Teaching, Research and the White Paper: opportunity and challenge

Dr Liz Beaty

Director (Learning and Teaching)

HEFCE

Creating conversation between policy and practice

policy

practice

d

Outline

A few remarks about:

• Research and Teaching• The current context for HE policy• Current programme for development of

Learning and Teaching

Linking theory and practice

theory

practice

d

Linking research to teaching

Research into the subject

Research On

learning

TeachingResearch On

teaching

The What and the Howof teaching and learning

• What is to be learned– Subject knowledge,– Skills, methods – Values and attitudes

• How it can be learned– Curriculum design – Student characteristics and prior knowledge– Process of teaching and learning

The dilemma

Most academics are scholars in their subject rather than in pedagogy

Most educational research is written for other educational researchers to learn from

Very few people can communicate across this divide

Is the answer for teachers themselves to become scholars in how to teach as well as what to teach?

Recognition and Rewards for Teaching

The Policy Context

HEFCE’s Learning and Teaching Strategypre-white paper - TQEF

• Institutional strand– Learning and Teaching Strategies– Formula funding

• Subject Strand– LTSN– FDTL projects

• Individual Strand– NTFS

Post White Paper agenda

• Endorsement of the importance of teaching• Professional standards for teaching (2006) • Increased rewards for excellence

– Growth of the NTFS– Centres of Teaching Excellence

• A New Academy for Higher Education

Professional development

• The white paper calls for all new academic staff to have a teaching qualification(2006) and for external examiners to have induction and CPD for their role.

The opportunity is for HE staff to define the nature of this professional development and to engage with it

The challenge is to gain agreement about this before the government loses patience and imposes something from the outside.

Educational Research

• Concentration of QR funding• Education not a capability area• HE research split between UOA for subject

disciplines and education UOA• Roberts report on new approach to RAE

Opportunity for research through the Academy, and through TLRP

Challenge to fight for recognition of the effectiveness of PedR impact on quality of teaching

National Teaching Fellowships

From 20 to 50 per year• Acknowledgement of different types of

nominee• Three institutional nominationsOpportunity for NTFs to be a powerful

voice for TeachingChallenge to gain respect for the status of

teaching in research led universities

Centres of Teaching Excellence

• White paper– 70 Centres – 500,000 per year for 5 years– Up to £2 million capital funding.

• Consultation on– Broader definition, focus on pedagogy– Variable size– 2 stage process – commended statusOpportunity of a huge investment into teachingChallenge to make this an effective investment

A new Academy forLearning and Teaching

• Current status– Leslie Wagner leading developments– A ‘Council’ within the Academy– Broadening remit and connections

Opportunity for a real voice for academics in policy and for new funding for R&D

Challenge – to create an effective new academy drawing together existing strands and increasing effectiveness of networks.

The role of the Academy: linking T and R

• A conduit for research on learning and teaching including discipline specific research

• Dissemination of innovation, ideas and good practice• Support for collaborative networks • Professional development• An resource centre including online• A lobby for policy development• And more - - -

Researching learning and teaching

• Curriculum development– Subject specific course design

• Pedagogy – Effective online, work-based learning

• Learning support – Student needs for widening participation

• Staff development– The nature of professional practice in teaching

• Institutional strategies– the management of educational change to mass system

Researching the enhancement agenda

• How can we identify excellence in teaching?• What works? – evidence based

development?• How to link QA to QE to improve teaching i.e.

creating learning loops?• How should we reward good teaching?• How can we encourage pedagogies and

course designs for the future of HE?