Professional Standards Framework Research Articles

Us and IT: Capacity-building for blended learning

When Victoria University (VU) Australia, adopted a new learning management system (LMS) as part of its Blended Learning Strategy and Operational Plan in 2014, it introduced a range of support structures including a staff support and training program. Complementing this, the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (the course providing professional development for early career academic staff) offered an elective AET4010 Blended Learning Design and Development fusing the pedagogical and theoretical aspects of blended learning to foster teaching as a design science. In this study we investigate the effectiveness of AET4010 in developing participants’ capacity to design and, develop blended learning. In this paper we report on the data from the first stage of this investigation. Data is derived from assessment rubrics. Complementary qualitative data will be collected in the second stage via interviews conducted after the participants complete the unit. We analyse our findings against the JISC Building Digital Capability Framework mapped to the UK Professional Standards Framework. This Framework identifies early career academics’ capabilities (Associate Fellows). The emerging findings indicated the value of capacity building through a structured unit of study enabling participants to experience learning from their own learner’s standpoint while reflecting on pedagogical perspectives and ‘teaching as design’.

Using icebreaker questions to improve Chinese students' engagement in transnational education – An action research

AbstractEnhancing student engagement yields a multitude of benefits for students. It not only improves their satisfaction but also increases their motivation, enriches their learning experience, reduces their sense of isolation and ultimately enhances their academic performance. However, Chinese students in transnational education are known for being silent in the classroom. With overwhelming and consistent research findings in the pedagogical literature that participation in class discussion and asking questions are crucial activities that cultivate independent learning skills and develop the ability to apply knowledge, how to get Chinese students to speak up in class has clearly become an issue of concern to educators. Informed by the UK professional standards framework (UKPSF) and underpinned by Brookfield's four lenses model, this action research examined and confirmed the positive effect of using both personal‐related and course content‐related icebreaker questions at the beginning of the class to increase Chinese students' engagement. It also identified different effects these two types of questions might have on students' engagement and the potential concerns associated.

Online physics laboratory course: United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework perspective from Walailak University, Thailand

This paper describes a case study of an online physics laboratory course implemented for 254 engineering students at Walailak University in Thailand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The laboratory sequence was designed based on the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework and covered eight experiments on fundamental concepts of motion, electricity, waves, and fluid mechanics. The experiments were conducted at students' homes using physics education technology simulations, Tracker for video analysis, smartphones, and home-based apparatuses. During the experiments, students shared their progress with classmates and lecturers through screen sharing, which facilitated exchanges of ideas and difficulties. The paper discusses the successful implementation of the online laboratory course and the challenges encountered, such as student engagement, resource limitations, and practical skill development. The insights gained from this case study may be useful for online laboratory education beyond the pandemic.

Leading Academic Development in Dynamic Higher Education International Settings

Within the super complex higher education environment academic development inhabits a dynamic domain that varies from institution to institution. Leading academic development requires the ability to effectively lead change, people, programmes, and yourself. This paper provides a critically reflective narrative of my experiences leading academic development across a lifespan in Australia and the UK. The narrative of my leadership development is shaped by my reflection on the University of Liverpool’s Leadership Commitment Framework and the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education and integrated throughout three case studies. The first case study, set in a large Faculty in an Australian university, explores inspirational, distributed, and entrepreneurial leadership; academic development initiatives are relatively informal in this case. The second case study, set in a large Australian university at the institutional level explores strategic leadership of processes and people; academic development initiatives are more formalised through university governance processes in this case. The third case, set in a Russell Group university in the UK, explores transformational leadership relevant to leading academic development teams and programmes in a highly regulated environment. Across the three cases issues of identity, influence, and power in relation to leading academic development in dynamic environments are explored and insights highlighted to provide advice and guidance to aspiring leaders of academic development and leaders of learning and teaching in higher education.

