PG Cert ULT 2015/16

Final Course Meeting

Kate Ippolito Huw Rees

Outline for the afternoon• Preparation of your PGCert portfolio:

– Developing your topic assignments– Writing your final statement of teaching philosophy– Making mapping to the UKPSF explicit – Getting your references

• Review of your learning • Overview of submission/review process• What’s next? – Diploma and other options• Questions• Feedback and evaluation

What should go your portfolio? The portfolio should consist of:

1. Cover page with name, award, intake date, submission date and declaration that the work submitted is your own.

2. Beginning statement of teaching philosophy

3. Topic Assignment 1

4. Topic Assignment 2

5. Topic Assignment 3

6. Topic Assignment 4

7. Topic Assignment 5 (if applicable)

8. Topic Assignment 6 (if applicable)

9. Final statement of teaching philosophy

10. FHEA References (You need TWO)

What are the assessors looking for?

• Does the portfolio demonstrate the appropriate attainment of the intended learning outcomes?

• Do the topic assignments demonstrate critical engagement with the educational literature and appropriate integration of the reading with practice?

• Does the final teaching statement demonstrate a development of teaching and learning practice over the course of the programme?

• Is the portfolio written in an appropriately reflective style and presented clearly with appropriate referencing?

Refining your written submission - Topics

We hope you read all of the feedback, but you should focus on Section 6. as this tells you what you must do prior to the final submission:

The UKPSFAreas of Activity

 A1 Design and plan learning

activities and/or programmes of study

 A2 Teach and/or support learning A3 Assess and give feedback to

learners A4 Develop effective learning

environments and approaches to student support and guidance

 A5 Engage in continuing

professional development in subjects/disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practices

Core Knowledge K1 The subject material K2 Appropriate methods for teaching

and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme

 K3 How students learn, both generally

and within their subject/disciplinary area(s)

 K4 The use and value of appropriate

learning technologies K5 Methods for evaluating the

effectiveness of teaching K6 The implications of quality

assurance and quality enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular focus on teaching

Professional Values V1 Respect individual learners and

diverse learning communities V2 Promote participation in higher

education and equality of opportunity for learners

 V3 Use evidence-informed approaches

and the outcomes from research, scholarship and continuing professional development

 V4 Acknowledge the wider context in

which higher education operates recognising the implications for professional practice

 

FHEA: need to demonstrate all of the UKPSF

Writing your final statement of teaching philosophy

• Should be reflective in tone. Don’t just describe what you have done - incorporate the 4 elements!

• Your initial statement of teaching philosophy forms a ‘baseline’. You will find it useful to refer to this and to pick up on things that you perceive differently now, compared to when you began.

• Reflect on what you have learnt during the course of the year through topic reading, thinking, discussion, peer observations, feedback. How has this impacted on your teaching practice? It might help to pick 2-3 specific aspects.

• Future directions: What further developments do you plan to make in your teaching? How will you continue the development of your teaching practice?

• 1000 – 1500 words

HEA guidance on reflective writing involves four main elements:

1. What did you do? Concise description of engagement including own role

2. How did you do it? Explanation of approach/methodology employed

3. Why did you do it that way? Evidence and rationale for choices made: knowledge + values (Grounded in PGCert)

4. What difference did it make?Impact on learners/teachers/self/institution (PGCert – how do you measure impact?)

Activity – Getting started on your final statement of teaching philosophy

Individually (10 mins):• Identify an aspect of your teaching that you have

developed/changed your thinking on over the last year. • What do you (and the learners) now do? • How do you do it? – approach• Why do you now do it that way? – evidence and rationale (based

on reading, thinking, discussion, peer observations, feedback?)• What difference does it make? – for you, learners, Imperial?• Which dimensions of the UKPSF does this relate to?

In pairs (5 mins each):• Share and discuss your example. • Does your partner think it is sufficiently reflective? What

additional dimensions does this example evidence?

What should the portfolio should look like?

• Font should be sans-serif (e.g. Arial or Calibri) 11pt, with line spacing of 1.15.

• Each component of the portfolio should start on a new page, and each page should bear your name and the page number in the footer section.

