Formal Teaching Qualifications Research Articles

Exploring the experience of participants in a pilot scheme to recognise teaching excellence in healthcare: A mixed methods approach.

BackgroundWithin healthcare settings, practice-based healthcare professionals are expected to teach, supervise, assess and/or support learners in their respective disciplines. Ongoing development opportunities focusing specifically on teaching skills and support of students are varied and there are no mandatory requirements for practice-based healthcare professionals to develop formal teaching qualifications, despite their direct involvement with learners. ObjectiveTo explore the experience of participants in a pilot scheme to recognise teaching excellence in healthcare. DesignA mixed methods approach was used. Setting(s)One inner-city integrated health care system in the UK. ParticipantsThis study involved eleven participants in total: seven applicants who successfully completed the award and four mentors who supported them throughout the application process. Mentors were all Advance HE Fellowship holders employed within one National Health Service (NHS) organisation and one Higher Education Institution situated within the Northwest of England. MethodsData collection methods included an online anonymised survey followed by individual semi- structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data were analysed using framework analysis principles. ResultsThe findings indicated that participants (applicants and mentors) found the overall experience positive and rewarding. The main positive aspects of taking part were:I. Increased confidence and sharing of teaching experienceII. Increased reflection and use of pedagogyIII. Formation of a teaching community of practiceIV. Perceived teaching career progression opportunitiesThe application process appeared to act as a catalyst towards re-engagement with underpinning pedagogy when considering the suitability and utility of effective teaching approaches for learners in practice. It also helped to promote a teaching community of practice where mentors were able to ‘pay forward’ and support practice colleagues to be recognised for their teaching roles.The main challenges were the competing demands on applicants’ time and the self-directed approach required to complete the award application. ConclusionGaining recognition of teaching excellence through an award scheme such as Advance HE Fellowship can foster a sense of empowerment, recognition and reward for educators who work with learners undertaking Higher Education Programmes, irrespective of the setting where teaching and learning takes place. However, without wider organisation support and resources, the benefits of such schemes can be diminished. RegistrationN/A Tweetable abstractWith institutional support, Advance HE Fellowships offer accessible recognition for healthcare educator's commitment to teaching excellence @AdvanceHE @NHSE_WTE

Living with 中式英语 Zhongshi Yingyu

I first heard of the term ‘Chinglish’ when I was at Baiduizi (白堆子) Beijing Foreign Languages School in the 1970s, through Janet Adams’ book, From Chinglish to English. The book contained 60 short dialogues in simple American English. It was meant to be teaching us colloquial English, compared to, I suppose, the textbook English written by Chinese teachers. I found the term Chinglish rather odd, and it was an odd thing for us pupils at that particular school to be made aware of, because the school was, quite literally, the only school in China at the time where foreigners were directly teaching Chinese children foreign languages and cultures. Few of these foreign teachers had formal teaching qualifications, and they were not using any textbooks written by Chinese teachers, but in their own ways using material the school compiled specially for the pupils. It was a form of audio-lingual and direct method. The language we were taught was pretty colloquial and we did not, as far as I could tell, speak Chinglish that the examples in Adams’ book illustrated.

“I Try Not to Be a ‘Neutral Teacher’”: Teacher Identity Formation of Non-Tenured Early-Career Academics in the Humanities

With internationally growing attention to the quality of higher education, a formal teaching qualification has become at many universities a requirement for non-tenured staff to be eligible for tenure. To obtain a qualification, participants in this case study reflect in a portfolio on their teacher identity by describing what they think is important and what guides the choices they make. Based on a thematic analysis of 47 portfolios by aspiring non-tenured early-career humanities scholars in The Netherlands, I will describe the recurring stories about beliefs, values, and commitments toward being a teacher in the humanities. The analysis will provide insight into how teacher identity is determined by the cultural rules of their disciplinary community to which they want to gain access as non-tenured academics.

