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HE in FE: professional identity and staff development The Changing Landscape of Lifelong Learning

HE in FE: professional identity and staff development The Changing Landscape of Lifelong Learning UALL Staff Development Network 29 October 2009 Kate Thomas Progression Co-ordinator, WVLLN/UWE.

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HE in FE: professional identity and staff development The Changing Landscape of Lifelong Learning

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  1. HE in FE: professional identity and staff development The Changing Landscape of Lifelong Learning UALL Staff Development Network 29 October 2009 Kate Thomas Progression Co-ordinator, WVLLN/UWE

  2. The shifting boundaries between FE and HE are leading to greater inconsistency and more inequality between the two groups than has existed previously…and raise new questions about the relationships between FE and HE and those who teach in them. Robson, 2006

  3. Part of the Bigger Picture: FE and HE staff involved in Year 1 of new Foundation degrees validated by UWE (March-July 2008) presentation focus: experiences of programme leaders/tutors delivering HE in FECs, implications for professional identity and staff development a framework of professionalism: autonomy, knowledge, responsibility context

  4. related research • teacher professionalism within FE (Spenceley, 2006; Clow, 2001; Gleeson, Davies and Wheeler, 2005; Robson, 2006: Bathmaker & Avis, 2005; Avis, 1999) • HE in FE (Young, 2002; Harwood & Harwood, 2004, Bridge, 2005; Davy et al, 2007) • learner experiences of Foundation degrees (Bainbridge, 2005, Hampton & Blythman, 2006; Tierney & Slack, 2005)

  5. semi-structured interviews role, experiences, relationships 3 Further Education Colleges varying degrees of ‘HE maturity’ Foundation degrees Business, Health & Social Care, Education (Inclusive Practice) methodology

  6. I’m curriculum manager of business and tourism as well…I developed most of the modules mainly on my own. I’m faculty manager…I started off right at the beginning working with (UWE member of staff) on the idea of an Fd. I worked under her supervision, guidance, encouragement… I thought we would be monitored, people in the classroom, much more checking… Without a doubt who the programme co-ordinator is within the colleges is vital in holding it together experienced beginners

  7. We worked very closely last year, the validation was fantastic and a great experience, but it’s all gone quiet with development now… I know that responsibility for the Fd has passed on but I hope the strategic view hasn’t gone now…we need to be looking to expand and develop the programme People like myself…it’s very important we’re involved in developing the programmes further because we know the students expectations vs reality

  8. It’s given me lots of opportunities to do things I’m not able to do when teaching professional courses…there’s a lot of scope We get support when we need it but are also left to use our professional judgement The people I’ve worked with have been absolutely fantastic…I do feel they’ve been very encouraging We’re a member of the team…when I go there now I’m recognised and I know people positive experiences

  9. Development and validation were very stressful…I don’t think they realised how much work that was for us This year we’ve been really pushed logistically We don’t get any remission for delivering, assessing, co-ordinating HE so that is an issue, which is our issue, frustrating for the staff I’ve tried to buffer the university’s demands on my teaching team, I don’t want to put them off working on the course We’ve been very anxious to make sure we comply with university regulation What’s been most difficult for us is writing exams and coursework challenges

  10. It’s like me delivering a programme under any other awarding body I feel we’re a part of the university, this is a little bit of the university being delivered in the college and I’m the kind of bridge When they’ve done their two years here and then they go on, I’m – or someone on the team – is an obvious link, maybe they do need someone to bridge that gap, the staff could be a wonderful link if I look through my emails, there’s very little that says…’is there anything we can do to support you?’ I don’t think I’ve ever been asked ‘is there anything you’ve got you could perhaps offer our courses? partnership?

  11. welcomed increased scope offered by Fds positive professional relationships – partnership with HEI characterised by relationships with individuals being part of a larger subject team the opportunity to be part of students’ progression to HE FE tutors

  12. critical of lack of recognition for increased workload one-sided nature of some HE/FE partnerships loss of key individual partnerships and staff turnover which destabilises developing partnerships loss of ‘strategic momentum’ away from further course development and new programmes FE tutors

  13. Changes in the nature of knowledge, autonomy and responsibility can alter the nature of teacher professionalism itself Robson, 2006 a new professional role?

  14. autonomy extended through Fd curriculum constrained by contractual structures/support structures knowledge HE quality standards and assessment regulations positive response to being part of a ‘subject’ team scholarly activity? responsibility additional/extended - to learners, to FEC, to HE partner a new professional role?

  15. HE/FE staff development events – annual conference, library staff events, joint subject seminars active links increased between partner colleges and Faculties to enhance student experience and pave the way for learners’ transition to Honours year – visits, guest lectures; programme review cross-partnership working – cross-sector representation on HE and FE working groups/committees eg: Work-based Learning Advisory Group, Widening Participation Partnerships since the project

  16. staff development • a partnership issue? • differences in FE/HE terms and conditions • evolving/revolving staff development needs • a more holistic engagement post-validation

  17. The development of a partnership where all partners feel of equal value is important but hard to sustain. Foskett, 2005 p9

  18. contact Kate Thomas kate2.thomas@uwe.ac.uk 0117 328 1436

  19. references i • Bathmaker, A. and Avis, J. (2005) Becoming a lecturer in further education in England: the construction of professional identity and the role of communities of practice, Journal of Education for Teaching, 31:1, 47-62. • Beaney, P. (ed) (2006) Researching Foundation Degrees, Lichfield, Foundation Degree Forward • Bridge, F. (2005) The professional development needs of staff who are teaching higher education programmes in further education settings, Paper presented at the British Educational Association Annual Conference, University of Glamorgan, 14-17 September 2005, pp12 http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/150332.doc (accessed 3 August 2008) • Briggs, A. (2005) Professionalism in Further Education: a changing concept, Management in Education, 19, 19-23. • Clow, R. (2001) Further education teachers’ construction of professionalism, Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 53:3, 407-420. • Davy, N., Smith, B., Walker, A. and Stone, M. (2006) Supporting the Development of Academic Communities across an HE in FE network, Forward, 9, 15-19. • Gleeson, D., Davies, J. and Wheeler, E. (2005) On the making and taking of professionalism in the further education workplace, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 26:4, 445-460. • Foskett, R. (2005) Collaborative Partnership in the Higher Education Curriculum: a cross-sector study of foundation degree development, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 10:3, 351-372.

  20. references ii • Harwood, J. and Harwood, D. (2004) Higher Education in Further Education: delivering higher education in a further education context – a study of five South West colleges, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28:2, 153-164. • HEFCE (2008) Foundation degrees: Key statistics 2001-02 to 2007-08, (web only),http://www.hefce.ac.uk/learning/founddeg/ (accessed 20 August 2008) • Robson, J. (2006) Teacher professionalism in further and higher education, London, Routledge • Robson, J., Bailey, B. and Larkin, S. (2004) Adding value: investigating the discourse of professionalism adopted by vocational teachers in further education colleges, Journal of Education and Work, 17:2, 183-195. • Spenceley, L. (2006) ‘Smoke and mirrors’: an examination of the concept of professionalism within the FE sector, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 11:3, 289-302. • Thurgate, C., MacGregor, J. and Brett, H. (2007) The lived experience: delivering a foundation degree in health and social care, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 31:3, 215-223. • Young, P. (2002) ‘Scholarship is the word that dare not speak its name’: Lecturers’ experiences of teaching on a higher education programme in a further education college, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 26:3, 273-286.

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