professional development for university academics in a changing context

Life Impact The University of Adelaide

Professional development for university academics in a changing context

Geoffrey CrispHERDSA PresidentALTC National Fellow

Life Impact The University of AdelaideSlide 2

Adelaide Australia


Adelaide, Australia


University of Adelaide


Higher Education context

• David Gosling article in SEDA’s (Staff and Educational Development Association) Educational Development on Post Graduate Certificates in Higher Education (PgCerts) become mandatory for many new university academics in the UK

• UK particularly proactive in having policies requiring completion of a PgCert for tenure

• Australian universities would have a mandatory professional development requirement for new academics but only a small number have made completion of the PgCert a requirement for tenure



• Australian universities usually provide free or subsidised access to PgCerts to a limited number of their own academics

• Mandatory professional development for new academics, in the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Japan and Sri Lanka; whereas other countries, such as the USA, have been reluctant to move down this path

• In the USA, more significant emphasis is placed on the professional development of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) rather than newly appointed faculty



• Move towards embedding mandatory professional development for faculty probably more to do with government regulatory requirements, rather than a recognition of the inherent merits of PgCert programs

• Nature of PgCert programs can vary between countries and between institutions

• In UK SEDA plays a key role in maintaining standards around these programs through a formal recognition process

• Professional Development Framework provides recognition for the programs of UK universities



• Move to mandating professional training in educational practice through PgCerts is a recognition that completing a PhD in a core discipline and undertaking discipline-based research is not necessarily the most appropriate training for teaching

• The issue of standards and the quality of teaching in universities is a controversial topic

• How is teaching quality measured in universities and what would an acceptable standard of educational practice look like in each discipline?



• In Australia, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) has project to define academic standards in the disciplines in preparation for the work of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency

• ALTC has already sponsored a major project on Teaching Quality Indicators and the project proposed a set of indicators for recognising and rewarding quality teaching



• Student feedback used as a proxy measure of teaching quality

• Some institutions have reworded their policy on student feedback to emphasise they measure students’ perceptions or experiences rather than evaluation

• What improves the student experience?


Laurentius de Voltolina 14th century lectureThe Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN 3936122202

What type of pedagogical learning space?


Learning spaces


Queen’s University, Kingston CA

Beamish-Munro Hall, Queen's University Integrated Learning Centrehttp://livebuilding.queensu.ca


Classroom techniques for feedback


• enable ready use of computing/connectivity

• enable learner or teacher to discover, import and display information easily, including the ability for a student in a large class to interact with the presentation

• enable participants to interact with each other

http://www.tltgroup.org/Facilities/Activities-TOC.htm


• enable teacher to record patterns in student thinking in order to adjust instruction

• enable participants to review previous classroom communication

• enable the use of outside experts

• enable students to use one another as learning resources

http://www.tltgroup.org/Facilities/Activities-TOC.htm


Authentic learning and assessment

http://www.nasaimages.org/luna/servlet/detail/nasaNAS~9~9~58363~162207:


Peer Review of teaching

• Peer evaluation has become more popular, but mostly for formative purposes

• The main issues still preventing use of summative peer review include training for peer reviewers and the workload issues for both reviewer and reviewed

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/peerreview


Peer review and promotion

Internal Peer Review


Peer review and promotion

External Peer Review


Peer observation form


Purpose of higher education institutions

• Williams and Filippakou (2010) have posited that mass higher education has moved away from the historical role of fostering the “symbolic capital associated with elite membership” towards a more pluralistic view where institutional missions are varied

• newer universities embraced the diversity

agenda from their inception

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hBiBaUg_1rA/SJTQE0ymK7I/AAAAAAAABxI/OIKhMiaaQ2E/s400/confusing_signs2.jpg



Academics have played both active and passive parts in this evolutionary journey, depending on their discipline and particular institutional history

http://media.economist.com/images/20050910/3705SU1.jpgTitle



• In UK recently the trend has been for more diversification with the Russell Group of institutions dominating the Who’s Who list

• one occupation group that significantly broadened its educational base was politicians– this will likely have a significant impact

on university priorities and student

recruitment practices over time as

political representatives from diverse

backgrounds begin to influence

government policy and funding for

higher educationhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/current/archive/2008/04/20/catfighting-from-on-high.aspx


Are conceptions about the purpose of universities different in different countries?

