Dear colleagues
I have followed this discussion with a lot of interest. I have no personal experience of the dialogue route, although I have talked a lot with colleagues who are using it and really like the underpinning principles and practices. However, I have some concerns which have less to do with the process itself but arise from the wider institutional and national contexts and the very different ways in which professional recognition is, and will be, interpreted and used in the sector and in different institutions. Whether the dialogue route 'works' or not will have a lot to do with who owns and controls the process: academic developers, managers, grassroot academics in the disciplines, the HEA etc. etc. In my experience this varies considerably between institutions. Institutional targets, in particular very ambitious ones, are another really important factor, coupled with the size of the institution and the number of staff who want or are expected to gain Fellowship. Since standards are socially constructed, who is - and who is not - involved and what their motives are ultimately determines the standards. Since the dialogic route is, well, very dialogic and therefore based on and influenced by relationships, there are potential issues arising from that side of things. Several colleagues have already mentioned the issues around mentors, reviewers and externals.
My conjecture is that the Fellowship standards will vary considerably across the sector, although we don't really want to admit this and obviously go through a lot of trouble in making our processes as robust as possible, incorporate training etc. to ensure that this is not happening. In many ways this is comparable to the system of external examiners where the recent research by Sue Bloxham and colleagues has highlighted how much we are kidding ourselves (http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/23541/1/2015_externalexam.pdf ).
In my view and experience there are many issues about HEA Fellowship which are not openly discussed but happen and bubble under the surface; this, of course, also applies to other submission formats!
Apologies for this rant on a Friday afternoon before a Bank Holiday, but it's something I have been mulling over for a long time.
Have a good weekend!
Nicola
Dr. Nicola Reimann
Centre for Academic Practice (CAP), Room 221, School of Education, Durham University, Leazes Road, Durham DH1 1TA
Tel. : 0191-334 8348 Email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rosa Spencer
Sent: 28 August 2015 11:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
Hello all,
We have been offering a 'professional dialogue' pathway here at Newcastle since 2013 alongside the written 'documentary' pathway. It consists of a 25 minute conversation with 2 reviewers (audio-recorded), with the conversation being led by the participant. In advance of the dialogue, the participant is required to submit a brief summary of evidence table aligned to the relevant UKPSF descriptor, which allows the reviewers to gain a sense of what might be discussed in advance. Participants are also encouraged to collate 'evidence' via an eportfolio (although they are not required to share this). All participants are paired with a mentor in preparation for their assessment regardless of the pathway chosen.
Like others have commented, the dialogue pathway seems to produce more meaningful conversations around the UKPSF and both participant and reviewer have commented that the experience has been a positive and constructive one - more so than the written pathway. It is becoming more popular amongst staff here at Newcastle and we hope to offer the dialogue pathway for D3 when we reaccredit next spring (we are currently accredited at D1/2). Not sure yet how this will function if an external is required for each D3 dialogue.
There is some apprehension from mentors and reviewers around how best to support staff to prepare for the dialogue option and how to conduct the professional conversation. We're looking at how to develop further guidance and support for this although inviting new mentors to observe the dialogue is working well.
Rosa
________________________________
Dr Rosa Spencer
Professional Development Manager
Staff Development Unit
Newcastle University
King George VI Building
Queen Victoria Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
tel: +44 (0) 191 208 8376
email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/staffdev/
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alice Lau
>Sent: 28 August 2015 09:02
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
>
>Hi All,
>
>At Greenwich, having just gone through re-accreditation successfully
>(we heard 3 days ago!), we have three different routes, written, oral
>presentation and a video route. The oral and video route follow pretty
>much the same format as the written route, so participants still have
>to present 4 case studies if they are applying for F and SF, and for
>the video route, they can only present up to two case studies in this
>format (the others will have to be written/oral). So far, majority of
>our staff has gone for the written route, only a few have gone for the
>oral route (we video them for record) and no one has gone for the video route yet!
>
>We considered the professional dialogue route, but we feel that we do
>not have the resources to support this (we also have an institutional
>target…), and all of our applicants need to identify a mentor to
>support their applications, (who need to come to the workshop with the applicant.
>The mentor also carry out the teaching observation), so we feel that
>the dialogue is already happening with between the applicants and their mentors.
>The applicants are very positive about the support of their mentors, as
>they feel that they can have a dialogue with someone who understands
>their disciplinary background better.
>
>We are in the process of updating our documents on our website after
>our re- accreditation, but you can still find some general information
>on our website
>here: http://www.gre.ac.uk/offices/edu/he/framework
>
>Best wishes
>Alice
>
>-- Dr. Alice Lau (FHEA)
>Senior Lecturer in Learning, Teaching and Professional Development
>Educational Development Unit Queen Mary Building Greenwich Campus
>University of Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, Park Row London SE10
>9LS
>Telephone: +44 (0)2083319640
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On 28/08/2015 08:16, "Jenny Eland" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Hi all
>>Here at Birmingham City University we offer a choice of either a
>>written route or a dialogue, the length of dialogue dependent on the
>>category of Fellowship. We have been accredited since September 2014
>>and are now approaching our third assessment period. We have so far
>>assessed 2 SF and
>>2 PF by dialogue and have 5 SF and 1 PF in the pipeline for this round.