“On the edge of glory and hanging on a moment of truth”: PgCAP in a rapidly changing and uncertain world

The last three years have seen rapid changes to learning, teaching and assessment in Higher Education. This paper shares our experiences of leading, teaching and reaccrediting a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PgCAP) during this time. The PgCAP, much like the staff enrolled on the course, has had to adapt, innovate, and experiment to meet the various challenges. This has included an unplanned move online, to a planned online approach, through to our current blended by design delivery method. Throughout we have sought to model best practice with the risks and rewards this brings. Our revised PgCAP was approved internally in 2022 and subsequently successfully reaccredited with Advance HE on the Professional Standards Framework (PSF). Some of this process was exciting: we felt at the forefront of changes to learning and teaching, to be charting new developments in technology and interaction which our learners could then use in their own teaching. But part of this process was also daunting, feeling we were one moment away from crashing and failing. We tried to learn from those failures and become comfortable working on the edge, with an ever-changing set of priorities and expectations (from ourselves, our learners, and our institution). Our case study: (1) reflects on the challenges, pressures and opportunities associated with PgCAP programmes to model best practice (even in times of crisis), (2) shares how our blended by design approach came about, how it works, and the feedback we have received from participants, (3) demonstrates how we refreshed our content, intended learning outcomes and assessments to map to the PSF 2023.

An Evidence-Based Approach to Developing Faculty-Wide Training for Graduate Teaching Assistants

In 2000, Sharpe proposed a framework for graduate teaching assistant (GTA) training based on three key principles: departmental training, faculty training, and accreditation. Sharpe’s paper culminated in a call for Higher Education (HE) institutes to adopt this framework. Whilst the principles of Sharpe’s work remain relevant, the shape and structure of HE and accrediting bodies has changed due to the increasingly competitive market environment. Herein we provide an updated framework for GTA training based around implementation at a large English Russell Group University. We identify seven key elements for effective GTA training based on literature. We then demonstrate how this framework and the key elements can be implemented in practice, using GTA role descriptors and input from staff in Departments and Faculty. We demonstrate how the framework is applicable on a broad subject basis and how training is now supporting the 950 GTAs annually who work across the nine Schools within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, at the University of Manchester. The developed modular training sessions are mapped out and are benchmarked against both the Vitae Researcher Development Framework and the UK Professional Standards Framework allowing postgraduate students to apply for HEA accreditation through Advance HE (after suitable practice). Finally, the report discusses the benefits of implementation as well as lessons for future action, providing a set of key principles for others who want to develop their existing GTA training provision or set up a new training programme.

The role of policy reform in developing teacher educator professional competencies and identities in Vietnam: implications, tensions and possibilities

ABSTRACT In this paper, we consider a policy which was part of a larger reform movement in Vietnam, ostensibly designed to define the professional competencies of teacher-educators (TEs), via a draft circular for professional standards. An initial intention to explore the impact of the circular with Vietnamese TEs was reconsidered after the policy was withdrawn. Instead, we became interested in perceptions of TE identity in Vietnam to locate where, within current global and local policy and practice landscapes, a professional standards framework would land. We locate this paper within a global context of policy reform in TE and situated and specific ecologies of contemporary education in Vietnam. As a group of English and Vietnamese academics with a common background in TE, we explore the current views of Vietnamese TEs regarding professional identity and their awareness of reforms in Vietnam around TE professional standards. To this end, we consider the implications, tensions and possibilities engendered by reform around professional competencies through interviews with TEs. We conclude by asking what TE reform in Vietnam is responding to and the implications for the sector in terms of professional identities, professional learning and practices and the status of TE as a profession.

Blended professionals: the problem of legitimacy for UK librarians as teachers in Higher Education

The varied role of librarians in Higher Education increasingly includes a substantial amount of teaching, supported by expertise in learning design, pedagogy and technology enhanced delivery of learning. This role is demonstrably misunderstood or underestimated outside the profession, leading to difficulty for librarians achieving recognition for their expertise. This research analyses the job descriptions for 41 Higher Education librarian roles, advertised between Autumn 2016 and Summer 2017, cross-referencing them with the Higher Education Academy’s UK Professional Standards Framework, demonstrating the extent of librarian experience in learning and teaching. The job descriptions demonstrate that teaching forms a significant part of many librarian roles in HE and that Fellowship of the HEA is an attainable aim. It also indicates areas for development for librarians, in particular around assessing and providing feedback to learners. Potential further research is suggested to extend this project.

