-----Original Message-----
From: Kim Shahabudin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 01 October 2007 08:49
To: John Hilsdon
Subject: FW: Becoming a Learning Developer - how?
From: Kim Shahabudin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Mon 01/10/2007 08:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Becoming a Learning Developer - how?
Thanks for kicking this debate off, John. My two penn'orth to get things going.
1) What is your current role/job title?
I started off as Study Support Officer (a title apparently invented at the last minute by our Directorate head) but as neither 'Support' nor 'Officer' conveyed the right messages to students, have been using Study Adviser. I work directly and indirectly with students, advising and supporting all levels in HE from Foundation through to doctorate level postgrad (and even the occasional member of staff). Core tasks are: workshop development and delivery; developing and updating our guides on various aspects of study (with special responsibility for developing our website); most importantly, seeing students on a one-to-one basis for individual confidential advice sessions. I'm also a member of a couple of University Steering Groups. In addition I'm Research Officer for the LearnHigher CETL at Reading, which 'bleeds into' the work I do for Study Advice.
2) How did you become a 'learning developer'?
Combination of circumstances, like everyone else I suspect. Partly having been a mature student myself, I was tuned in to the need for good study practices. There were two other key experiences:
[a] After my first degree, I was asked to do some A-level teaching at evening classes. Teaching one year fast track exam course to mature students, who had commonly not done any academic work since leaving school up to 30 years previously - and with only two hours a week contact time - focuses the mind wonderfully on the central importance of good study practices and how to teach them in the most time-effective way!
[b] A few years later, while studying for my doctorate, I initiated a 1st year undergraduate course combining Classics and Film Studies, which recruited rather more successfully than anticipated. I ended up with huge numbers of students, with half who couldn't analyse a film and the other half who knew nothing about the ancient world. Again, it was a case of identifying the issues and bringing people up to speed in the most effective possible way - when you have to do it, you find ways to do it.
3) What relevant qualifications do you have?
No teaching qualifications, but had undergrad degree when I started FE teaching. I gained my doctorate after working in the Study Advice post for six months, and it has made a difference in terms of authority with both students and academic staff. I personally don't feel I'd have felt confident advising PhD candidates on their practices without having been through it myself.
4) Would you be interested in a specific Learning Development CPD programme
When I started in the post, I would certainly have been interested. In particular, I would have liked the opportunity to learn about supporting students with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties, and to understand some of the more relevant pedagogical theories and issues (e.g. Self-Reflective Learning, Academic Literacies, the debate over embedded and stand-alone study skills teaching, the debate over the 'skills' word!).
What I'd be interested in now is occasional CPD days with the opportunity to hear speakers on particular issues and discuss those issues in relation to our work with other learning developers (the kind of issues might include supporting international or mature students, avoiding unintentional plagiarism, embedding study skills teaching in subject modules).
5) Does the SEDA named award http://www.seda.ac.uk/pdf/index.htm 'Student Support and Guidance' suit our purposes?
It doesn't really provide a 'way in' to a LD career, or early career training, though it offers one way of validation once you have some experience. Associate membership of the HEA is perhaps a more transferable award on the same lines, and Fellowship is suitable if you have some teaching experience.
6) How can newcomers enter the Learning Development field if they do not already have employment in HE?
Gain experience working with young people or mature students in FE and/or giving guidance generally? Offer an evening class in a topic they know a lot about? Wish I had more answers on this one.
7) Should ALDinHE work towards the development of new courses for initial training and/or CPD in Learning Development?
Yes, definitely. I think we should be asking members what they would have benefited from (as above), who would be happy to be involved in teaching it and who else we should ask. (Could include the dissemination of LearnHigher research, for instance?)
Well, that's my contribution. Looking forward to hearing other people's views.
Kim
________________________________
Dr Kim Shahabudin, Study Adviser & LearnHigher Research Officer
Study Advice & Learning Development, Carrington Building, Whiteknights, University of Reading, RG6 6UA| ( 0118 378 4221| : www.rdg.ac.uk/studyskills : www.learnhigher.ac.uk
________________________________
From: learning development in higher education network on behalf of John Hilsdon
Sent: Sun 30/09/2007 14:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Becoming a Learning Developer - how?
Dear All
If you were to describe the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to do your job, what would the key items be? What qualifications are needed/would be relevant?
Over the last couple of years there have been some exploratory discussions on this list about the availability of both initial qualifications and professional development opportunities for those in our field. As Learning Development is still an emerging area of HE, there are no traditional routes to careers in this area - nor are there (m)any(?) specific qualifications or courses to train or prepare potential LDers for the kinds of jobs we do. When advertising two Learning Development posts at Plymouth recently, a common question I faced from those interested but feeling unable to be candidates at present was: "What course would I need to do to become qualified to apply for this job?"
A range of characteristics and features of professional history and background recur when LDers explain how they came to occupy their roles. Some of the most common are: teaching English as a second or foreign language; working on access and foundation courses; in widening participation and work with mature students; in teacher training or in careers services.
One of the important issues we have considered in setting up ALDinHE (the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education) is whether or not we should establish our own courses - or act to validate relevant programmes or modules run by individual institutions where we have members. However, SEDA (the Staff and Educational Development Association) already has a suite of courses and a fellowship scheme leading to professional qualifications - e.g. in supporting and leading educational change and teacher accreditation. These courses were developed with the support of the HEA and can link to a claim for meeting the Academy's UK Professional Standards Framework. There is a named award 'Student Support and Guidance' available through SEDA's Professional Development Framework (SEDA-PDF) which some of you may be familiar with.
To help us develop our thinking around these issues, would you be willing reply to this message to tell the list your own thoughts and stories? It would be useful if you could try to include answers to the question above and/or:
1) What is your current role/job title?
2) How did you become a 'learning developer'?
3) What relevant qualifications do you have?
4) Would you be interested in a specific Learning Development CPD programme
5) Does the SEDA named award http://www.seda.ac.uk/pdf/index.htm 'Student Support and Guidance' suit our purposes?
6) How can newcomers enter the Learning Development field if they do not already have employment in HE?
7) Should ALDinHE work towards the development of new courses for initial training and/or CPD in Learning Development?
With best wishes
John
John Hilsdon
Co-ordinator, Learning Development
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
01752 232276
[log in to unmask]
http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/learn <http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/learn>
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