Linking the Learning and Teaching
and Human Resource Strategies via
the Development of a Professional
Doctorate
Northumbria University
Dec 2008
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Context: the Institution

The strategy:
Learning and Teaching Strategy 1999 - 2008

The university:
Post 1992 university – teaching intensive
vocational – work based learning

The staff:
Significant number of ‘researching professionals’
as well as ‘professional researchers’
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Context: national
 Growth
in importance of ‘the knowledge
economy’ (Tennant, 2004)
 Push for increased vocationalism and
employability
 Post Leitch- work based learning targets
 Professional Standards framework
 Increased emphasis on ‘performativity’
(Barnett, 2001; Lyotard, 1984)
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Context: The Professional Doctorate
 One
of fastest growing qualifications
(Bourner et al, 2001; Maxwell, 2003;
Neumann,2005; Park, 2005)
 Demand
for applied practitioner higher
degree, based on field of practice rather
than perceived gap in the literature
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Differences: Ph.D. c.f. Prof Doc

PhD
 Pre-service
 Theoretical research
 Single discipline
 Abstract knowledge
 ‘knowledge of’
 Development of research
career
 Literature / lab based
research

Prof Doc
 In-service
 Applied research
 Interdisciplinary
 Knowledge in context
 ‘knowledge for’
 Development of teaching/
management career
 Work based action
research
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Difference in practice or perception?
 Binary
divide or continuum?
 Discrete
disciplines or overlapping
communities of practice?
 Teacher
manager or researcher?
 Complexity
of professional roles
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Changing Professional Development
 Structured
and institutionally driven
professional development, supported by
an overall human resource strategy
 EdD at Wolverhampton = institutionally
driven development building on internal
CPD in learning and teaching
 i.e. curriculum development significantly
structured by social context rather than by
knowledge field
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Changing professional development
(contd)
 Mandatory
 HEFCE
-
PG Cert
funding:
TQEF
Professional Standards
Rewarding & Developing Staff
 Staff
development = institutional priority
rather than individual academic initiative
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Learning & Teaching Strategy
 ‘2.2
To develop supported career paths for
academic staff for whom teaching is the
main university activity’
 Annual round of L&T projects
 3 phases/ years:
Lit review + small pilot
Innovation / action research
Embedding
 Presentation & publication at each stage
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Learning and Teaching Strategy
(contd)
 ‘2.6
To build staff capacity and increase
quality outputs in research into HE, both
generic and discipline-based, through a
range of schemes and programmes’
 Learning and Teaching Research Network
(LTRN) – supported & funded by HR
 HR + L&T = new way of supporting new
academics – the researching professionals
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Curriculum model
practitioner – PG Cert
 Work based learning practitioner client
group
 Learning journals, learning sets, eportfolios, CPD
 Reflective practitioner → ‘critical being’
(Barnett, 1997) = reflect critically on
knowledge, developing critical selfreflection and critical action
 Reflective
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Curriculum development

Traditional curriculum
 Knowing that
 Disciplinary skills
 Problem making
 Knowledge based
 Pure
 Proposition based

Emerging curriculum
 Knowing how
 Transferable skills
 Problem solving
 Task based
 Applied
 Experiential
In practice, not so distinct. However, curriculum centrality given to interaction
of knowledge with the experiential context
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Curriculum development

‘Advanced Education Research’ module
Aim = ‘develop a range of research skills including
negotiating, networking, abstract writing, bid writing and
presentation skills.’

‘Evaluation and Embedding’ module
LO = ‘critically evaluate, make recommendations,
backed with appropriate and judicious use of evidence,
for institutional change or further developments /
research’

Prof Doc assessment continually related to institutional
practice
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Barnett’s curriculum model
Traditional PhD
Knowledge is
dominant
Action
profession
Knowledge
academia
Self
‘student’
Prof Doc
All 3 domains
overlap and have
equal priority
Prof Doc
On going CD portfolio
‘all your reflection on different
aspects of your doctoral work is
brought together in one place’
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Learning & Teaching Professional Development Programme
P.G. Cert
(International)
‘Assoc.
Cert’ in
Learning
&
Teaching
in
P.G. Cert
in
Learning
&
Teaching
in
Higher
Education
Higher
Education
Associate of
Higher Education Academy
Professional Standards
Descriptor 1
P.G. Dip/
M.A. in
Learning &
Teaching
--------L& T
projects
Phase 1&2
-------Publications
Fellow of
Higher Education Academy
Helen Gale
Professional Standards
Descriptor
2
University
of Wolverhampton
Prof. Doc
in
Learning
&
Teaching
--------L& T
projects
Phase 3
-------Prof Prac
Portfolio
Senior Fellow of
Higher Education Academy
Professional Standards
Descriptor 3
Issues
– what is ‘research’ at Level 5 in
a Professional Doctorate?
 Moving staff from ‘L&T projects’ to writing
at Level 5
 Departmental / School politics
 Building a multidisciplinary supervisory
team e.g. retention in Applied Sciences
 Validation
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton
Reference
 Gale,
H. 2008. "Not another strategy?
Linking the Learning and Teaching and
Human Resource Strategies via the
development of a Professional Doctorate.“
Educational Developments 9:7-11.
Helen Gale
University of Wolverhampton