Staff Development

This is an experiential route for gaining Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Accredited by Advance HE to allow Abertay to award Associate Fellow, Fellow and Senior Fellow, this is a route for experienced members of academic and professional staff to gain national recognition for their practice in teaching and/or supporting learning in higher education.  The scheme is aligned to the Professional Standards Framework (currently the 2011 version)

Staff on the Scheme are supported through a series of workshops, circle mentor groups and 1:1 mentoring leading up to the submission of a Reflective Account of Practice (either written or recorded).  After submission of your Reflective Account of Practice you will be asked to take part in a Professional Conversation to discuss your practice and how it relates to the Professional Standards Framework.

Successful candidates on the Abertay Fellowship Scheme are entitled to use the postnominals AFHEA, FHEA or SFHEA depending on which category of Fellowship you have applied for. You can also get involved in mentoring and reviewing applications for the scheme as part of your continued professional practice and keeping in good standing as a Fellow.

Staff and students enquiring about the Abertay Fellowship Scheme can contact able@abertay.ac.uk.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) is designed to support academic staff who are new to teaching in higher education. The primary purpose is to ensure that new staff have a thorough understanding of the approaches and processes to teaching and learning at Abertay. The programme runs over four terms. During the first two terms participants take a 40-credit module: Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education (CAP511). This module starts with an intensive two-day programme run off site. Delivery is then a blend of online material and tasks with monthly in-person workshops. The focus is on developing skills via a set of practice focused tasks that are designed to cover many of the core tasks carried out by academic staff.

The assessment is based on associated reflections and narrative pieces that require participants to interrogate the pedagogic literature. There is considerable flexibility in the mode of submission with participants required to use a range of different modes to submit the narrative and reflective pieces (written, audio, video, and professional conversation)

The work covered in the first two terms leads to Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

In terms 3 and 4 the focus is on the evaluation of practice via a 20-credit module: Action Research in Educational Practice (CAP512). Within this module participants run a small research project based on their own teaching practice. Participants submit a research proposal, but the main submission is a negotiated output and can, for instance take the form of a research paper or a presentation. Participants are encouraged to share their findings both internally and with the wider academic community.

For more information regarding the PGCAP please email able@abertay.ac.uk.

For all staff new to Abertay who have a role in teaching or supporting learning, the AbLE team offer the Quick Start programme. This is a short programme of 2.5 days that is online and in person culminating with all participants delivering a short (5min) teaching session. Postgraduate students who want to teach on Abertay programmes need to participate in the Quick Start programme as the first part of the Introduction to Learning and Teaching at Abertay Scheme.

The first day of Quick Start is an in-person and introduced the Abertay teaching and learning ethos with sessions on our student body, teaching large and small groups as well as the role of reflection in developing teaching practice. On day 2 we move online and look at some of the processes that underpin teaching at Abertay as well as take a closer look at how to plan a teaching session. This will support the session on day 3 when all participants will deliver a short teaching session on a topic of their choice.

The Quick Start programme is run twice a year (October and February).

For further details about Quick start please contact able@abertay.ac.uk.

The Introduction to Teaching and learning at Abertay Scheme is open to postgraduate students who are involved with teaching. The Quick Start programme makes up the first segment of the scheme. The second segment, Teaching and Learning Practice at Abertay involves teaching observations by a mentor and a peer so participants must be delivering teaching to Abertay students to participate. Successful completion of the third and final segment, Reflection on teaching Practice at Abertay can lead to Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. To complete this segment participants, need to log 20hrs of teaching practice (of which 10hrs needs to be student facing), submit a Reflective Account of Academic practice and participate in a professional conversation.

The Introduction to Teaching and Learning scheme has 2 start points (October and February).

For further information about the Introduction to Learning and Teaching at Abertay, please contact your research supervisor or/and able@abertay.ac.uk.

