Casting my (newly beady) eye on TEF

17 Aug

Following on from Ruth Pickford’s and my Teaching Excellence Framework SWOT (see post below) I have been asked with Phil Race to contribute to a #LTECHAT on Wednesday 26th August, 8pm UK time as part of an open exchange about the TEF.

I have devised eight potential dimensions for a TEF which you or your university can use as a spider diagram to review on a scale 1-10 the extent to which you provide a Teaching Excellence Framework.  My proposed eight dimensions (thanks to Phil and Fiona Campbell for advice on refining these) are:

  1. The HEI recognises and rewards excellent teaching e.g. by supporting HEA Fellowship accreditation, appointing Teacher Fellows, offering Professorships for L&T, and valuing academic leadership
  2. Students are involved in assuring and enhancing teaching at all stages from curriculum design through teaching to evaluation, there are robust systems for training, supporting, valuing and making good use of student representatives.
  3. All New-to-HE staff are trained and supported through their early years of teaching (linked to probation) including GTAs, sessional and fractional staff , and career-wide CPD is provided for all who teach and take up is monitored
  4. Students are satisfied with their learning experiences as indicated by a basket of measures, one of which will be NSS outcomes
  5. Outcomes for students are excellent as indicated by retention and successful degree achievements and students are employed in graduate professions within three years of graduation
  6. Quality assurance measures result in QAA & PSRB confidence
  7. Assessment is fit-for-purpose, appropriate to subject and level and is integrated with learning, with robust moderation in place to assure standards
  8. The HEI demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and redressing all kinds of disadvantage, particularly in terms of Widening Participation and Fair Access.

These appear in shorter form on the diagram linked here: https://lthechat.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/tef-grid-august-2015.jpg

I am sure these are capable of improvement, so am looking forward to receiving suggestions for enhancement of the dimensions themselves, and indeed of the format.

If you want to join in the conversation, do join us on Wednesday 26th August at 8.00 p.m., using the hashtag #LTHEchat.

For those interested in the HEA position on TEF, Geoff Stokes’s presentation given at the NTF discussion on TEF convened by Ian Scott at Oxford Brookes is here Geoff Stokes presentation (929 downloads)

And the newly beady eye is brought about by having had my second cataract operation yesterday (Sunday)! Thanks to the amazing NHS for helping me get this done in the holidays due to a waiting list clearing initiative.