Knowledge mobilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: an impact evaluation of CPDL in improving primary school children’s performance

PurposeA non-governmental organisation (NGO) with schools in Sierra Leone prioritises admission of the most disadvantaged children but nevertheless achieves high educational and social standards. These schools were asked to provide continuing professional development and learning (CPDL) for other schools. This paper aims to report the design, development and delivery of CPDL which aimed to mobilise effective practices more widely. It also reports the design and results of an impact evaluation.Design/methodology/approachIt was recognised that CPDL delivered by foreigners would be (1) unaffordable in this impoverished West African country and (2) culturally inappropriate. It was therefore delivered by local teachers from the NGO's own schools. Most had obtained no formal teaching qualification. They were trained to collect data using a quasi-experimental design for an impact evaluation of children's attendance and literacy. A total of five schools participated in the CPDL, with ten control schools.FindingsA largely unqualified team succeeded in mobilising knowledge in the experimental schools. Children's attendance in experimental schools improved over that in control schools. Performance in literacy also improved significantly and was maintained at follow-up.Research limitations/implicationsFindings of the impact evaluation are seen as indicative rather than causal because a quasi-experimental study was conducted rather than a randomised controlled trial.Originality/valueThis lies in (1) teachers in schools with a severely disadvantaged intake providing a structured programme of CPDL for teachers in other schools; (2) school improvement through knowledge mobilisation in CPDL; (3) an impact evaluation with a quasi-experimental design showing improvement in children's performance.

Is There a ‘Magic Link’ Between Research Activity, Professional Teaching Qualifications and Student Satisfaction?

The increasing prominence given to student satisfaction at UK Universities as a response to the introduction of fees and the growing stature of league tables has led to a desire to understand the factors that affect the quality of the student experience. Therefore, this paper examines whether students who study at universities in the UK where research is highly rated or where a high proportion of faculty are professionally qualified are more satisfied, measuring satisfaction through data from the National Student Survey. Our key results are first that students are happiest at pre-1992 universities outside the Russell group and where the amount of top-rated research is lower. Second, we uncover no link between student contentment and the percentage of faculty holding formal teaching qualifications. Our findings have important implications for university policies regarding the link between research and teaching and for the current drive to ‘professionalise’ teaching in higher education.

Attitudes towards peer review of teaching in medical education

Introduction: Peer review of teaching is an important evaluation and development activity. Its use is well documented within US tertiary institutions but less common in the UK and Australia. While some research into prevalence, outcomes and opinions of peer review within medical education exists, documented implementation is uncommon. This topic is particularly underresearched within a rural and regional education context. This research sought opinions on peer review of teaching among medical educators and intended to ascertain levels of experience with, and ease of access to, peer review programmes across city, rural and international locations. Methods: A purposefully designed questionnaire, seeking views and experiences of peer review of teaching, was sent to medical educators at the University of Melbourne (metropolitan-based Melbourne Medical School educators at multiple metropolitan hospitals; educators based at multiple Rural Clinical School campuses in regional Victoria) and the University of Manchester (based at Manchester Royal Infirmary). Information regarding teaching experience and qualifications, as well as previous experience with peer review, was also sought. Results: Only 10.4% of respondents had a formal teaching qualification at postgraduate or masters level; 29.2% had previous experience of formal peer review. Respondents who reported teaching more hours per week were more likely to agree that formal peer review programmes would be beneficial to teaching development ( r = 0.12; p = 0.05) and were also more likely to have the time to take part ( r = 0.14; p = 0.02). The overall attitude towards peer review was favourable; 87.7% of respondents stated they would take part in a programme, and 90.6% were of the view that peer review improved teaching practice. There were no statistically-significant differences in opinions towards peer review across the three locations. Conclusions: This study shows there is a significant unmet interest among medical educators for peer review of teaching, and it suggests this is particularly prevalent among rural and regional-based medical educators. Further, data suggests a voluntary and informative form of peer review is more likely to be embraced as an opportunity for professional development.

Improving Digital Assessment Practice: A Case Study of a Cross-Institutional Initiative

Assessment practice is a crucial component of higher education learning and teaching, however many academic teachers lack formal teaching qualifications and often fall back on teaching and assessing the way they themselves were taught. Furthermore, with increasingly diverse student cohorts, larger classes and increasing components of teaching delivered online, it is unsurprising that students rate assessment as one of the poorest features of their learning experiences. For these reasons, understanding the specific contexts of assessment is important now more than ever. This paper will present the findings of a case study of a cross-institutional initiative aimed at exploring how to improve digital assessment practice by focusing on context, and encouraging and facilitating collegial collaboration. The aim of the case study was to progress a digital assessment project at an Australian higher education provider. Teams of staff from two higher education providers collaborated to develop and implement eight prototype assessments to reform digital assessment practices. The assessments were selected from online undergraduate academic subjects across a range of disciplines. Findings reveal that both staff and students felt that there were benefits to the cross-institutional collaboration. The resulting assessment was perceived as improving student motivation and engagement and more tailored for the online environment than the existing assessment.

