Becoming a Principal
Fellow of the HEA: the portfolio route
A Guidance Handbook for how to gather evidence for your portfolio
and prepare for your professional discussion
1
Dr. Marj Spiller
September 2015
Contents
Page(s)
Introduction
3
Staff Contact Details
3
Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow?
3-4
How you will be assessed
5
Portfolio evidence you will require
6-8
How to structure your portfolio of evidence
9
What to do when your portfolio is ready
9
How to prepare for your professional discussion
10-11
What happens following the verbal reflective discussion
12
Appendices
Evidence checklist
Appendix 1
Record of educational impact
Appendix 2
2
Template for advocate statement
Appendix 3
Template for action-plan
Appendix 4
Learning and Teaching theory: a snapshot of some factors influencing
student learning in Higher Education
Appendix 5
Introduction
The HE Academy launched the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) in 2011 in order to provide
a scheme of professional recognition for all staff involved with learning and teaching within the sector. Full
details of the framework can be found via the link below:
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/ukpsf_2011_english.pdf
This Framework aims to:




professionalise learning and teaching in HE
to provide individuals with opportunities to gain national recognition of their professionalism
to ensure that their practice is aligned to the UKPSF
to provide an indicator of professional identity
Staffordshire University has now been accredited by the HEA to run an internal CPD/portfolio scheme
(under the umbrella of the ‘Routes to Fellowship’).This CPD/portfolio route allows staff to gather evidence
about their teaching and then be assessed against the UKPSF.
The Routes to Fellowship CPD/portfolio route is essentially based on evidence collection and then followed
by a verbal reflective discussion about how this evidence meets the required criteria of the UKPSF.
Staff contact details
If you have any queries about the Routes to Fellowship scheme, please do not hesitate to contact Marj
Spiller (scheme manager) or Ellen Lockett (scheme administrator) by the following means:
Marj Spiller
 4403
 [email protected]
Ellen Lockett
 4127
 [email protected]
Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow?- understanding the difference
The decision about which level of Fellowship you should apply for depends on the extent of responsibility
you have for learning and teaching. Below is an explanation of the different levels to help you make this
decision.
Associate Fellow (D1)
This is for staff with some responsibility for teaching e.g. technicians, PhD
researcher or some part-time academics but it may not be their primary role.
Fellow (D2)
This is for staff who have full responsibility for teaching. They may be earlycareer academics, experienced academics with a broad portfolio of teaching,
experienced academics who are relatively new to UK Higher Education, or
staff with some teaching responsibilities e.g. in work-based settings. The
PgCHPE also qualifies you for this level of Fellowship.
Senior Fellow (D3)
This is for experienced staff who have responsibility for leading learning and
teaching within a defined subject area e.g. Award Leaders, AGLs and Heads
3
of School. As a result, they are able to demonstrate impact and influence on
others through their responsibilities for leading, managing or organising
programmes, subjects and/or discipline areas
To apply for this level, we recommend that you have at least 3 years in a role
which offers opportunities to influence and impact on the learning and
teaching of others.
Principal Fellow (D4)
This is for staff who work at a senior level and have a strategic responsibility
for learning and teaching, either across the Faculty or University. Typically
they will be responsible for the strategic leadership of learning and teaching
and policy-making. Their influence should extend beyond their subject and
thereby influence change in learning and teaching across other areas.
To apply for this level, we recommend that you have at least five years in a
position to influence learning and teaching at a University / national /
international level, beyond your own curriculum area.
The remainder of this handbook assumes that you have decided to apply for the Principal Fellowship
level.
Within the UK Professional Standards Framework, this is Descriptor 4 which requires that you:
Demonstrate a sustained record of strategic leadership in academic practice and academic
development as a key contribution to high quality student learning. You should be able to provide evidence
of:
D4.1 Active commitment to and championing of all Dimensions of the Framework, through work with
students and staff, and in institutional developments
D 4.2 Successful strategic leadership to enhance student learning, with a particular, but not
necessarily exclusive, focus on enhancing teaching quality in institutional and/or (inter)national
settings.