• Please note that the forms from teaching observations are not submitted with the portfolio, as they are not assessed. They should, however, inform your writing of the final statement of teaching philosophy.

• Any referencing in the assignments should be in Harvard style.

References

• You need to ask two people who are familiar with your teaching to write a reference in support of your HEA application. (Not EDU)

• These references need to be teaching-focused.• You can ask a range of people – students, peers,

supervisors, colleagues.• Reference is usually about 500 words• Can be helpful to send them your application in advance

and if time, meet them to chat through what’s needed.

References - adviceComment on the development of your teaching and learning practice and support your future professional development in this area.

Discuss the ways in which you have contributed to the department’s or unit’s teaching and learning objectives;

Do your references primarily refer to your experience and achievements in teaching and learning? (They should refer to your research record only insofar as this directly informs your teaching.)

There is no standard form for references, but have your referees made comments which align with the dimensions of the UKPSF and your participation in the PGCert? Have they provided practical examples to support their comments where possible?

It is your responsibility to identify referees, collect your references and toinclude them in your portfolio.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PORTFOLIO

Online: via Blackboard by 17.00 on the 27th June 2016

Assessment

PGCert• Each portfolio will be

double marked, before a selection are sent to the external examiner.

• There is no grading as such - the portfolio is ‘commended’ or ‘not commended’.

HEA• The portfolio may be

awarded fellowship, associate fellowship, or returned to you for revision and resubmission.

PlagiarismRemember you must use Harvard style throughout.

Extensive advice on correct referencing is in the handbook, on BlackBoard and on the Imperial website.

Reminder: All final submissions are put through TURNITIN by our administrator

Please do not put us in the situation where we have to deal with this issue.

Next Steps: Diploma in ULT

Aims of Diploma

“To expand participants’ knowledge of teaching beyond their personal experience by critical engagement with wider generic and disciplinary educational theory.”

Teaching Dates• Week One: 12th – 16th September 2016 (10am–4pm)

• Week Two: Tue 3rd – Fri 6th and Mon 9th January 2017 (10am–4pm)

• Progress Seminar One: Tuesday 6th April 2017 (13:30-16:30)

• Progress Seminar Two: Thursday 6th June 2017 (10:00-13:00)

Assessment – 2015-16 Dates• Assignment One – Reading

– Draft submission – Mon 26th Oct 2015 09:00am– Final submission - Mon 30th Nov 2015 11:59pm

• Assignment Two – Writing – Draft submission – Mon 15th Feb 2016 09:00am– Final submission - Mon 21st March 2016 11:59pm

• Library Project– Draft submission – Mon 23rd May 2016 09:00am– Final submission - Fri 1st July 2016 11:59pm

I thought this was a really well thought out curriculum. I really enjoyed the way that our role as learners and as peer teachers was weaved into it and alternated to achieve an experiential way of teaching. It is inspiring to see learning delivered in this way.

Hearing other people's opinions about the pre-reading. This really helped to either reinforce concepts that I'd struggle with alone, or else clarify things I'd misunderstood.

Varied presentations, pauses, flexing into discursive time for the group to 'digest'. Team based learning on Day 1 to establish a community.

Being given plenty of time to understand new concepts/approaches. Very good mix of group work/peer discussion/whole group teaching - made the week very enjoyable. Timing were good allowing space for reading outside the taught sessions. Lots of guidance/linking throughout to assignment/library project.

Fantastic transformative process. Excellent focus on skills.

Exposure to range of 'big' overarching theories to anchor thoughts.

Areas for development through Diploma

• More critical interrogation of literature and educational theory

• Development of own professional voice• Increased engagement with current themes

and discourses• Linking issues beyond immediate context to

the wider perspective

Support • All materials, important documents and useful

links on Blackboard Learn - https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/

• E-mail Course Director (k.ippolito@imperial.ac.uk) with any questions or concerns

• Assigned a tutor who will give feedback on drafts and final submissions

• Ideally complete in 1 year

Important Dates and Deadlines• Deadline for submission: 27th June 17.00• Exam Board: 27th July

– Finding out your result• Check online in your student services account• Official results not sent out until October• Certificates sent in late November/December

– You need to decide whether to continue to the Diploma, exit the programme or ‘pause’

Questions

Course Review and Feedback