Co-producing a recognition of prior learning (RPL) toolkit for adult educators: Reflections on the REAL deal?

Adult education is a very diverse arena of practice internationally, operating across the public, private and non-profit sectors, with educators and learners coming from all walks of life. In many countries there is no formal route to becoming a qualified adult educator as there is in relation to school teaching, or the qualification of Higher or Further education professionals. Many experienced, knowledgeable and competent adult educators have no formal teaching qualification which in varying situations is a matter of concern for policy-makers and organisational managers, as well as the practitioners themselves. One way of addressing this lack of qualification is through processes of recognition of prior learning (RPL). This article reports on the work of the REAL Project which aimed to enable adult educators to formatively assess the possibility of making a claim for academic credit against adult education qualifications, through the creation of an RPL toolkit. The REAL Project approach was to co-develop the toolkit alongside adult educators, where significantly, co-production was undertaken as an educational activity. In this article we examine some of the issues that emerge from adopting such an approach in this type of project. The writing is in three sections. First, we outline some of the existing research on co-production in service development. Second, we provide an account of the co-production approach that was adopted in the REAL project. Finally we reflect upon some of the issues raised in relation to the practices of co-production.

Is There a Magic Link between Research Activity, Professional Teaching Qualifications and Student Satisfaction?

This paper examines the key drivers of the satisfaction of UK students, as measured by the National Student Survey, using the entire database of students who completed it in 2014. We employ a wide range of factors that may potentially affect contentment, including both university-wide variables that capture the reputation of the university and the quality of its research, and school-specific measures incorporating the demographic and ethnic profiles of the teaching staff. We find overall that students are happiest when taught by staff with the following characteristics: white, full professors, holding doctorates, and on fixed-term contracts - although there is no link between satisfaction and the gender mix of the teaching faculty, or with the contractual designation of the staff as teaching intensive or teaching and research. In terms of the broader characteristics of the institutions as a whole, when we allow for a range of factors simultaneously, students are happiest at pre-1992 universities outside the Russell group with high degree course completion rates and where the amount of top-rated research is lower. We find no link between student contentment and the percentage of faculty holding formal teaching qualifications.

Learning to teach: how a formal teaching qualification improved our practice.

In this article, guest writers Sonya Lipczynska and Clare Crowley from King's College London discuss the learning that occurred when they undertook a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education (PGCAPHE). In particular, they identify how their exploration of relevant learning and teaching theory on the course helped them to evaluate their library instruction teaching practice with medical and dental students. They highlight how they made changes and improvements to the delivery of these sessions based on greater consideration of inclusivity and the characteristics of both individuals and broader student groups. They also discuss the successes of new teaching practices that they experimented with, and reflect on how they have developed as educators as a result of this. H.S.

The Effect of Teacher's Aides in the Classroom: Evidence from a Randomized Trial

Countries around the world use teacher’s aides to support students, although there is no strong evidence of any positive impact on student outcomes. We use a randomized trial to challenge this state of evidence. We compare two treatment groups — aides with and without teaching degrees — to a control group. With a fixed budget, assistants without formal teaching qualifications can spend more time in the classrooms and tend to have a greater impact on students than co-teachers with a formal degree. These results are consistent with the notion that the teaching dosage is important for the positive effect of teacher’s aides

The views of part-time clinical teachers regarding their role in undergraduate education at the University of Bristol Dental School.

