The role of Teaching in the Development of PGRs

Dr Rob DaleyCentre for Academic Leadership &

Development

r.a.daley@hw.ac.uk

@RD531

GTA Support and development: Scoping out the Big Issues, 20/21 June 2016

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Why do we provide development opportunities for PGRs?

Harris Review, 1996 Dearing Review, 1997

.. it would be very valuable if institutions were to provide relevant PG students with access to appropriate training towards becoming an HE teacher.

Harris Review of PG Education, 1996

PhDs ... should include the provision of at least two weeks’ dedicated training a year, principally in transferable skills. Concordat to Support the Career

Development of Researchers, 2008

Universities should….develop or seek access to programmes for teacher training of their staff…

Dearing Review Review, 1997

Suitable training should be provided for teaching and coaching activities as part of the professional development of researchers

European Charter for Researchers, 2005

Employers will ensure that where researchers are provided with teaching and demonstrating opportunities as part of their career development, suitable training and support is provided.

Roberts Review, 2002

UK Quality Code: Chapter B12, 2012

Research students have appropriateopportunities for developing research, personal and professional skills.

UK Quality Code: Chapter B11, 2012

Higher education providers assure themselves that everyone involved in teaching or supporting student learning is appropriately qualified, supported and developed.

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What future roles are we developing PGRs for?

From The Scientific Century securing our future prosperity , The Royal Society 2010

53% careers outside science17% non-University Research roles30% stay in Higher Education

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Employment Sector %

HE 42.9Education (other) 6.0

Finance, business and IT 10.8

Health and social work 13.1

Manufacturing 9.1

Research and development 6.5

Public administration 4.1

Other sectors 6.6

Data from 2010 DLHE Survey

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Employment SectorArts &

Humanities, %

Biological sciences, %

Biomedical sciences, %

Physical sciences &

engineering, %Social

sciences, % All,%

HE 57.5 43.2 36.5 33.9 67.6 42.9Education (other) 11.2 4.3 3.2 4.7 3.5 6.0

Finance, business and IT 4.8 9.7 3.8 22.1 8.5 10.8

Health and social work 5.7 7.7 38.9 3.2 5.2 13.1

Manufacturing 1.1 11.9 5.0 18.2 1.9 9.1

Research and development 0.7 13.4 8.6 7.5 2.5 6.5

Public administration 5.4 4.5 1.2 5.3 4.7 4.1

Other sectors 13.6 5.3 2.8 5.2 6.1 6.6

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How do we design our development provision?

Frameworks for GTA development

Vitae RDF UKPSF

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4 Domains12 Sub-domains63 descriptors5 Phases

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UK Professional Standards Framework

5 Areas of activity6 elements of core knowledge4 Professional values

4 descriptor levels• 1 - AFHEA• 2 – FHEA• 3 – SFHEA• 4 - PFHEA

} PGRs

UK Professional Standards framework

Descriptor 1Demonstrates an understanding of specific aspects of effective teaching, learning support methods and student learning.

Individuals should be able to provide evidence of:I. Successful engagement with at least two of

the five Areas of ActivityII. Successful engagement in appropriate

teaching and practices related to these Areas of Activity

III. Appropriate Core Knowledge and understanding of at least K1 and K2

IV. A commitment to appropriate Professional Values in facilitating others’ learning

V. Relevant professional practices, subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the above activities

VI. Successful engagement, where appropriate, in professional development activity related to teaching, learning and assessment responsibilities

Descriptor 2Demonstrates a broad understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning support as key contributions to high quality student learning.

Individuals should be able to provide evidence of:I. Successful engagement across all five Areas

of ActivityII. Appropriate knowledge and understanding

across all aspects of Core KnowledgeIII. A commitment to all the Professional ValuesIV. Successful engagement in appropriate

teaching practices related to the Areas of Activity

V. Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and/ or scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to academic practice

VI. Successful engagement in continuing professional development in relation to teaching, learning, assessment and, where appropriate, related professional practices

1511 Sub-domains 30 Elements

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What teaching development do we provide?