• Cheung and Chan (2010) have used Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to examine whether there were any quantitative differences between geographic regions in their use of education as a response to the demands of an increasingly competitive global economy

• Power Distance Index (PDI, related to human inequality), Individualism (IDV, relationship between the individual and the collective), Masculinity (MAS) and the Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI, level of tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity and unstructured situations within a society)


Hofstede correlations from Cheung and Chan (2010)

Country Universityeducationscore 04

Knowledgetransferscore 04

Universityeducationscore 08

Knowledgetransferscore 08

PDI IDV MAS UAI

Australia 7.61 6.08 6.83 5.78 36 90 61 51

Japan 3.73 4.99 4.18 5.01 54 46 95 92

Hong Kong

5.49 5.49 5.96 5.96 68 65 57 29

New Zealand

6.16 5 7.07 5.02 22 79 58 49

South Africa

5.52 4.55 4.55 3.29 49 65 63 49

United Kingdom

5.02 4.21 5.62 4.96 35 89 66 35

United States

7.55 6.92 7.54 6.56 40 91 62 46

Table Hofstede correlations from Cheung and Chan (2010)



• Cheung and Chan (2010) concluded that dimensions such as university education and knowledge transfer could be significantly explained by a combination of Hofstede’s PDI and UAI dimensions

• Power Distance Index (PDI, related to human inequality)

• Avoidance Index (UAI, level of tolerance for uncertainty ambiguity and unstructured situations within a society)



• there was an overall negative relationship between PDI and university education and knowledge transfer in relation to impact on national competitiveness

• regions where there was less inequality and more tolerance for ambiguity (as defined by Hofstede) had higher impact factors for university education and

knowledge transfer in relation to national competiveness

http://ddeubel.edublogs.org/2008/12/10/top-5-warning-signs-the-teacher-isnt-yet-a-teacher/


Academic practice

• in Australia, the recent Bradley review of higher education indicated that universities should be engaging in activities that promote a “civil and just society”

• proposed that increasing the overall participation rate in higher education would be in the public good, as well as assisting in economic development


Academic practice

• individual faculty have little control over who is allowed to come to their university

• individual faculty can have a profound effect on the success rate of students once they are enrolled in universities

• issue for faculty development programs is how

will it assist faculty to achieve

productive outcomes for

students when participation is

on a wider scale?


Role for Faculty development?

• should academic practice, as reified in the discipline context, be aligned with national agendas and priorities?

• do the scholarly activities we undertake as faculty members reflect the role of universities being for the public good or do they reflect a privileging of that role being for the enhancement of the individual?


Professional Organisations in Australia

• Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA)http://www.herdsa.org.au/

• Council of Australian Directors of Academic Development(CADAD)http://www.cadad.edu.au/

• Australasian Council on Open, Distance and E-Learning (ACODE)http://www.acode.edu.au/

• Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)http://www.altc.edu.au/


Role for HERDSA

• HERDSA is a scholarly society for people committed to the advancement of higher and tertiary education. It promotes the development of higher education policy, practice and the study of teaching and learning.


Benchmarking Faculty Development Centres

• CADAD project – adopted for University of Adelaide• Engagement with our Centre Staff• Modifying for local context• Self-audit• External partners• Practical purposes

Life Impact The University of AdelaideSlide 3521/04/23 35

Engagement with our Centre Staff

• Preliminary meeting to discuss why we should be involved

• Half-day workshop session to discuss concerns and come to common understanding

• Centre areas start filling in their sections• Documenting concerns, confusions• Change document in response to feedback• Another half-day workshop session to finalise

document• Centre areas complete their sections

Life Impact The University of AdelaideSlide 3621/04/23 36

Domains Sub-domains KPIs Page1. Strategy, Policy

and Governance1.1 Strategic Advice Advice to senior staff about the operating

environment for learning and teaching6

1.2 Strategic Planning Advice and support for development of the learning and teaching elements of strategic plans

8

1.3 Governance Contributions to institutional governance 91.4 Policy Development and Implementation

Advice and support for development and implementation of policy, procedures, guidelines and systems related to learning and teaching (compliance issues)

10

1.5 Strategic Initiatives Contributions to institutional learning and teaching initiatives (other than external funding and publications)

11

2. Quality of Learning and Teaching

2.1 Standards Advice and support for maintaining and improving learning and teaching standards

12

2.2 Evaluation and Improvement (Facilitating the collection of data about effectiveness of learning and teaching)

Advice and support for evaluation and improvement of learning and teaching

13

2.3 Student Feedback (How feedback was used to improve learning and teaching)

Advice and support for student feedback on teaching and courses (CLPD assisting Schools in using feedback data)

14

2.4 Peer Review Advice and support for peer review of teaching 152.5 Curriculum Review Advice and support for review of courses 16

3. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

3.1 Grants and Awards Advice and support for development of internal and external grant and award applications (assisting others to gain grants and awards)

17

3.2 Significant Projects and Research into Learning and Teaching

Advice and support for significant projects and research into learning and teaching with Faculty staff (external and internal grants)

18

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT UNITSUNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE CLPD VERSION 2007-2009 INTRODUCTION