>>The difficulty for us is that all SF and PF applications have to be
>>assessed with an external and finding externals for the dialogue route
>>is proving a challenge. The dialogue consists of 20 (SF)/25 (PF)
>>minute presentation and then a 25/30 minute dialogue, but we are think
>>of extending this. We also video all dialogic assessments.
>>
>>If anyone is interested in helping us assess by this route please feel
>>free to contact me as I do need a bigger pool particularly for PF
>>Regards Jenny
>>
>>
>>Jenny Eland
>>Senior Lecturer Learning and Teaching Practice Convenor Professional
>>Standards Framework Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching
>>Birmingham City University University House
>>15 Bartholomew Row
>>Birmingham
>>B5 5JU
>>tel: 0121 331 6946
>>email: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>ü Be GREEN, keep it on the SCREEN!
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>>Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gramaglia,
>>Letizia
>>Sent: 28 August 2015 08:00
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
>>
>>Many thanks Lisa,
>>We keep audio-recordings of the dialogues, but don't do videos.
>>Leti
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>>Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lisa Hayes
>>Sent: 27 August 2015 15:36
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
>>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>At UoB we have the option of either a written critical reflective
>>narrative, or an oral presentation - this has been in place since we
>>started the scheme in September 2013.
>>
>>Initially, most people chose a written reflection, but , once we had
>>experienced some oral presentations, we realised that the process of a
>>dialogue was much more revealing, and staff enjoyed the opportunity to
>>share their practice in person. Our panel members also enjoyed and
>>valued this experience to see and hear about good practice across the
>>university.
>>
>>Currently the oral presentation is structured as a fifteen minute
>>presentation, focusing on their 'journey' into teaching, their main
>>underpinning philosophy, examples of good practice and their impact on
>>students.
>>
>>The panel then ask up to one question each of the presenter.
>>
>>The panel consists of three colleagues from across the university (but
>>not from their own department) and one student (and sometimes an
>>external).
>>
>>When we go for re-validation next year, it is likely that we will be
>>changing the process to an oral presentation/dialogue only, with no
>>option for a written submission. I think we will also be considering
>>more of a dialogue approach than a presentation, so there is more
>>opportunity for a professional conversation.
>>
>>We are also considering videoing the presentation, for audit trail
>>purposes and also to collect video examples of best practice that we
>>might share across our professional community at the university - but
>>this is still being thought through as there as some possible issues -
>>I'd be pleased to hear about anyone else who is videoing oral
>>presentations - or if they are not, how they maintain an audit trail.
>>
>>Hope this is useful and I look forward to hearing about others
>>experiences.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>Lisa
>>
>>________________________________________
>>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>>Association <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of McIntyre, Janis
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: 27 August 2015 15:07
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
>>
>>Hi
>>We have used professional dialogue here at Liverpool since April last
>>year. It is part of the process for all 4 categories of fellowship,
>>alongside a paper application. So far, staff have been enthusiastic
>>about it. Most applicants like having the opportunity to make their
>>claim in person, and the panel members have valued the opportunity to
>>hear about good practice.
>>I am interested in hearing others' experiences.
>>Best wishes,
>>Janis
>>
>>Dr Janis McIntyre SFHEA
>>Educational Developer
>>University of Liverpool
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>>Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kathryn Botham
>>Sent: 27 August 2015 13:43
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: CPD Recognition
>>
>>Hi everyone,
>>We are revalidating soon and are intending to incorporate professional
>>dialogue and peer review as a formative part of the application process.
>>Looking forward to hearing everyone's ideas.
>>Will be really interested in hearing Ruth and Mandy's research update.
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>Kath Botham
>>
>>MMU PSF LEAD
>>
>>Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
>>
>>All Saints Building (Room 101)
>>
>>Manchester Metropolitan University
>>
>>Manchester
>>
>>M15 6BH
>>
>>Tel: 0161 247 4676
>>
>>________________________________________
>>From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
>>Association [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Gramaglia, Letizia
>>[[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: 27 August 2015 08:33
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: CPD Recognition
>>
>>Dear Colleagues,
>>
>>
>>we are currently reviewing our internal recognition scheme for HEA
>>fellowship and I was wondering if people could share their experiences
>>of supporting professional dialogues with a CPD Recognition Panel.
>>
>>
>>
>>If anyone else is interested I am more than happy to share my findings
>>upon request.
>>
>>Many thanks in advance for your help with this.
>>
>>Best wishes,
>>Leti
>>Dr Letizia Gramaglia
>>Learning and Development Manager
>>Learning and Development Centre
>>Senate House
>>The University of Warwick
>>Coventry CV4 7AL
>>Telephone: 024 7657 3109 (ext: 73109)
>>
>>"Before acting on this email or opening any attachments you should
>>read the Manchester Metropolitan University email disclaimer available
>>on its website http://www.mmu.ac.uk/emaildisclaimer "
>
>
>University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee,
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