AbLE seminars and Able Bites aim to develop teaching and learning practice within the University. Seminars can be focused on exploration of topics in depth or encompass a range of activities such as workshops on implementing aspects of the University strategic plan or sharing aspects of practice. The seminars are normally run on the first Wednesday of the month and are in-person or online. We aim to include some external speakers in the programme as well as showcasing practice and developments within the University.

AbLE bites are short (30min) online session that focus on a specific area of practice. These are held at a range of times and are run online and recorded. Topics for the AbLE bites range from sharing a tool to generate feedback to advice on increasing engagement in tutorials. The AbLE bites are an excellent way of sharing your practice across the University and a great way to find out about good practice within the institution.

If you would like to contribute an AbLE seminar or an AbLE bite the please contact the AbLE team (Able@abertay.ac.uk)

Assessment and feedback are fundamental parts of the student experience and Abertay seeks to constantly innovate and improve these.  Over the past year, all academic schools and professional services have been involved in a working group looking at our practices and where these can be enhanced.  2023-24 will be a focused year on assessment and feedback looking to implement and embed the work of the working group including a new assessment typology with a wide range of different types of authentic assessments being described; a new assessment brief to support students in understand their assessments, a set of feedback principles and resources to help staff and students give good quality feedback on assessments and how to use that feedback in improving future work.  These are being supported by a range of workshops, Assessment Jams, internal and externally facilitated webinars and written and recorded resources.  We are engaged in cross-sector research projects on assessment and feedback and so using our work at Abertay to add to sector knowledge and understanding.  For more information about our work or to express an interest in collaboration, please contact able@abertay.ac.uk.

Abertay is committed to supporting staff in developing leadership skills and one of the ways we do this is through our support for programme leaders and aspiring programme leaders.  In partnership with other areas of the university, the AbLE Academy hosts an annual programme leader’s away day (which is also open to aspiring programme leaders and those who support programme leaders), supports the creation of resources and the formation of a new programme leaders’ network within Abertay.  We are also involved in sector-wide collaborative work to support the role of programme leadership across Scotland.  You can find some of the related resources on the Enhancement Theme pages with two projects: Enhancing Programme Leadership and Programme Leadership: Strengthening resilience, supporting learning communities.

As well as AbLE Seminars and AbLE Bites, the AbLE Academy also facilitate bespoke workshops for colleagues.  These can be delivered at special interest group, external partner, module, programme, Faculty, Department or Directorate level.  Previous examples include workshops for the microcredential module leads, sessions at School Away Days on current issues in academic practice, online workshops on authentic assessment at Department level, facilitating programme redesign, and the Abertay learning and teaching approach for external partners.

AbLE Academy is leading a project that aims to embed an inclusive learning practice that reflects Abertay’s policies and values into the curriculum. This Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the curriculum project will adopt a co-creative approach to developing an inclusive and welcoming community. We are building on the great work already being done by academics across the institution and the sector to build a curriculum that is equitable in practice. AbLE’s approach also incorporates principles of anti-racism and decolonisation with the following three ambitions:

1. Creating a learning community that is diverse and inclusive in its teaching and that supports staff and students.

2. Enabling the development of competent and engaged professionals who are active citizens and address bigotry in its various forms. These students will be prepared not just to be good employees but to engage more effectively with the diverse societies they will join after graduation.

3. Embedding equity in teaching and learning activities to create a space that is accessible, safe and belonging for a diverse student and staff base.  These students will be enabled to challenge inequalities within the classroom and wider society.

A taste of the actions as part of this work which is only the starting point on our journey:

1. A cohesive EDI policy for the curriculum has been drafted based on the programme audits with programme leaders earlier in the spring and a consultation process in the fall with the student body and wider staff complement will explore the methods of embedding EDI in the curriculum.

2. CPD and training: AbLE seminars and bites on incorporating the following in teaching and learning practice e.g. delivery and assessment: Cultural sensitivity, Race Equality, Gender Equality, Neurodiversity, Supporting widening participation/access students, LGBTQIA+ Equality, Accessibility in digital and f2f teaching.