UK dental schools are reliant on part-time teachers to deliver the clinical educational component of the course, the majority with a background in general dental practice. Opportunities for promotion are limited, as is the support for obtaining educational qualifications. The aim of this study was to ascertain the views of such teachers at a dental school. An anonymous online survey was used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative views. The response rate was 80%. The school has n = 50 part-time clinical teachers, who have been teaching for, on average ten years, and for three sessions per week. Eighteen percent of teachers are recognised specialists. Forty-six percent of respondents have a formal teaching qualification, mostly at certificate level, and 55% thought it necessary to acquire a formal teaching qualification. Eighty-eight percent were happy with their role as clinical teachers. This study demonstrates that despite the lack of support and prospect of career progression, the majority of part-time clinical teachers at this institution are satisfied with their role.

Evaluating Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (OSCA) in undergraduate nursing

The aims of this mixed methods study were to gain insight into how individual assessors determine an Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (OSCA) result for undergraduate nursing students and identify whether individual assessor perceptions and professional characteristics have an impact on students' results. Results from 25 participants showed that although less than half (44%) of the participants were teaching in the course that they were assessing, the participants were highly experienced clinicians and nearly three-quarters (72%) had completed formal teaching qualifications. There were wide variations in pass rates (16.7–90%) between assessors. The widest disparity was observed between assessors with and those without critical care experience (66% versus 39%), as well as assessors who were teaching the course and those who were not (68% versus 49%). Qualitative analysis revealed three dominant themes within participants' transcripts. The themes focused on determining student safety, and the use of personal perceptions and clinical experience to determine competency. Findings indicate that assessors' individual perceptions and clinical experience have the potential to influence and determine undergraduate nursing students OSCA results. Development of criteria standards and objective assessment may be enhanced by greater involvement of assessors and thorough education and training within the context of student assessments.

‘What’s the sign for “Catch 22”?’: barriers to professional formation for deaf teachers of British Sign Language in the Further Education sector

In 2007, Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills standards (QTLS) were introduced for all teachers working in UK further education institutions, with the expressed aim of improving professional standards within the sector. British Sign Language (BSL) teaching is largely delivered by deaf native signers through evening classes at local FE colleges, but the majority hold no formal teaching qualifications. Therefore this initiative provided BSL teachers with an opportunity to enhance their skills and practice, but also presented a formidable barrier to achieving Qualified Teacher status. Two research projects undertaken by the University of Central Lancashire in 2009 and 2010 assessed the suitability of training courses designed to help FE teachers achieve these new qualifications, with particular emphasis on whether these courses meet the specific pedagogic needs of deaf learners. The shortcomings in training provision that were found illustrate the invidious position deaf learners find themselves in, on the one hand wanting to enhance their skills and qualifications whilst at the same time being effectively barred from doing so by a lack of adequate and appropriate training opportunities. This article highlights some of the experiences of deaf BSL teachers seeking to gain these awards and illustrates the ways in which the delivery of training courses fails on virtually every level to respond to the different learning requirements of sign language users.

Anesthesiology residents' perspective about good teaching--a qualitative needs assessment.

Background: Germany, like many other countries, will soon have a shortage of qualified doctors. One reason for the dissatisfaction amongst medical residents are the relatively unstructured residency training programs despite increasing importance of outcome-based education. The aim of our study was to identify characteristics and requirements for good teaching during anesthesiology residency training from the resident’s point of view. Methods: A consensus workshop with residents from all medical universities in Germany was held. Participants were allocated to one of the three topics, chosen based on a 2009 nationwide evaluation of residency. The three topics were (A) characteristics of helpful/good teachers, (B) characteristics of helpful/good conditions and (C) characteristics of helpful/good curricular structure. Each group followed a nominal group technique consensus process to define and rank characteristics for a good residency.Results: 31 (79.5%) resident representatives were present. The consented results put emphasis on the importance of structured curricula including transparent goals and objectives, in training formative assessments and quality assurance measures for the program. Residents further long for trained trainers with formal teaching qualifications and protected teaching time.Conclusions: Good residency training requires careful consideration of all stakeholders’ needs. Results reflect and extend previous findings and are at least to some degree easily implemented. These findings are an important step to establish a broader consensus within the discipline.