D4.3 Establishing effective organisational policies and/or strategies for supporting and promoting
others (e.g. through mentoring or coaching) in delivering high quality teaching and support for
learning.
D4.4 Championing, within institutional and/or wider settings, an integrated approach to academic
practice (incorporating, for example, teaching, learning, research, scholarship, administration etc).
D4.5 A sustained and successful commitment to, and engagement in, continuing professional
development related to academic, institutional and/or other professional practices.
4
How you will be assessed
There are 2 stages in the assessment process when applying for a Principal Fellowship using this portfolio
route:
1. A portfolio of evidence and reflections on your own strategic leadership of teaching
(Suggested content for your portfolio is outlined on pages 6-8 of this handbook.)
2. A professional discussion
(Preparation for your professional discussion is given on page 9 of this handbook)
The assessment of both a) your portfolio of evidence and b) your professional discussion will be
underpinned by your coverage of the following UKPSF Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge and Professional
Values:
Areas of Activity
A1
Design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study
A2
Teach and/or support learning
A3
Assess and give feedback to learners
A4
Develop effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance
A5
Engage in continuing professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy,
incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices
Core Knowledge
K1
The subject material
K2
Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the
academic programme
K3
How students learn, both generally and within their subject/ disciplinary area(s)
K4
The use and value of appropriate learning technologies
K5
Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
K6
The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and
professional practice with a particular focus on teaching
Professional Values
V1
Respect individual learners and diverse learning communities
V2
Promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners
V3
Use evidence-informed approaches and the outcomes from research, scholarship and
continuing professional development
V4
Acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates
recognising the implications for professional practice
All portfolios and professional discussions will be assessed by ‘Routes to Fellowship’ Assessors from
Faculties. These are typically staff who have already been through the assessment process for a Principal
Fellowship. Once you have been assessed, the judgement is taken to the next ‘Routes to Fellowship’
approvals panel (normally held twice a year).
5
Portfolio evidence you will require
You need to provide a portfolio of evidence and some reflections which make sense of your evidence,
showing your impact beyond your own subject area. Some of your pieces of evidence may be used for
more than one of the D4.1-D4.5 criteria. Your evidence and reflections should demonstrate that you have
met the following criteria:
Criteria
Explanation
D4.1 Championed
the Framework
In this section you need to show
how you have demonstrated an
active commitment to and
championing of all Dimensions
of the Framework, through your
work with students and staff,
and in institutional
developments. This acts as an
overarching descriptor in that it
should be demonstrated through
the examples and reflections.
So, you need to show how you
have used the Areas of Activity,
Core Knowledge and
Professional Values outlined on
page 4 to shape and develop
policy, strategy and schemes
within your Faculty/University
and/or beyond organisation.
D4.2
Demonstrated
successful,
strategic
leadership to
enhance student
learning, with a
particular, focus
on enhancing
teaching quality
in institutional
and/or
inter)national
settings.
Possible types of
evidence
5
At least
examples of
your strategic
leadership of a number
of projects initiatives,
leading to:
LTAC/Quality Forum or
Quality Committee
papers you have
submitted
Proposals
Working documents
Your written
reflections
What you believe in.
Why you think this is
important.
How you seek to
integrate contemporary
research and external
good practice in your
approach.
How you believe in
quality enhancement in
order to improve the
student learning
experience.
Summary reports
Your reflections
should make reference
to some aspect of
learning and teaching
theory (see appendix 5
of this handbook for
examples)
Your main focus should be on
how your strategic leadership
has enhanced teaching quality
in institutional, and/or
(inter)national settings.
Choose relevant examples from
your portfolio and draw on the
Dimensions of the Framework to
think about and explain how you
provided this leadership. Ensure
that where you were working
with others to provide leadership
you make clear what was your
specific contribution in that
context.
