Practically perfect: the pursuit of teaching excellence in the Learning and Skills sector

1. Practically perfect: the pursuit of teaching excellence in the Learning and Skills sector Ann-Marie Bathmaker, UWE Bristol SWitch Conference 4 November 2008

2. Constructions of ‘excellent’ and ‘outstanding’ practice in the Learning and Skills sector: the case of HE in FE

3. Overview • The context • Some key players • Defining ‘outstanding’ and ‘excellent’ practice • The implications for teaching and the training of teachers in the Learning and Skills Sector

4. The pursuit of excellence • Identification and dissemination of ‘good practice’ have been part of the UK government’s strategy for improving education and training for a considerable time • The pursuit of excellence is more recent • But excellence is not enough

5. Excellence is not enough • Excellent: Of the highest or finest quality; exceptionally good of its kind http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ • Excellent: of the highest quality http://www.wordreference.com/ • Outstanding: Superior to others of its kind http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ • Outstanding: distinguished from others in excellencehttp://www.wordreference.com/

6. Excellence for all: outstanding for the few • Excellent practice might be possible for many to achieve viz: QAA subject review scores of HE teaching and learning provision • Outstanding practice suggests individuals/individual institutions that stand out from the rest

7. Who decides? When? Using what criteria? Mary Poppins: Practically perfect

8. The context • Widening participation in HE, in FE, in ‘lifelong learning’? • Osborne and Gallacher (2007) attempts to increase flexibility in HE provision ‘challenge constructions of what constitutes knowledge at Higher Education level and the means by which knowledge can be acquired and demonstrated.’ (Osborne and Gallacher, 2007, p.7) • Chris Duke (2005) argues:How far should we stretch the notion of ‘university’? What is essentially higher about higher education? Should we better concentrate on the notion of ‘lifelong’, ‘enhancing access and approaching universal participation in society’s cultural-intellectual goods?’ (Duke, 2005, p.1)

9. The context • HE in FE: an increasingly recognised role with a growing power base – The Mixed Economy Group(Foundation) Degree Awarding powers

10. What is HE in FE? • Is it always ‘distinctive’? • Is it always work-based and/or occupationally oriented? • Is it for ‘widening participation’ students? • Is it for ‘non-traditional’ students? • Is it for lower achieving students? And what are the implications for teaching ‘excellence’?

11. Some key players in defining excellence in FE/L&S and HE • Ofsted • Quality Assurance Agency • Higher Education Academy • Institute for Learning • Centres of Excellence • LSC and HEFCE Student surveys

12. Ofsted • Inspects teacher training provision in the Learning and Skills sector • Has introduced grading criteria, which include grading for the observation of teaching, with grades of outstanding, satisfactory, good, inadequate

13. Ofsted’s criteria for outstanding (1) • ensure that all learners make progress so that they fully achieve the challenging intended learning outcomes • teach learners to be able to explain how the teaching helped them to make progress • teach lessons that invariably capture the interest of learners, are inclusive of all learners, and feature debate between learners and between learners and the teacher • have a rapport with learners – high-quality dialogue and questioning, guiding learning, with attention to individuals and groups • monitor learners’ progress to evaluate quickly how well they are learning so that they can change the approach during the lesson if necessary, and provide detailed feedback and targets to individual learners that are focused well to ensure further progress

14. Ofsted’s criteria for outstanding (2) • demonstrate the ability to apply their own depth of subject knowledge to support learners in acquiring understanding and skills, often showing understanding, through application of a range of different approaches to ensure that all learners make the expected progress • demonstrate flexibility and adaptability by changing pace, approach and teaching method in a lesson in response to what learners say and do • make links with other aspects of learners’ development and understanding (for example, linking to work in other subjects) • fully exploit possibilities to promote learners’ understanding and appreciation of social and cultural diversity.

15. Quality Assurance Agency • Inspects HE in FE provision Does not define excellent or outstanding practice Sets benchmarks, and reviews standards and quality, and expresses ‘confidence’ or not in provision

16. The Higher Education Academy • membership organisation for HE lecturers • The HEA has a National Teaching Fellowship Award which defines ‘excellence’:Individual excellence: evidence of promoting and enhancing the student learning experience.For example by: arousing curiosity to stimulate and inspire learning, organising and presenting resources cogently and imaginatively, recognising and supporting diversity of student learning needs, drawing upon the results of relevant research, scholarship and professional practice, engaging with and contributing to the established literature or the nominee’s own evidence base.

17. The Institute for Learning • membership organisation for FE teachers • The IfL has a STAR awardThe QIA STAR Awards recognise and reward the work of those individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the quality of teaching and learning that millions of people receive in England every day. These hidden STARs, in their many varied roles, are the unsung heroes who make a real difference to their organisations and make the further education system so vibrant. The awards are one of a number of programmes and services managed by the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA), which seek to recognise and promote excellence in the further education system. (The QIA defines excellence by referring to Ofsted)

18. HEFCE CETLs • 74 Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning established in 2005 • The Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) initiative has two main aims: to reward excellent teaching practice, and to further invest in that practice so that CETLs funding delivers substantial benefits to students, teachers and institutions. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Learning/TInits/cetl/

19. HEA subject centres • 24 Subject Centres, which include HE in FE sub-sections. They are intended to enhance the student learning experienceThe Academy's mission is to help institutions, discipline groups and all staff to provide the best possible learning experience for their students. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/institutions/heinfe

20. Student surveys • HEFCE National Student Survey • LSC National Learner Satisfaction Survey

21. Some issues raised in the literature All HE teaching cannot be judged in the same way: • the impact of disciplinary differences • the ways in which work cultures influence and impact on learning • Different pedagogies, for example e-learning pedagogies, inquiry-based learning(Savin-Baden et al, 2008)

22. Issues raised in the literature • All HE students are not the sameFor example: • mature students appreciate ‘andragogical’ approaches, involving more practical, free and independent learning with well-developed learning materials, while young students prefer ‘pedagogical’ approaches, with human contact, communication with teachers, friends and fellow students, both within the classroom setting and out of class.(Yoshimoto, Inenaga and Yamada, 2007)

23. Issues raised in the literature WP may change what teaching and learning approaches are needed:Students may increasingly need • the provision of clear learning outcomes • the ready availability of lecture notes • pedagogic guidance through workshops, tutorial support or handouts • routes to additional support that bypass tutors and lecturers and enable students to raise their concerns in confidence • clear feedback on submitted work (Watts, Bridges and Eames, 2008, p.iii)

24. Issues raised in the literature Asking students about the quality of teaching • ‘criteria for best practice are no longer being driven by the dictates of the intellectual field, but by the degree of client satisfaction.’ (Morley, 2003, p.89) • Edutainment: Keeping students happy and in a comfort zoneLouise Morley argues that although students are being asked about the quality of teaching, they are reconstructed as consumers, in a way that encourages them to look for satisfaction, but not necessarily for intellectual challenge.

25. Implications for teaching and the training of teachers in the L & S Sector • Who defines what counts as ‘good’, ‘excellent’ and ‘outstanding’ practice? • How do WE define what we understand as ‘good’ and ‘excellent’ practice? • How do we address and debate the different needs and contexts across the sector?

26. Not forgetting • The need for situated understandings of practice • The need to embrace and cope with difference, diversity and contestation • The impact of change and new initiatives on the development of good and excellent practices

27. Mary Poppins: Transgression for perfection

28. Ann-Marie Bathmaker Ann-Marie.Bathmaker@uwe.ac.uk brilleBristol Centre for Research in Education and Lifelong Learning