SD901-7-FY-CO:
Introduction to Higher Education Practice
2024/25
Organisational Development
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 27 June 2025
30
31 March 2021
Requisites for this module
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(none)
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CER X14212 Higher Education Practice,
CER X14224 Higher Education Practice
PG CHEP Module 1 is focused on two areas of professional development: 1. Education, and 2. Research. The module integrates professional development with the day-to-day requirements, roles and responsibilities of staff and allows flexibility in relation to individual needs. In addition, PG CHEP Module 1 is also part of the University's flexible professional development framework, CADENZA.The Module is available to academic staff at the University and its partner and former-partner institutions.
PG CHEP Module 1 aims to:
• provide a flexible, work-based learning environment within which staff are able to develop a broad-ranging and critical awareness of key educational (and research when relevant to the role) concepts and pedagogic literature;
• develop participants’ practical teaching and research skills to support them in being effective members of their departments and of the institution;
• encourage participants to adopt a scholarly and reflective approach to their professional practice and development as HE practitioners;
• encourage and promote co-operative professional development and the sharing of good practice;
• meet institutional commitments to supporting the continuing professional development of staff and the pursuit of excellence in education and excellence in research;
• contribute to the fostering of innovative teaching and a broad-ranging understanding of what makes for effective learning;
• demonstrate active engagement with the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning in HE (UKPSF) leading to recognition at UKPSF D2 level and the award of Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
1. Demonstrated an ability to identify, appraise, articulate and review their own professional development needs and goals over the course of a learning cycle;
2. Evidenced continuing participation in and growing commitment to their own professional development by engaging with, recording, reflecting on and evaluating their development events and activities related to education, and where relevant to research;
3. Documented a broadly based and soundly integrated approach to academic practise by reviewing and reflecting on their professional activities in education ( in line with Higher Education Academy UKPSF A1-A5), and research (as appropriate) and their emerging professional values;
4. Planned, researched and evaluated a cogently written piece of work-based scholarship which connected theoretical knowledge and key pedagogic literature with professional practice;
5. Analysed, evaluated and adapted their own practice through engaging in critical self-reflection, peer review activity and learner feedback in order to solve identified challenges.
This module is aimed at newly appointed, early-career academic and senior academic support staff, especially those with a probationary or professional development requirement to gain recognition and/or qualification for their teaching and support of learning.
The main aim of PG CHEP Module 1 is to provide a flexible and stimulating learning environment in which participants can increase their knowledge and understanding of Higher Education practice (with a particular focus on the UK sector), develop their skills as practitioners and establish an integrated approach to academic practise informed by scholarship, reflection and engagement in local communities of practice.
The module is designed to ensure that participants align their practice against all dimensions of the Higher Education Academy's UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning in HE (UKPSF) (D2), and will include the following activities:
* Participants are provided with an overview of the module, teaching and learning strategy, support materials, guidance and exemplars, expectations and formative and summative assessments, as part of a half-day Welcome activity.
* All programme participants will choose (or be assigned) a Departmental mentor to meet with for monthly mentoring discussions and broad support throughout the module.
At the beginning of the programme, participants hold a semi-structured discussion with a mentor to explore their development needs and identify activities and goals for the short, medium and long term. This is summarised on a form as a formative opportunity that supports the summative CPD Log entries.
* Completion of the online Introduction to teaching in HE series which consists of content related to eight areas of teaching and learning theory and practice. The topics highlighted will provide a basis for the literature review and Review entries.
* Attending the Newcomers Introduction to research at Essex series of events
* Engagement with the Peer Exchange Network (PEN) to share good practice and learn from experienced peers. These activities will feed into CPD Log entries.
* Completion of one Virtual Zoom action learning set with a number of peers, where there will be an opportunity to share challenges and identify solutions to common issues faced by early-career academics. This learning can also feed into the CPD Log entries.
* Participation in two PG CHEP support days where further guidance on formative and summative assessments will be provided.
* Attending the Education Development conference.
The majority of the programme will consist of Practice-based activities within departments relevant to the participant's role and job description. These activities will also provide learning opportunities as well as opportunities for reflection and identification of additional developmental needs.
In order to evidence their professional development and continuing reflection on their practice, participants will produce the following:
* A completed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log. This Log will consist of a minimum of ten entries chosen on the basis of the initial goal planning discussion, engagement with the PEN, the virtual action learning set and discussions with mentors and practice-based reflection.
* A pedagogic Literature Review on an education-related topic, perhaps further developing knowledge one of the introduction to teaching series. It is expected that this topic will also be agreed with the department so that the knowledge gained is of use to the departmental plan, priorities or NSS response, as well as to the development of the individual. A draft plan is submitted for feedback before summative submission of the completed Literature Review.
* A Review of Professional Activity that records examples of activities, in line with the dimensions of the UKPSF (and RDF where relevant to their role). This will include a number of select examples of their practice that detail their professional engagement (e.g. What they do, how they do it and why they do it that way, including the rationale as to how each activity is intended to help learners and/or research). The narratives are also mapped against the Core Knowledge and Professional Values form the UKPSF.
Throughout the whole module, participants will be supported with guidance, exemplars and further materials through the PGCHEP Moodle pages. The PGCHEP team will also provide one-to-one support through fortnightly academic support hours offered via Zoom.
The learning and teaching methods include self-directed learning, reflection and engagement with professional development activities. These will be supported by various types of materials, including transcripts and reading materials all designed to be accessible. Participants will have a choice in the type and number of developmental activities that they engage with, and also choice in the topic for the literature review to ensure that content is aligned with their individual personal developmental needs. Further approaches include peer discussion, mentoring and engagement with pedagogic and discipline-specific literature, along with guidance on how to maximise benefits from these activities.
Formative opportunities in development planning, literature review planning, and submission of draft entries for the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log and Review of Professional Activity will also allow the provision of feedback before summative submissions.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Module is assessed by pass/fail only.
Reassessment
Module is assessed by pass/fail only.
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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