At the risk of further confusion, I should like to add a question.

A meeting of some directors for Postgraduate certificates/MAs in Learning and
Teaching in Higher Education last week expressed confusion over the recent
ESCALATE email. It had been the experience of a few of us that ESCALATE had
indicated clearly some time ago that it did not have a remit for LTHE type
programmes and the work of educational developers, and that the LTSN Generic
Centre was the more appropriate home. Has this policy recently changed?

The explanation on the website does not seem to correspond with the recent
emails, and is somewhat confusing. The website says :ESCalate is subject-area
specific and is only concerned with enhancing the practice of those teaching in
Education and CE departments in HE (or in FE with an HE focus). Many LTHE
programme have no connection with a university's Education department, others
have, and still others are validated within such departments but designed and
delivered as a cross-disciplinary activity from a separate 'unit'. In addition,
all such programmes function as in-service professional development, and that
makes them qualitatively different from pre-service courses leading to a
licence to practice. I am not clear to whom the questionnaire on the website is
directed for instance, as these differences do not appear to be acknowledged
here.

I would agree that there is a danger of fragmentation, duplication and
confusion regarding support for educational developers, as this has always
been SEDA's remit. Collaboration and co-ordination would seem a more helpful
and economically efficient option, in a climate of scarce time and resources.

I would be grateful for some clarification and explanation for apparent
changes.

ali


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Ali Cooper
Teaching & Learning Development Coordinator
Programme Director for Certificate in Learning & Teaching in HE (CiLTHE)
Centre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT)
Lonsdale College
University of Lancaster
Lancaster LA1 4YN

e-mail [log in to unmask]
tel 01524 593441
fax 01524 594748
HEDC web site: http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/hedc/hedc.nsf/home

*************************************************************************



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barry Jackson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 6:29 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Escalate and Professional Development
>
> Just for the record: SEDA's remit is very much concerned with support
> for the professional development of tutors who run programmes for
> teachers in HE.
>
> SEDA has a long record of providing development support for all those
> staff involved in providing staff and educational development. Whilst
> institutional programmes for new or experienced teachers are
> generally validated programmes which can be thought of as part of an
> institution's provision in the subject field of Education, they are
> also predominantly part of the institution's strategy for staff and
> educational development, and indeed many (if not most) of them began
> as SEDA accredited programmes of development.
>
> It sounds to me like ESCALATE and SEDA could usefully meet to discuss
> where additional value could be provided
>
> regards
> Barry (Co-Chair SEDA) .
>
>
>
> >Hi Janet
> >
> >Thanks for your prompt response. I hope that the ESCALATE project will serve
> >a different purpose and provide a different emphasis to ILT, SEDA and the
> >Generic LTSN as I tried to indicate in my original message. The purpose
> >being the professional development of those delivering programmes. I think
> >there is a distinction to be made between support for programmes and
> >professional development for tutors.
> >
> >ESCALATE, as the LTSN for education, has a responsibility for the
> >professional development of those working in teacher education in all
> >sectors, hence this project. Are you familiar with their website -
> >http://www.escalate.ac.uk - which has a wide range of articles, book
> reviews,
> >resources and links for education generally, many of which are relevant to
> >teaching in higher education and to those who work on programmes such as
> >yours.
> >
> >You also raise the interesting point about how we think of ourselves -
> >trainer, developer, educator? Personally, I prefer the latter but I answer
> >to all three.
> >
> >With best wishes
> >
> >Terry
> >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >Terry Atkinson
> >Graduate School of Education
> >University of Bristol
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Janet Hanson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >Sent: 24 January 2003 00:04
> >To: 'Terry Atkinson'
> >Cc: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: RE: Escalate and Professional Development
> >
> >
> >Dear Terry, I also echo Jessica's surprise at this development, surely those
> >at whom you are aiming this resource already use ILT, SEDA, LTSN resources
> >etc. It does seem to involve a lot of duplication and overlap with these.
> >Secondly, I have been leading staff development for academic staff for ten
> >years, through a SEDA, then ILT accredited, award bearing Masters programme,
> >and I have never thought of myself as a 'trainer', or even a 'teacher
> >trainer', so I am not particularly drawn to this proposal.
> >Janet
> >
> >Janet Hanson
> >Associate Head of Academic Services
> >Bournemouth University
> >Talbot Campus
> >Fern Barrow
> >Poole BH12 5BB
> >Tel: 01202 595044
> >email: [log in to unmask]
>
> --
> Professor Barry Jackson
> Director of Learning Development
> Middlesex University
> Bounds Green Road
> London N11 2 NQ
>
> tel+44(0) 20 8411 5018
> fax+44(0) 20 8411 5045
>
> [log in to unmask]