Life Impact The University of AdelaideSlide 37 3721/04/23

Domains Sub-domains KPIs Page

1. Strategy, Policy and Governance

1.1 Strategic Advice Advice to senior staff about the operating environment for learning and teaching

6

1.2 Strategic Planning Advice and support for development of the learning and teaching elements of strategic plans

8

1.3 Governance Contributions to institutional governance 9

1.4 Policy Development and Implementation

Advice and support for development and implementation of policy, procedures, guidelines and systems related to learning and teaching (compliance issues)

10

1.5 Strategic Initiatives Contributions to institutional learning and teaching initiatives (other than external funding and publications)

11

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT UNITSUNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE CLPD VERSION 2007-2009 INTRODUCTION


Self-audit

• Good opportunity for internal review of practices• Identify gaps in services or engagement


Measure Benchmark (Sector expectation)

Benchmark Met

Target or KPI(University expectation)

Target or KPI Met

Level of provision

a. Provision of current, timely advice on: interpretation of government policies, funding, initiatives, practices and interpretations across the sector (external)

b. Provision of current, timely advice on learning and teaching strategy at institutional, faculty and school levels (internal)

c. Timely provision and/or review of draft submissions to government (external)

a. Advice provided to DVC(A), PVC(L&Q) [CLPD 2]

b. Advice provided to DVC(A), PVC(L&Q), Executive Deans, Heads of School [CLPD 2]

c. Advice provided to DVC(A), PVC(L&Q) [CLPD 2]

a.b.c.

Quality of provision

60% of senior staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

% broad agreement

a. 100% of senior staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

b. 70% of surveyed staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

c. 100% of senior staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

% broad agreement

Evidencea.Director attended and reported on meetings for: Bologna process and Diploma Supplement; Australian Graduation Statement;

formation of Carrick Institute and Learning and Teaching Performance Fund, Review of Australian Higher Education (Bradley Review), formation of CADAD, South Australian Certificate of Education, Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE), UniTEST.

b.CLPD Annual Report lists Centre staff as members of the following Committees (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/clpd/about/download/CLPD_AnRpt08.pdf):

Within University of Adelaide - Academic Board, Assessment Monitoring Committee, Assessment Policy Development Committee, Associate Deans Learning and Teaching Committee, AUQA Steering Committee, Committee for Learning and Teaching Awards, Consultant to SSABSA, Copyright Steering Committee, Copyright Working Party, DVC&VP(A) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, E-Assessment Guidelines Working Party, Early Career Task Force (ECTF), Faculty of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical, Sciences Learning, Teaching & Curriculum Committee, Faculty of Professions Learning and Teaching Committee, Future Research Leaders Working Party, Gender Equity & Diversity Committee, Grading Working Party, Health, Safety and Welfare Committee – Central, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Education Committee, Internationalisation Committee, Mathematics Learning Service Advisory Group, Open Day Committee, Organisational and Staff Development Committee (OSDC), Pre-enrolment English Program Advisory Committee, Staff Survey Oversight Working Party, Student Affairs Committee, Survey Framework Working Party, Teaching Tools Committee, Technology in Education Committee (TEC), University Learning and Teaching Committee (ULTC), ULTC Working Party on Learning and Teaching Themes, University Postgraduate Coursework Committee

DOMAINS, SUB-DOMAINS, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS FOR CLPD UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE FOR PERIOD 2007-2009DOMAIN 1: STRATEGY, POLICY AND GOVERNANCESub-domain 1.1: Strategic AdviceKPI: Advice to senior staff about the operating environment for learning and teaching


Measure

Benchmark (Sector expectation)

Benchmark Met

Target or KPI(University expectation)

Target or KPI Met

Level of provision

a. Provision of current, timely advice on: interpretation of government policies, funding, initiatives, practices and interpretations across the sector (external)

b. Provision of current, timely advice on learning and teaching strategy at institutional, faculty and school levels (internal)

a. Advice provided to DVC(A), PVC(L&Q) [CLPD 2]

b. Advice provided to DVC(A), PVC(L&Q), Executive Deans, Heads of School [CLPD 2]

a.b.c.

Quality of provision

60% of senior staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

% broad agreement

a. 100% of senior staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

b. 70% of surveyed staff satisfied or very satisfied with quality of provision

% broad agreement

Evidencea.Director attended and reported on meetings for: Bologna process and Diploma Supplement; Australian Graduation Statement; formation of Carrick Institute and Learning and Teaching Performance Fund, Review of Australian Higher Education (Bradley Review), formation of CADAD, South Australian Certificate of Education, Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE), UniTEST.

DOMAINS, SUB-DOMAINS, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS FOR CLPD UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE FOR PERIOD 2007-2009DOMAIN 1: STRATEGY, POLICY AND GOVERNANCESub-domain 1.1: Strategic AdviceKPI: Advice to senior staff about the operating environment for learning and teaching


Practical purposes

• Your own staff need to see a point in the activity• It should lead to internal improvements


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professional development for university academics in a changing context

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