5
At least
examples of
your strategic
leadership of:
Proposals submitted to
different committees for
new initiatives
Documents showing that
you have had a leading
role in key institutional
agendas e.g. changes to
assessment and
feedback regimes, peer
observation, research6
Why you think quality
enhancement is
important.
How your strategic
leadership of teaching is
impacting on colleagues
and students.
How you have had a
sustained influence on
learning and teaching at
a strategic level.
informed teaching or
quality enhancement.
Any documents to
demonstrate your
involvement in
regional/national or
international working
groups on learning and
teaching
D4.3 Established
effective
organisational
policies and/or
strategies for
supporting and
promoting others
in delivering high
quality teaching
and support for
learning.
Choose relevant examples from
your portfolio and draw on the
Dimensions of the Framework to
think about and explain how you
contributed strategically to
establishing these policies and
strategies. Ensure that where
you were working with others
you make clear what your
specific role was in that context.
5
At least
examples of
your strategic
leadership of:
Strategies and/or policies
for learning and teaching
e.g. assessment and
feedback, work-based
learning, sustainable
education or partnership
working
and/or
Examples of where you
have taken an
institutional policy and
written (and then
actioned) a
Faculty/partner college
implementation plan
D4.4
Championed,
within
institutional
and/or wider
settings, an
integrated
approach to
academic
practice.
This may be within institutional
or wider settings. Teaching in
higher education takes place in
a complex environment where
you may have a multiplicity of
roles in which you need to
integrate teaching,
management, leadership,
mentoring, research,
administration and various forms
of service to the HE community.
This is the basis of the
integrated approach to
academic practice that is
expected of Principal Fellows.
5
At least
different
examples of how you:
Lead teaching
Mentor or coach others
Make your practice
research-informed
Administer schemes to
improve learning and
teaching
Evaluate the
effectiveness of your
initiatives so as to
improve student learning
7
Your reflections
should make reference
to some aspect of
learning and teaching
theory (see appendix 5
of this handbook for
examples)
Why you believe this
policy/strategy is
important to the
enhancement of the
student experience.
What has been the
impact of your
leadership of this
policy/strategy?
Your reflections
should make reference
to some aspect of
learning and teaching
theory (see appendix 5
of this handbook for
examples)
Why you promote an
integrated approach to
academic practice.
How you try to model
this integrated approach
to others.
Your reflections should
draw on the HEA Areas
of Activity, Core
Knowledge and
Professional Values
(page 4 of this
handbook)
Your reflections
should make reference
to some aspect of
learning and teaching
theory (see appendix 5
of this handbook for
examples)
D4.5 Evidenced a
sustained and
successful
commitment to,
and engagement
in, continuing
professional
development
related to
academic,
institutional
and/or other
professional
practices.
The emphasis on ‘a sustained
and effective record of impact’
means that it will not be
acceptable for a Principal
Fellowship to be evidenced
solely on the basis of completing
a programme or course.
However, completion of a
relevant programme or course
(in leadership for example), can
constitute part of your evidence
5
At least
different
examples of how you
have engaged in CPD:
This can be both formal
and informal e.g.
attending
conferences/workshops,
accessing contemporary
research on learning and
teaching
3
At least
different
examples of
how you have taken a
significant role in
developing other staff in
relation to learning,
teaching and assessment
e.g. workshops/briefings,
mentoring/coaching,
leading an away-day or
team-development day
Reflect on why you
believe that engaging in
and leading
professional
development activities
for others impacts on
the enhancement of the
student experience.
Your reflections
should make reference
to some aspect of
learning and teaching
theory (see appendix 5
of this handbook for
examples)
Throughout your portfolio, your evidence should demonstrate that you have made a sustained
contribution to the strategic leadership of learning and teaching over at least 5 years. This must be
outside of your own subject discipline i.e. is either across your faculty or the whole university or beyond.
In essence, your evidence must have an identifiable impact on learning and teaching across a Faculty, a
University and/or beyond and must be
 Sustainable – over what timeframe are you presenting your claim for a Principal Fellowship?
