An introduction to the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education

1. Raj Dhimar
Professional Standards Framework
(PSF)

2. 2
Session outline
• Explore your interests and expectations of the
PSF
• Provide opportunities for you to interpret and
engage with the PSF
• Understand the dimensions and descriptors
• Consider the PSF’s potential uses and
implications to higher education providers
• Identifying future needs for Thailand higher
education in the context of professional
standards for teaching and supporting learning

3. “Qualifications” for higher education lecturers?
• Dearing (1997) - enhancing professionalism of HE
teaching, the future of higher education white
paper (2003), students and the heart of the
system white paper (2011)
• Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN)
• Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher
Education - membership organisation
• The Higher Education Academy - subscription
organisation
• Higher Education Statistics Agency - staff profiles
Teaching Quality - external drivers (UK)
- historic and current
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4. 4
Why are training and CPD important?
Those who are trained have greater
self awareness of the factors
impacting on learning environments
Professional development leading to
professional recognition provides a
benchmark for individuals and
institutions, and gives the general
population and students themselves
confidence that they are being
supported by qualified, capable and
competent professionals.
Research evidence in this area is
limited but examples are available –
e.g. Impact of Teaching Development
programmes for HE.
HE providers have autonomy to
develop and manage staff for their
own individual circumstances.

5. • PSF provides set of descriptors,
developed with the sector,
against which institutions can
benchmark their approaches to
the professional development of
staff.
• Sector-owned, managed by the
HEA.
• Offers universities and colleges
criteria which support the initial
and continuing professional
development for staff who teach
and support student learning.
• Flexible framework that is
adaptable to the needs of the
individual and of the institution.
• Many institutions use the PSF and
seek external validation of their
approaches to professional
development against the
framework. The HEA alone
accredits over 400 provision in
over130 HEIs across the UK.
• Not mandatory. There are other
routes to accreditation too, which the
HEA welcomes.
• Has potential to be a key indicator
of UK HE’s ongoing commitment
to teaching, as well as giving
confidence that minimum
threshold standards have been
met by academic staff.
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Professional Standards Framework

6. A framework for HEIs to:
• Align initial and continuing professional
development provision for all staff involved in
teaching and supporting learning in Higher
Education
• Inform progression, promotion and reward criteria
Comprises :
Dimensions (Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge
and Professional Values)
Descriptors (D1, 2, 3 and 4) equivalent to
Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow and
The PSF
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7. 8
The
Dimensions
Areas of Activity
Undertaken by
teachers and
supporters of learning
within higher education
Core Knowledge
Needed to carry out
those activities
appropriately
Professional Values
the manner in which
teaching professionals
should perform and
carry out their learning
and teaching activities

8. Design & plan (A1)
Teach/support
learning (A2)
Assess & feedback (A3)
Evaluate
& Develop (A5)
Environment
Support
Guidance
(A4)
The Areas of Activity
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9. Uses of the Framework (1)
Gain recognition for
your own teaching and
learning support
activities
Plan and guide your
own Continuing
Professional
Development in the
area of teaching and
learning
Promote the
professionalisation of
teaching and learning
support within Higher
Education

10. Uses of the Framework (2)
Foster creative and
innovative approaches
to teaching and learning
Enable staff to gain
recognition and reward
for developing their
capabilities as teachers
and supporters of
learning
Gain Academy
accreditation for
education development
programmes and CPD
schemes

11. Uses of the Framework (3)
Enhance the quality and
prominence of teaching
and learning activities
Facilitate and support the
design and delivery of
initial and continuing
education development
programmes and activities
Demonstrate to students
and other stakeholders the
professionalism that staff
and institutions brings to
teaching and support for
student learning

12. Professional Standards Framework consultation
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What does the teaching community
think?
HEA , (2011), PSF consultation, recognising excellence in teaching and
learning
Broad general support for the
idea that those who teach in HE
should be appropriately qualified
Strong support (66%) for
transparency of public
information in relation to teaching
qualifications and fellowships
Strong support (89%) for
collaboration between the HEA
and relevant professional bodies
in relation to the alignment of
standards providing this was
limited, targeted and not overly
resource-intensive

13. a) Explore the PSF.
• - How do you interpret it?
• - What are the distinctions between the
Descriptors?
• - How might you interpret the Dimensions in
your own practice?
b) What challenges/opportunities can you identify
in your interpretation of the Framework?
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Activity

14. To find out more
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About the Professional
Standards Framework
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/uk
psf
About Professional Recognition
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/pr
ofessional-recognition
About Accreditation
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ac
creditation