Exploring Early-Career EFL Teachers’ Engagement in Professional Learning: Teaching Beliefs and Professional Values

While a number of studies focused on identity construction, teacher attrition, and lived experiences among early-career teachers, studies on early-career English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ professional practices for teacher learning remain underexplored. Using the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework dimensions of professional practice as a framework and a narrative inquiry as a method, this study explores how early-career EFL teachers engaged in teacher learning through a reflective practice of their teaching beliefs, classroom practices, and professional values. Findings from the open-ended written interview questions and semi-structured individual interviews suggest that early-career EFL teachers’ experience and academic orientation influence their preconceived beliefs and professional values towards teaching. However, such beliefs and attitudes are negotiated and changed when teachers engage in teacher learning through a professional development program that provides them the space to reflect on who and what they are as teachers. This study has implications for early-career EFL teachers’ professional practices and language education curriculum programs.

Lecturing from home: Exploring academics' experiences of remote teaching during a pandemic

This study aims to explore home-working academics' experiences of remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruptions caused by the pandemic have posed several challenges to academics. These challenges included familiarising themselves with the use of digital technologies and their related pedagogies within a short period of time, so that classes can be moved online. In this study, we use the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF, 2011) as a lens through which to bring to light ten academics’ experiences of adapting their teaching and learning strategies to address the challenges they faced during the pandemic. We reveal how they made surface-level adaptations in lesson plans and teaching delivery, intensified institutional focus on assessments, increased efforts to support ‘connected, but disengaged’ students, and emerged as ‘learning’ practitioners. This research will inform pedagogical approaches to technology-enhanced learning and teaching, as well as staff development for blended and online learning in higher education.

Professional Standards Training and Understanding Pre-School Teachers’ Knowledge about Professional Standards

Theimprovement of the teacher’s quality, including teachers in general and preschool teachers in particular, hasgained interested in many countries around the world. Currently, most countries in the world have issued a framework of competency or professional standards for teachers as a basis for preschool teachers to self-assess and be assessed for their qualities and competenciet. On that basis, preschool teachers can implement the plan of quality training, strengthen and improve professional expertise. This article, the author conducts research to evaluate the implementation of the professional standards manual of schools and the teacher's understanding of professional standards. This is considered an important factor that will contribute to improving the effectiveness of teacher ratings according to professional standards. In this study, the author uses mainly quantitative research methods (survey, descriptive statistics and inference statistics) to clarify the problems that the research has posed. Research results show that there is a relationship between standard manual training and preschool teachers' understanding of professional standards. Standards instructors have a good understanding of professional standards. Especially the training is organized by the school and the education and training department, so the training classes are small, with a small number of participants and therefore higher quality.

Compounding the impact of teaching development programs in China and Hong Kong SAR: using the Professional Standards Framework to deepen learning and improve teaching self-efficacy

ABSTRACT Globalisation and massification are creating significant expansion in the higher education sector in Asia and forcing institutions to professionalise their teaching. Merely implementing academic development, however, does not ensure improvement in teaching quality. We report an action research project, which demonstrated that the combination of teaching development through Teaching Advantage Global, alongside professional recognition through fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, significantly improved the teaching self-efficacy of academics in China and Hong Kong SAR. The results of this research demonstrate that professional development and recognition can support and evidence sector-wide strategic change.

‘Frankly, as far as I can see, it has very little to do with teaching’. Exploring academics’ perceptions of the HEA Fellowships

ABSTRACT The United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) is a national framework that aims to enhance and raise the status of teaching and supporting learning in Higher Education (HE). This paper provides an overview of the adoption and an indication of the impact of Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowships through a document review and a qualitative study. The document review suggests that the adoption of HEA Fellowships has grown substantially, to half of the academics and related staff in the UK but shows no positive or negative relationship with the perceived quality of teaching in the National Student Survey (NSS) over the same period (2011-12 to 2017-18). The relationship between HEA Fellowships and the enhancement of teaching practice is the focus of the qualitative study. The analysis of in-depth interviews (n=11) conducted with senior academics who have obtained Senior Fellowship, at a post-1992 and a research-intensive university, reveals a complex relationship between the recognition schemes and the enhancement of practice. This needs to be understood against the managerial realities underpinning engagement, the limitations of the recognition schemes, and standards for the enhancement of teaching practices. The discussion explores the implications for academic developers, leaders, and policymakers involved in HEA Fellowships. The paper was accepted without further amendments.