Sometimes, for example, a project has only just begun and, whilst laudable at this moment, there is
no way of interpreting the likely impact.
 Substantive – especially at Principal level the expectation would be for the claim to be made either
across a Faculty or at University-level or beyond (regional, national or international). Here Impact
might be by report, implementation of a strategy, or dissemination at a conference or through
publication.

Strategic – what impact has there been on teaching quality enhancement
It is also important that on projects and initiatives where you have been working with others, you make clear
what your specific contribution was in that context.
8
How to structure your portfolio of evidence
Your portfolio should contain the following:
1) An evidence checklist (appendix 1 in this handbook) signed by you to make sure you have included
all the information required.
2) A section headed Record of Educational Impact ‘(appendix 2)
3) A section headed ‘Context of own role’. i.e. write a statement (a couple of paragraphs) about
 Your cross-Faculty/institutional role and what it involves (showing your strategic
leadership of learning and teaching)
 How long you have been in this role
 Which committees/working groups/forums you are able to influence
 Your current in-role priorities
 Any additional responsibilities you have for learning and teaching e.g. award leader,
module leader, placement supervisor, level 6 dissertation
4) A section headed Evidence for criteria D4.1 - D4.5’
5) A section headed ‘Written reflective account for criteria D4.1 - D4.5’’ (maximum 7,5000 words)
6) A section headed Reference/Supporting statements from 3 advocates- these must be included as
part of your portfolio. Please pass on the template for Advocate statement in appendix 3 to
your selected Advocates. At least one of your referees/advocates should:




Be a Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow of the HEA
Comment on the ways in which you have directly influenced their own practice
Be external to your institution (if you are employed as opposed to self-employed)
Be from a UK HEI
7) A section headed ‘Action plan’. Please use the action-plan template in appendix 4
What to do when your portfolio is ready
Deadlines for the submission of portfolios will be announced through the year. There are normally 2
submission opportunities per year.
When your portfolio is ready, please contact Ellen Lockett ([email protected]) ext 4127 to make
arrangements for submission.
Once you have submitted your portfolio, Ellen Lockett will confirm a date for your professional discussion.
9
How to prepare for your professional discussion
What is a verbal reflective discussion?
 It is a structured question and answer session with two assessors.
 It is your opportunity to bring your portfolio to life and so all of the questions will require you to give
examples from your evidence
 It normally lasts 45-50 minutes
 The assessors will complete a written template aligned to the questions asked
 It will also be audio-recorded so that it can be sampled by the external advisor and/or the Routes to
Fellowship Panel.
 You will be expected to make reference to some aspect(s) of learning and teaching theory. To
familiarise yourself with or/refresh your knowledge of learning and teaching theory, appendix 5 gives
you some examples of what might be appropriate to discuss. During your verbal reflective
discussion, you will only be expected to make reference to 1 or 2 of these theories or
models.
 The questions asked will encourage you to explain and justify the evidence in your portfolio and are
likely to be similar to the one in the table below
 In anticipation of these type of questions being asked in your verbal reflective discussion, it is
strongly advised that you prepare some answers for these. Please feel free to bring these notes into
your verbal reflective discussion with you.
10
UKPSF descriptor 3
criteria
Possible questions
D4.1 Shown your active
commitment to and
championing of all
Dimensions of the
Framework, through
your work with students
and staff, and in
institutional
developments
Justify why you have applied for a Principal Fellowship rather than a
Fellowship
How does the evidence within the portfolio illustrate your capacity to
champion excellent practice?
From the evidence within your portfolio, in what ways are best practice and
the scholarship of learning and teaching integrated into your role?
D4.2 Demonstrated
successful, strategic
leadership to enhance
student learning, with a
particular, focus on
enhancing teaching
quality in institutional
and/or inter)national
settings.
D4.3 Established
effective organisational
policies and/or
strategies for
supporting and
promoting others in
delivering high quality
teaching and support
for learning.
D 4.4 Championed,
within institutional
and/or wider settings,
an integrated approach
to academic practice.
