Hi Margo
I think I'd be speaking for most of us on the Steering Group if I say
that we're open to debating all aspects of the qualifications/cpd area.
My own view is that separate/distinct PG Certs or similar programmes
would not necessarily work or be appropriate - but taking part in
(establishing a role in) the accreditation processes for relevant
(existing) routes/programmes in the field; and possibly the
establishment of agreed standards, either through LDHEN or in
association with others, could well be helpful in the development of our
areas of practice and professionalism - to the benefit of all:
practitioners, students, institutions and their organisations, other
colleagues whose work is strongly associated with learning development.
Best
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
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margo Blythman
Sent: 01 April 2006 09:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Qualifications/CPD for learning development work
Hi All
I have come to this discussion rather late so apologies if I am missing
the point. Are you suggesting a SEPARATE PG Cert in LD? Isn't there
considerable danger is separating LD from more general issues of T&L -
not least because it encourages mainstream academic staff to see it as
'not their problem'. I would much rather we argued for LD, and other
student academic support activities, to be a much bigger part of the
curriculum of ALL PG Certs in T&L.
Margo
-----Original Message-----
From: John Hilsdon <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 00:50:01 +0100
Subject: Re: Qualifications/CPD for learning development work
Hi All
I'm glad Pauline has raised this topic again. I hope Ann's offer will
encourage others to submit ideas or information about programmes they
are aware of/involved in.
In Plymouth we have a Learning and Teaching in Higher Education PG Cert
which caters for a wide range of academic practice and sounds as if it
has some similarities to the course David Donnarumma describes.
As Pauline says, we have talked about this on LDHEN a little in the past
- and the Steering Group has considered becoming involved in initiatives
to develop an accreditation process - possibly our own, or in
association with others ... and to encourage coherent and appropriate
pathways for LD qualification/professional development.
Next Tuesday at the Symposium, in the session on codes of practice by
Julia Braham of the University of Leeds, there may be some scope to talk
about related issues. The HEA is consulting about this area too and so
we do have a chance to express views from this network in a potentially
powerful way.
Further ideas and suggestions would be welcome - and if people are keen
to do so, shall we establish a working group from LDHEN to develop our
strategy and help formulate representations to bodies such as the
Academy? I also wonder if SEDA colleagues would wish to join in this
discussion ...?
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
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pauline Ridley
Sent: 30 March 2006 18:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Qualifications/CPD for learning development work
I seem to remember a discussion earlier in the life of this list -
possibly linked to LearnHigher - about developing a nationally
recognised CPD award for people who work in learning development in HE.
Does anybody remember this, and/or know if there has been any action on
this?
We've been talking in my institution about how best to meet the needs of
various groups of staff including:
* hourly paid learning support workers for students with various
disabilities, who may undertake a variety of roles and sometimes need
updates as well as training in new areas such as Aspergers
* tutors eg in dyslexia support who will already have more
specialist qualifications
* library staff who increasingly have a teaching role offer
learning support in information literacy etc
* others from a variety of academic backgrounds who may need
additional support/training to take on a study advisor role
There are specialist courses offered by eg Council for the Advancement
of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP), British Dyslexia Association
etc. There are also NVQs etc in areas such as Counselling or Advice and
Guidance but not in an educational context, and those in Learner
Development tend to either be for Adult Literacy/Basic Skills or
classroom assistants in schools.
Institutional HE Academy-accredited Learning and Teaching certificates
for new and experienced lecturers don't quite fit the bill either as
they tend to include too much stuff that is not necessarily relevant,
and may not support specialist skills development. There are also
courses for part-time or associate lecturers, or personal tutors, all of
which are partially relevant to the constituencies above.
I think the best solution would be to develop a fairly generic
portfolio-based CPD award. There would be some common elements but each
participant would also draw up an individual learning plan with the
opportunity to include more specialist elements, some of which might
carry external accreditation, as appropriate to people's roles.
Ideally this would be endorsed nationally by LDHEN and LearnHigher, but
undertaken locally with peer support through eg action learning sets, as
well as an online element possibly?
Have other people already found solutions to this - or would it be worth
exploring further?
Perhaps those of us who are going to the LDHEN conference/LearnHigher
launch in Liverpool next week could gauge the level of interest ?
-------------
Pauline Ridley
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Room 113, Mayfield House, Falmer
University of Brighton
Brighton BN1 9PH
01273-643406
Email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Visit the CLT website at
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt
Dr Margo Blythman
LCC Director of Teaching and Learning
London College of Communication
University of the Arts London
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