Professional Standards and Strategic Projection of Learning Over Teaching in an Academic Organization

This article offers to discuss certain fundamental aspects of professional standards for teachers in higher education in India and South Asian countries, where frameworks for understanding and exercising the standards are in a very formative stage. It introduces the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) of the UK. It highlights its potential to guide teachers and institutions that need to understand their personal and institutional roles in facilitating learning rather than refining teaching in the present global scenario of student-centeredness. The three major components of the PSF, namely areas of activity, aspects of core knowledge, and professional values, are used as points of reference to elaborate on various aspects of academic management in a learner-centered institution’s strategic approach. It maintains that the PSF is a helpful framework to promote the utilization of a human approach to supporting learning in an academic context that is being overwhelmingly invaded by technological innovations to demand a large part of the conventional teacher’s job.

Teacher Fellow accreditation – a madrigal of voices! But is it the right tune? Tensions of standardisation, engagement and neoliberalism

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the impact competency frameworks as standardisation can have on the employee engagement of academic staff within higher education (HE) through their employment as managerial tools.Design/methodology/approachA literature review is conducted from which the conditions for effective competency frameworks are evaluated and the influence of changes in the HE environment in the form of political agendas and tight resources are explored.FindingsThis paper provides insights into the dynamics of public service modernisation and the tensions between the dominant discourse of managerialism and the degree of agency afforded to professional academics. It highlights the relevance of informal peer relationships in setting the climate to generate collegial bonding and professional engagement that underpin successful teacher fellowship accreditations. It further highlights the key role managers play in this process and provides a conceptual framework highlighting the dynamics and combined effect of employee engagement and competency frameworks set within complex HE environment.Practical implicationsThis paper brings together the prerequisites for effective implementation of competency frameworks to implement successful employee engagement strategies set within the complexities of the HE context, which has not been studied to date. Armed with such insights, Human Resource Development (HRD) departments and universities can implement competency assessments that generate greater staff engagement.Originality/valueThe paper provides a critical approach in reviewing the impact of Continued Professional Development and its link to professional status and thus helps British Universities and others to understand how the mechanisms at work affect engagement levels of academic staff. Armed with this depth of understanding of how the change initiative works, with whom and under what circumstances, universities will be better able to meet target UK Professional Standards Framework membership levels required by the higher education academy (HEA) and, subsequently, the HEA to meet their targets for the government.

Professional Standards and Recognition for UK Personal Tutoring and Advising

The Higher Education and Research Act established both a regulatory framework and the Teaching Excellence Framework with associated metrics for student retention, progression and employability in the UK. As a key site in meeting these requirements, the significance of personal tutoring is clear. Despite this, according to existing institutional research, there is a need for developmental support, greater clarification on the requisite competencies, and adequate recognition for those undertaking this challenging role. Moreover, arguably compounding these concerns is the lack of distinct professional standards for personal tutoring and advising against which to measure effective practice, only recently addressed by the publication of The UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and Tutoring. Through a review of the literature supported by findings from a survey of practitioners, this paper discusses the need for such standards, and the skills and competencies populating them. Additionally, the usefulness of pre-existing standards pertinent to tutoring work (such as the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in HE) are evaluated and the value and recognition with which personal tutoring standards could be associated are advanced. The survey supported the need for specific standards – represented by the UKAT framework - as evident from the literature. Justifications provided for both this and the opposing view are examined. Clarity for both individual practitioners and institutions was stipulated along with meaningful recognition and reward for this work which is considered highly important and yet ‘invisible’. The participants and literature reviewed identify relevant content along with illuminating the debate about the relationships between personal tutoring, teaching and professional advising roles. Valuable analysis of standards, recognition and reward also emerged. This is considered by discussing the connection between standards and changes to practice, responses to policy developments and the purpose of ‘standards’ in comparison to ‘guidance’. The paper proposes that the recent introduction and use of a bespoke framework is a necessary response to alleviate some of the current tensions which beset personal tutoring and advising in higher education.