Based on the evidence within your portfolio, how has your strategic
leadership enhanced teaching quality within the University or and/or
beyond?
What has been your biggest impact on teaching quality enhancement?
Which of the evidence within your portfolio best illustrates how you have
established effective organisational policies and/or strategies for
supporting and promoting others?
What educational models or theories underpin your philosophy about
teaching, and which piece of evidence best demonstrates this? To what
extent does this have an impact on others?
How do you promote the scholarship of learning and teaching in others
across the University?
D4.5 Evidenced a
sustained and
successful commitment
to, and engagement in,
continuing professional
development related to
academic, institutional
and/or other
professional practices.
From the CPD you have presented within your portfolio, which
event/activity do you feel had the greatest impact on others?
Based on your action-plan, how do you intend to further develop your
strategic leadership of teaching?
11
The questions will encourage you to justify the evidence in your portfolio and are likely to be similar to the
following:
What happens following the verbal reflective discussion
Once your verbal reflective discussion is finished, the following stages in the process are required:
1) An agreed final decision will be made by the assessors on the basis of all the evidence presented
and discussed. As part of this, assessors will read through the references to check that they are
supportive of your claim for a Principal Fellowship.
2) In making an assessment decision, assessors are required to give each of the D4 criteria a grade of
1-4 as follows
1)Good response richly illuminated through examples/evidence
2)Appropriate response to meet the criteria
3)Insufficient evidence illuminated through the discussion to meet the criteria
4)No evidence presented to meet the criteria
Grades 1-2 indicate that you have met the criteria, whereas grades 3-4 indicate that you have not met
the criteria
3) The summative assessment decision is either
‘This candidate meets the criteria for PFHEA’
or
‘This candidate needs to engage in further reflection and development in order to meet the
criteria for PFHEA’
As part of the assessment process, assessors are required to provide a short summative comment
followed by feed-forward advice for each candidate
4) A selection of the audio-recordings will be sent to the External Advisor.
5)
A panel of assessors meets to confirm the agreed assessment outcomes (this is usually within a
few weeks of the verbal reflective discussions).
6) Marj Spiller then confirms with each candidate by email the assessment outcome. If, for any reason
you have not met the criteria, feedback will be given to you and further support and guidance will be
offered.
7) Ellen Lockett then processes the assessment outcomes by entering the data onto the HEA esystem.
8) An automated email from the HEA will be sent to each candidate. AS PART OF THIS, THERE IS
AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE HEA FOR EACH CANDIDATE TO DOWNLOAD THEIR OWN
CERTIFICATE.
12
9) Ellen Lockett will contact each Principal Fellow who has been successful about either becoming a
mentor or an assessor for future cohorts of candidates. All new assessors will be invited to a briefing
session if they are wanting to take up this offer.
10) And finally… once you have been notified that you have met the criteria for a Principal Fellowship,
you will receive a formal invitation to attend the University’s annual Celebrating Staff Success event
to celebrate your achievement.
Appendix 1
Principal Fellowship Evidence Checklist
(To be put at the front of your portfolio of evidence)
Name .............................................Faculty/Service ................................................Date ..........................
Areas of evidence
Number
Record of Educational Impact
1
Context statement
1
Evidence for D4.1- D4.5
Approx
20-25 *
Written reflection for D4.1
1
Written reflection for D4.2
1
Written reflection for D4.3
1
Written reflection for D4.4
1
Written reflection for D4.5
1
Advocate statements/references
3
Action plan
1
13

*
Please note that pieces of evidence can be used for more than one of the D4.1- 4.5 criteria and so
the total number may be less than this
Appendix 2
RECORD OF EDUCATIONAL IMPACT (REI)
In applying for a Principal Fellowship of the HE Academy, you must complete the following table which lists
the evidence you are submitting and how this links to criteria D4.1-D4.5.