3. Reviewing the Abertay Attributes to embed EDI and anti-racism at the programme level.

4. Creation of programme or departmental level interest groups to support disciplinary approaches to embedding EDI in the curriculum. These groups will help with programme mapping of EDI, decolonisation and anti-racism highlights and gaps in our curriculum with the support of the AbLE team.

5. Co-creative projects with students, the archivist and the Student Association to create artifacts that demonstrate the progress of Abertay through the eras regarding EDI.

For further information on our EDI in the curriculum work please contact k.fletcher@abertay.ac.uk.

The Teaching Excellence, The Student Journey and Digital Education aspects of Abertay’s Learning Enhancements strategy are all affected by Generative AI. To advance understanding and disseminate good practice in our Teaching and Learning, Assessment, and approach to Academic Misconduct in relation to AI - generative AI, in particular - activities for staff and updates to guidance for staff and students will take place for and into Academic Year 23/24.

As part of wider Teaching, Learning and Assessment initiatives, AbLE Assessment Jams will take place throughout the summer months and term-time. The Assessment Jams are designed as dynamic and interactive workshops, where participants can work intensively on one of their own assessments to consider, for example, Assessment design and challenges of ChatGPT. 

AbLE Seminars: Throughout the Academic Year AbLE will run seminars with a strong Assessment focus, some of which will consider topics around AI.

Informal meetups, such as the Able Summer Coffee hours, giving staff the opportunity to chat with colleagues about all things relating to teaching, and learning with Generative AI likely to be a topic of conversation.

Updates to AbLE Staff and Student Guidance regarding Generative AI, will be made available prior to start of Term 1. Updates will be based on sector guidance and best practice and our own, i.e.  University/School/Division learning.

Abertay University's graduate employment figures have been steadily improving with an 8% increase in graduate level employment in 2023. AbLE Academy continues to be engaged in work to establish employability best practice that is embedded within programmes at the university. This work, in 2023,  has led to a series of workshops for staff and students to develop and share best practice across programme teams. In addition, the microcredential development at years one and two offers a student focused approach that will support a focus on student future careers and skills. Over 60% of 1^st year students have undertaken ABE107 Planning your Future Career a first year microcredential.

The University has a detailed Employability Strategy which directly relates to the Learning Enhancement Strategy.  These aligned strategies are up for review in 2025 and work to develop these will be informed by AbLE’s leadership in this area.  This work will draw heavily upon existing knowledge, structures and innovative approaches that are already in place at Abertay and will seek out excellence across the sector.

For further information and to support this work please contact able@abertay.ac.uk.

Digital Education is now part and parcel of our teaching, learning and Assessment. Whether via Blended or Fully online learning, on or off campus, synchronous or asynchronous, we are dependent on digital tools and systems to delivery our teaching activity. The Able Academy lead the development of Digital Education, which is one strand of the current Learning Enhancement Strategy- to help support staff and students make the best use and enhance the use of digital tools and training to support learning and assessment.

The Learning Technologies Development Forum brings together stakeholders from across the university with a teaching and learning focus to help discuss, inform and advise the development of learning technologies core to our teaching at Abertay. The focus is on the enhancement of our existing and future learning technologies to bring benefits to both students and staff. Core to the remit of this forum is to review existing practices, problem solve and propose measures for the continuous improvement of learning technology integration and delivery.  In particular, there is a focus on the VLE and how learning technologies can deliver the support of learning, teaching and assessment, both on a changing campus and online. Staff training and support is key to delivery of our vision of a modern, intuitive digital experience and we work closely with Technology Enhanced Learning Support (TELS) colleagues to support all staff, and students in how to make best use of systems and share best practice.

We are keen to collaborate with staff and students from across the university and beyond to develop our digital education provision. Please contact Dr Scott Cameron for further information, s.cameron@abertay.ac.uk.