Deaf People as British Sign Language Teachers: Experiences and Aspirations

Little research has been undertaken into the profession of British Sign Language (BSL) teaching, despite a huge increase in the number of BSL classes offered over the past twenty years. Following the introduction of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills standards in 2007, BSL teachers working in ‘further education’ (FE) colleges were required to hold formal teaching qualifications for the first time. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the impact of these changes on the teaching of BSL in the five years since their introduction. This new framework offered the opportunity to greatly enhance BSL teaching through the development of professional skills among BSL teachers but the stark reality is that this has not occurred. This article draws on two research projects that investigated the teaching qualifications held by BSL teachers, their career and professional development aspirations and their views on the training opportunities currently available to deaf sign language users. The research highlighted that there is a need to improve access to relevant information, establish and strengthen peer support networks as well as to establish a designated career path for BSL teachers. Although there are a number of training programmes by which teachers can achieve these new minimum core requirements, very few are specifically tailored to the pedagogic needs of deaf people wishing to gain these qualifications. The potential impact of recent government proposals for teacher qualifications in the FE sector will also be addressed, together with the likely consequences for those wishing to train as BSL teachers.

Vocational teachers’ identity formation through boundary crossing

Vocational teachers’ prior occupational experiences are construed as those that will guarantee high-quality teaching in vocational education, although individuals are no longer required to have formal teaching qualifications to be employed as teachers in Sweden. This lack of strict requirements raises the issue of the preparedness of vocational teachers to teach their subject matter. Drawing on a socio-cultural understanding of identity, and based on twenty semi-structured interviews with vocational teachers in different subject areas, this article addresses vocational teachers’ identity formation through boundary crossing; these individuals cross boundaries between the community of the prior occupation’s practice, the teaching occupation and the community of teacher training. The analysis illustrates how teachers who manage to balance their teacher identities with their occupational identities by maintaining their participation in the different communities seem to be the best prepared to teach their vocational subjects. As many of those we interviewed do not manage to keep such a balance, we argue for the need for in-service training for vocational teachers to help them keep up to date with, participate in and continue to belong to the communities of their former occupations.

The Patchwork Text: enabling discursive writing and reflective practice on a foundation module in work‐based learning

The Patchwork Text has emerged as one of the most influential assessment innovations in Higher Education in recent years. As an assessment strategy with the potential to engage a wide range of learners, the patchwork has enjoyed a rising profile in the range of teaching, learning and assessment methods developed in the context of the widening participation agenda. The present article reports on the use of the patchwork on a foundation degree programme in work‐based education, delivered for professionals with a role in instruction or training but with no formal teaching qualification. The study explores the student experience of working with the Patchwork Text by drawing upon exit interviews, questionnaire responses and sample ‘patches’ from a group of 19 students training for a teaching qualification. Key themes in the student experience of patchwork are identified and recommendations are offered regarding the use of this assessment form with diverse cohorts of students in the expanding Higher Education sector.

National survey of College Tutors in the UK regarding training in medical education

College Tutors are responsible for the organization of training and should possess the pre-requisite knowledge and skills to facilitate this. An anonymized survey of anaesthetic College Tutors in the UK was conducted with regard to training in medical education. A response rate of 65.54% was achieved. Around 16% had a formal postgraduate teaching qualification and another 27% were interested in attaining one. However, 84% were of the opinion that formal teaching qualifications were not essential for College Tutors. The more recently appointed College Tutors (<2 yr experience) had more formal qualifications and thought these were important. Appraisal and assessment courses were considered the most valuable for professional development of the role of the College Tutor, and were identified as challenging. This survey highlights that training in medical education for College Tutors is inadequate. It is the responsibility of the Colleges and the Postgraduate Deans to ensure College Tutors are supported appropriately to develop the knowledge and skills required for the role.

Contesting tertiary teaching qualifications: an Australian perspective

This paper utilizes the findings of a small research project into academics’ perceptions of the value of formal qualifications in university teaching and learning to reflect upon the current status of teaching and tertiary teaching qualifications in Australia. The findings are based upon a survey of and interviews with participants and non-participants in one Australian university's Graduate Certificate in University Teaching. The study reveals varied attitudes and perspectives in relation to teaching and to formal teaching qualifications, in particular. While the study provides evidence that a formal teaching qualification was considered beneficial by some respondents, the paper also reveals cynicism about the validity of such qualifications. The paper argues that the complex, more management and market-oriented context in which academics currently undertake their work has had a significant influence upon such perceptions.