Evidence
No
Description/title of evidence
(e.g. Proposal on… or Evaluation report
on…)
From
14
To
D4.1
D4.2
D4.3
D4.4
D4.5
Appendix 3
Principal Fellow Advocate Statement
Name of member of staff applying for a Principal Fellowship ..........................................................
In no more than 500 words, please state how the above member of staff has, over the past 5 years
Championed learning and teaching in order to influence others
Forged ahead with new projects and initiatives in learning and teaching
Developed learning and teaching policies and/or strategies which have impacted on others
Demonstrated their successful combining of research and/or enterprise, learning and teaching and quality
enhancement
Engaged in and led continuous professional development which demonstrates endeavours to deepen their
understanding of and improve their strategic leadership of learning and teaching
15
Signature of member of staff writing the reference .........................................................................
Name: .............................................. Role ………………………………Organisation: ………………………..
Relationship to the applicant ………………… and length of time known to the applicant …...................
Date .............
Appendix 4
Action plan for continuous professional development
This is an action plan for your continuing professional development in relation to your strategic leadership of
learning and teaching.
CPD development need
Actions
By when
16
Success criteria
Appendix 5
Learning and Teaching Theory: a snapshot of some factors influencing
student learning in Higher Education
The references in the table below provide an insight into some of the theoretical underpinning for learning
and teaching in Higher Education. They have been included in this handbook to help you in your
professional discussion. Please do not feel restricted to these references - you can use others in your
discussion. The full texts/journal articles are available through the following Rebus reading list:
http://staffs.rebuslist.com/list.php?list_id=447
Theorist
Key messages/beliefs
Full reference
Approaches to teaching
Putting students at the heart of approaches to
Samuelowicz
teaching: Moving towards a more learner-centric
and Bain
(2001)
philosophy.
Biggs (2003)
Hunt and
Chalmers
(2012)
Neary and
Winn(2009)
Barnett and
Cotes (2004)
Samuelowicz, K. and Bain,
J. D. (2001), Revisiting
academics’ beliefs about
teaching and learning,
Higher Education, 41, pp.
299-325
Student centred: Focusing on student-centred
Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching
learning i.e. planning teaching to align with what the
for Quality Learning at
students want.
University, Buckingham:
Society for Research into
Higher Education
Student-centred: The importance of moving towards Hunt, L. and Chalmers, D.
a more learning-centred approach to university
(eds) (2012) University
teaching i.e. the focus should be on the learning rather teaching in focus: a learning
than the teaching.
centred approach: London:
Routledge
Students as active producers of knowledge:
Neary, M. and Winn, J.
Encouraging students to see themselves not as
(2009) Student as producer:
passive consumers of knowledge but as active
reinventing the student
producers of knowledge.
experience in higher
education, in Bell, L.,
Stevenson, H. and Neary,
M. The Future of Higher
Education, London:
Continuum, pp. 192-210
Engaging students: How a negotiated curriculum
Barnett, R. and Cotes, K.
can help to engage students. For example by
(2004) Engaging the
providing ‘empty’ modules students can negotiate their curriculum in Higher
own learning outcomes and therefor feel more
Education: Maidenhead:
17
Ramsden
(2003)
Entwistle
(2009)
Learning
Knowles et al.
(2011)
Honey and
Mumford
(1986)
Kolb
(1984)
Biggs (2003)
involved and empowered.
Teaching as facilitating learning: Acknowledging
the need to move away from the idea that teaching is
just the passing on of knowledge. Indeed, it is the
facilitation of student learning which is key to their
success. Reflecting this shift in thinking, Ramsden
proposed a 3-stage developmental model of teaching
which reflect this:
1. Teach
2. ing as the transmission of information
3. Teaching as organising student activity
4. Teaching as making learning possible
OU Press
Ramsden, P. (2003)
Learning to Teaching in
Higher Education, 2nd
edition, London: Kogan
Page
Teaching as facilitating learning: Entwistle echoed
Ramsden (above) in suggesting that the aim of
teaching is to promote learning (i.e. if students have
not learned during a lecture, then the teaching has not
been successful.