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Teaching Development Provision

Development

• Short introductory courses• Workshops• Online materials• Accredited programmes• PG Certs• External development

opportunities• Experience

Wider Support

• University policy• Wider staff support• Mentoring• Peer observation• Peer support groups

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University of York

• University policy for postgraduates who teach http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/hr/resources/policy/postgraduates-who-teach.htm

• Role descriptors for various different roles• PGWT Residential (2-day) programme• Introduction to Teaching and Learning (1 day)• York Learning and Teaching Award http

://www.york.ac.uk/admin/hr/researcher-development/ylta/

–20 Credits; Oct-June; Min 92 hours activity; Individual supervisors, portfolio assessment

–AFHEA recognised• Learning & Teaching Forum workshops etc.

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How do PGRs use their teaching skills?

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What does PRES say about PGR Teaching experiences?

PRES 2015

• 51% of respondents have taught during their research programme (33% of 1st years; 70% of Year 4)

• Of those who have taught:–60% received appropriate support–63% received formal training.

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What teaching activities are PGRs involved in?

• Lab demonstrating• Tutorials• Seminars• Lecturing• Field trips• Assessment

• Individual support• On-line

teaching/moderating• Supervising UG/PGT

research projects• Assisting less

experienced researchers• Researcher development• Others?

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Wider application of teaching skills

• Research Presentations• Explaining research to other researchers• Public engagement• Job interviews• Funding interviews• Research proposals• Managing staff• Training activities

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Impact of Teaching Development

Boman, 2013• Increased self-efficacy• Increase in effective teaching behaviours• Decreasing communication apprehension

• Need for additional training for International GTAs wrt Canadian teaching context.

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Impact of teaching on research

…teaching experience can contribute substantially to the improvement of essential research skills (Feldon et. al., 2011)

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Impact of teaching on wider development?

PRES 2015

Teaching experience supports development of various skills–Specifically communication skills–Professional networks–Managing research projects

the experience of teaching and demonstrating seems to be an important factor affecting the professional development of research students. It especially improves communication skills

UK PRES 2015 report

Areas for consideration or exploration

• Further evidence of impact would be useful!

• Will the broadening expectations on PGRs (PE, KE, Internships etc.) impact on their teaching development?

• Do we need to consider international PGRs differently?

• How do we support part-time PGRs?

• How does teaching fit into CDT development provision?

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References

1. HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND (1996) Review of Postgraduate Education (Bristol: HEFCE).HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL (1994) http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100202100434/http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/1996/m14_96.htm

2. National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (July 1997), Higher Education in the Learning Society, Report of the National Committee, HMSO, Norwich. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ncihe/

3. Treasury, H. M. "SET for success: The supply of people with science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills. The report of Sir Gareth Roberts’ Review." London: HM Treasury (2002). http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/robertsreview_introch1.pdf

4. The European Charter for Researchers and The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (2005) http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/pdf/brochure_rights/am509774CEE_EN_E4.pdf

5. The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (2008) https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/vitae-concordat-vitae-2011.pdf

6. Graduate Students’ Teaching Experiences Improve Their Methodological Research Skills,  D. F. Feldon, J. Peugh, B.E. Timmerman, M.A. Maher, M. Hurst, D. Strickland, J.A. Gilmore, C. Stiegelmeyer, SCIENCE19 AUG 2011 : 1037-1039

7. Boman, J.S. 2013, "Graduate Student Teaching Development: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Training in Relation to Graduate Student Characteristics", The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 100-114.

8. UK Professional Standards Framework (2011) https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/ukpsf_2011_english.pdf

9. Vitae Researcher Development Framework (2011) https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/about-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework/developing-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework

10. Teaching Lens on the Vitae researcher Development Framework (2012) https://www.vitae.ac.uk/vitae-publications/rdf-related/teaching-lens-on-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework-rdf-apr-2013.pdf

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THANK YOU!