience by the end of the year, then you
will not be able to get accreditation as an Associate Fellow of the HEA.
Type of teaching
HE institution
Subject(s) to teach
Learners to teach
Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Other
Total
hours
Supervisions
Lectures
Demonstrations
Seminars
Other (please state)
Grand total:
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 Teaching Statement
This is an important part of your application. Here you are asked to outline your current thoughts about,
and approach to, the practice of teaching your subject. You should aim to write about 500 words. At the
end of the year, you will complete a second teaching statement, and will be asked to reflect on how the
programme has influenced your teaching.
A teaching statement should outline your ‘philosophy’ of teaching, but what does that mean? It’s helpful to
break this down and consider your own experiences. If you are already teaching, your statement will be
informed by your experience of teaching so far. What do you think your role as a teacher is, e.g. as a
supervisor, how can you help the student to learn? Give examples of how you have approached different
teaching situations. What are your goals for the students? What are the students’ expectations of you and
how will you meet them? If you are a PhD student, how do you feel about switching roles between student
and teacher?
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 If you are a PhD student, please sign to confirm you have made your
supervisor aware of your application to join TAP.
Signature:
Date:
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