Does research‐informed teaching transform academic practice? Revealing a RIT mindset through impact analysis

Integration of research into teaching is a major area of interest in the field of higher education. Considerable work has been done on how staff and students view this integration, how it can be achieved in practice and how it might best be researched by scholars. However, relatively little research has considered how research‐informed teaching (RIT) impacts teachers’ own practice, in multi‐disciplinary contexts. We interviewed a purposive sample of 20 research‐active teachers from a range of disciplines, at an English University. Using the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), we mapped our findings of a thematic analysis, concluding that RIT impacts academic practice in a range of distinct and complex ways. Because of RIT, lecture design, delivery, assessments and student support activities have become more inquiry‐focused; study spaces have turned into collaborative learning contexts and classroom communications have become more comprehensible. For lecturers, RIT has helped create a professional identity and a closer engagement with continuous professional development. Based on our analysis, we argue that what makes these impacts possible is a set of characteristics—termed here the ‘RIT mindset’—that drives academics to voluntarily engage in pragmatic research‐teaching integrations to liberate students into real learning. We offer evidence for RIT impact and make visible how and why RIT impacts academic practice. We provide a caution that RIT happens only by design, and to make that design a reality, developing the RIT mindset may be critical.

Formulating a structured description of the levels of qualifications recognized in the health system

Abstract Issue Constantly emerging new challenges for national health systems (HS) and new technologies require the creation of conditions for the continuous provision of the HS with the necessary number of health workers (HW) with the appropriate level of qualifications. In this regard, the high relevance acquires the formulation of a structured description of levels of qualifications in the HS, the requirements for the future and existing qualifications, taking into account the priorities of the HS development, as well as mapping of occupations by the qualification level. Description of the Problem The main problems in regulating the sectoral qualifications system (SQS) in Kazakhstan is the lack of a sectoral framework of qualifications (SQF) and professional standards governing the requirements for specialists in the HS, and the lack of a clear distinction of competencies by the qualification level. Accordingly, there is a discrepancy between educational programs and practical health care needs, and an imperfection of the HWs certification system. Changes: We have incorporated into the National Code 'On the health of the people and the HS' points that define the SQS basic principles and regulation. As SQS has been defined set of legal and institutional mechanisms to control demand of HWs from the labor market and the qualifications offer from the health education system. SQS includes SQF; professional standards; state compulsory health education standards; system for assessing the professional preparedness and certification of specialists; system of continuing professional development of HWs. For a structured description of the levels of qualifications recognized in the HS we developed SQF. In SQF all HWs were divided into sub-sectors: medicine, pharmacy, public health and intersubsectoral processes. Lessons The presence of an effective SQS will create the conditions for providing the HS with human resources that meet the needs of the state, business and society. Key messages We have analyzed the existing system for regulating the qualifications of health professionals and have proposed legislative mechanisms for regulating the SQS in the field of healthcare. This made it possible to ensure conditions for effective legal regulation of the HWs qualification demands from the labor market and the supply of qualifications from the health education system.

The alien world of reflective practice: A non-fictional ‘tale’ of academics’ experiences of applying for Senior Fellowship

ABSTRACT Since the release of the revised version of the UK Professional Standards Framework in 2011, researchers have examined the benefits and challenges of gaining teaching accreditation in the higher education (HE) sector. Here we employ creative non-fiction techniques to stimulate further discussion around the development opportunities associated with gaining Senior Fellowship. This lens permits greater freedom from political agendas that might otherwise remain hidden in our analysis, and therefore offers greater protection to the research participants. The ‘tale’ is constructed from data produced by qualitative interviews with 30 university staff members to illustrate the competing discourses of HE teaching accreditation and teaching quality. The conversation takes place following a presentation about the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and university league tables. The debate is driven by Mac’s cynicism to the accreditation process, and Josie’s desire to be recognised for her excellent contribution to raising teaching standards.

CMALT and cMOOC - a community of educators and their learning technologies

CMALT is a peer-reviewed accreditation based upon the UKPSF (UK Professional Standards Framework) to enable staff (whether academic or administrative) who embed learning technologies in either their teaching or support roles, to showcase their experiences and gain recognition. This programme has been developed by ALT and is co-delivered online, by ASCILITE.
 
 Building upon the experiences of supporting a geographically distributed project involving six institutions nationally across New Zealand during 2014-2015, we (AUT) have developed a support structure for building communities around CMALT accreditation using a cMOOC model. The cMOOC framework enables us to bridge and broker authentic participation within an international community of academics and learning technologists interested in exploring CMALT accreditation, and we have had participation from the UK, Japan, Canada, Australia, and NZ. The CMALT cMOOC was developed in 2017 by the Centre for Learning and Teaching, at Auckland University of Technology, and endorsed by ALT and ASCILITE in 2019.
 
 This presentation will highlight the ecology of resources that are used to support the community and hear from current participants of the programme