Entwistle, N. (2009)
Teaching for Understanding
at University, Basingstoke:
Palgrave MacMillan
Adult-learning theory: Understanding the
underpinning principles of andragogy (the teaching of
adult learners) so that they can excel. This often
means lecturers facilitating learning through
encouraging adult learners to share their knowledge
and understanding.
Learning styles: appreciating that each student has
their preferred way of learning:
Activists: students who tend to involve themselves
fully in new experiences without bias
Reflectors: students who like to stand back and
ponder experiences, appreciating the time to consider
them from different perspectives
Theorists: students who are prepared to adapt and
integrate observations into complex but logically
sound theories
Pragmatists: students who are keen on trying out
ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in
practice
Knowles, M., Holton, E. and
Swanson (2011) The Adult
Learner, 7thedition, London:
Taylor& Francis
Learning through experience
According to Kolb’s Experiential Learning theory, there
are 4 stages which a learner goes through:
1. Concrete experience- the initial experience
2. Reflective observation-reflecting on what has
just happened
3. Abstract conceptualisation-trying to make
sense of the experience, sometimes by linking
to a known theory/model
4. Active experimentation-repeating the
experience but informed by the learning in the
previous 3 stages
Approaches to learning: Biggs characterised
students into 4 different categories, according to the
approach they took to their learning:
Non-academic approach: Minimal effort and tends to
Kolb, D.A.(1984)
Experiential Learning, New
Jersey, Englewood Cliffs,
Prentice Hall
18
Honey, P. and Mumford, A.
(1986) The Manual of
Learning Styles,
Maidenhead: Peter Honey
Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching
for Quality Learning at
University, Buckingham:
Society for Research into
Reece and
Walker (2006)
reach conclusions without sufficient evidence
Surface approach: Generally unreflective, focussing
only on completing the task requirements. Tends not
to see connections between elements of study
Strategic approach: Focuses on achieving the
highest possible grade. Very aware of marking
schemes and assessment criteria
Deep approach: Vigorous interaction with the content
of the subject. Makes connections between different
parts of the subject and relates evidence to
conclusions
Higher Education
Learning domains: Reece and Walker identified 3
specific learning domains:
Cognitive: this is about knowledge, understanding,
analysis, synthesis and evaluation
Psychomotor: this is concerned with physical
movement, coordination and skills
Affective domain: this is concerned with feelings,
attitudes, values and emotions
Reece, I and Walker, S.
(2006) Teaching, training
and Learning (6th edition),
Sunderland, Business
Education Publishers LTD
Ideally, teaching sessions should be planned so that
all these learning domains can be taken into
consideration.
Costley and
Armsby (2007)
Biggs (2003)
Race(2010)
Assessment
Baume (2009)
Gibbs (2010)
Assessment within work-based learning: Aligning
assessment with workplace regimes and recognising
that assessment within the context of work-based
learning must be aligned to all that this entails.
Theories and models, for example, should be applied
to the work-place setting.
Costley, C. and Armsby, P.
(2007), Work-based
Learning assessed as a
field or a mode of study,
Assessment and Evaluation
in Higher Education, 32 (1),
pp. 21-33
Constructive alignment: Making sure everything in
Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching
the teaching and learning process is aligned i.e. aims
for Quality Learning at
and objectives, teaching regime and assessment
University, Buckingham:
methods.
Society for Research into
Higher Education
Ways to promote learning: Race proposed a Ripples Race, P. (2010) Making
model:
Learning Happen, London,
Sage
 Helping students to continually want to learn
 Keeping students learning by doing, practice,
trial and error, repetition
 Ensuring student get quick feedback
 Helping student make sense of what they are
learning
 Encouraging students to deepen their learning
through coaching other students
 Allowing students to further deepen their
learning by assessing their own learning
Importance of well-written learning outcomes:
Believing that the key to ensuring that students have a
good chance to show their learning is dependent on
appropriate learning outcomes being written.
Baume, D. (2009) Writing
and using good learning
outcomes, Leeds, Leeds
Met Press:
Assessment for learning: Making sure that
assessment is an aid to support student learning,
19
Gibbs, G. (2010) Using
assessment to support
Biggs and
Tang (2011)
giving them essential feedback about their progress in
order for them to continually improve.
Designing assessments to ensure student
success: Ensuring that assessment is:
 Aligned to the stated learning outcomes and
the teaching methodology
 Transparent and measurable
 Valid, reliable and manageable
 Inclusive of all learners
 Draw on all learning domains
 Actively involve students
Feedback
Nicol and
MacFarlaneDick (2004)
Importance of effective feedback: Acknowledging
that effective feedback:
 Helps to clarify what good performance is
 Facilitates the development of reflection and
self-assessment in learning
 Delivers high-quality information to students
about their learning
 Encourages dialogue around learning
 Encourages positive motivational beliefs and
self-esteem
 Provides opportunities to close the gap
between the current and desired performance
 Provides information to teachers that can be
used to help shape the learning
Curriculum design
Importance of designing a curriculum which can
Baum (2011)
lead to student success: Recognising the need to
design a curriculum which is logical, inter-connected
and excites students. This might be a mixture of
formal aspects and the informal (or hidden) curriculum
e.g. well-placed opportunities for team-building and
socialising exercises.
Quality
The 3P model: Acknowledging the complexity of the
Gibbs (2010)
Higher Education system. In particular, recognising
the inter-relationships within the 3P model:
Presage: variables before a student starts e.g.
resources, selection methods, the quality of students
and the quality of staff
Process: what is going on in the teaching
environment e.g. class size, class contact, teaching
and assessment methods and the amount of feedback
Product: the outcomes of the educational process
e.g. student performance, retention and employability
Technology-supported learning
Integration of technology to support learning:
Schrock
(2013)
Originally developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, Kathy
Schrock then applies the SAMR model to different
learning settings. There is broad recognition that this
can be done in different ways, but ideally should lead
to a transformation of the learning task. At worst,
technology is just used to substitute rather than
redesign tasks as follows:
Substitution: Here technology acts as a direct tool
20
student learning, Leeds
:Leeds Met Press
Biggs, J and Tang, C (2011)
Teaching for Quality
Learning at University,
Maidenhead, OU Press
Nicol, D. and MacFarlaneDick, D. (2004) Rethinking
formative assessment in
HE. Available at:
Baum, D. (2011) Course
design for increased
student satisfaction, Leeds,
Leeds Met Press
Gibbs, G. (2010)
Dimensions of Quality,
York, HEA
www.schrockguide.net/samr
.html
substitute, with no functional change
Augmentation: Again technology acts as a direct
tool substitute but with some functional improvement
Modification: Technology allows for significant task
redesign
Redefinition: Technology allows for the creation of
Salmon (2013)
Salmon (2011)
new tasks, previously inconceivable
The importance of building an active on-line
learning environment: Salmon proposes useable
frameworks for enabling active on-line learning,
thereby transforming learning. Firm belief that
knowledge is constructed by learners through and with
their interaction with others.
Learning made possible through technology:
acknowledging the levels of interactivity between the
learner, the learning resources and the learning group.
Integration of research within teaching
Jenkins and
Believing in the importance of and the difference
Healey (2005) between:
research-led teaching: integrating own subject
research into one’s teaching
research-oriented teaching : integrating the latest
research findings into one’s teaching
research-informed teaching: where the teaching
methods themselves are informed by research
Healey and
The importance of encouraging students to engage in
Jenkins (2009) research themselves.
21
Salmon, G. (2013) E-tivities:
The Key to Active on-line
learning, 2nd edition, New
York, Routledge
Salmon, G. (2011) Emoderating: The Key to Online Learning and Teaching,
3rd edition, New York,
Routledge
Jenkins, A. and Healy, M.
(2005) Institutional
strategies to link teaching
and research, York: HEA
Healey , M. and Jenkins ,
A.(2009) Developing
undergraduate research
and inquiry, York: HEA