PROEM 'professional education matters'

A new MED-NET project.

Summary

Draft project description

PROEM Professional Education Matters

Proposal for a European Masters qualification for UniversityTeachers

PART ONE: 
innovative MA in University Teaching and Learning

Aims and Objectives

This proposal has several key aims -

1. To develop the capacity of universities to sustain innovation in education and training through collaboration on good pedagogic practices
2. To harmonise and develop a university teacher education, based on pooled strategies and approaches from teacher and medical education networks,
3. To create a distinctive approach to university teacher education, based on reflective practice and action research, and with a generic (not subject- disciplinary) approach. The means by which these aims should be achieved include the following -
4. The creation of a system of modules, supported by university tutor/mentors, developed within a core course team or within partner universities.
5. The creation of web-based guidance materials
6. The introduction of accreditation systems to accelerate the process of modular recognition across university systems.

Context

For many years, the training of university teachers [lecturers/professors] has been treated as a private question for themselves or a more public question involving their departments or their university rectors, sometimes even national system policy, but there is a shift of emphasis within Europe which is raising the profile of the area of university teacher's pedagogical development and skills. Following the policy discussion on education in Europe, (particularly after the publication of the Commission's White Paper "Teaching and learning - towards the learning society" in 1995) and the formation of the idea of a "knowledge- based society" and the competitive position of European universities in the world, the connections made between the production of research and its transmission through education and training became more distinct. The necessity to view the university as having a crucial role in the knowledge -based society has provided the opportunity to review the training and development of its teachers for the purposes of advancing its educational practice.

In the UK there is a related policy need to rebalance the universities in relation to teaching and research. A National Institute of Teaching and Learning has been proposed following a perceived need to induct, train and accredit university lecturers. In other words, to aid the professional development of university lecturers.

The professional induction and development of university teachers cannot follow a single model of the 'good' teacher nor a list of valued competencies so this proposal is based upon a critical self reflection, a reflective voice and an argument about the purpose of the university (and its teachers) in the world. The operationalization of a reflective practice model in the MA will follow a practice/reflection/ modified practice cycle, drawing closer the relation between espoused and practical theories [theories in use].

The purpose of the MA

The purpose of the MA will be:

• to establish a significant European route for the professional formation of university teachers,
• to initiate university development for teaching quality around a powerful teaching model of the university lecturer in a research university
• to generate a professional conversation on the practice and theory of university teaching

Operation University partners will need to provide teacher mentors who will act as guides to the web materials and the reflective practitioner approach taken within the MA. A training or development programme for the mentors will be undertaken as part of the project and a specification of mentor requirements will be produced.

The structure of the MA

The proposed operation of the MA is founded upon good practice within research universities in the UK and pertinent literature (published by the Society for Research into Higher Education).

Structure The MA will be created through a set of Core Modules, available through web-based means, and Optional Modules, which may be available through the web. The intention is that the Core Modules will be produced through the this proposal and that Option Modules will be attached to the MA through a system of accreditation and produced by partner universities.

First Stage Core 1 Core 2 Core 3

Second Stage Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

1. Core

It is proposed that three core modules will be created, focussed on key concerns in university teaching and learning, which will be based on principles of reflective pedagogy. These modules will be based on generic spheres in university teaching yet they will be constructed so that local conditions and particularities will be used to advantage. This will allow an approach to the issue of university teaching through a practical course, operating at a high level and within a flexible structure. The ability of teachers in disciplinary areas across European universities to use the MA to reflect upon their practical theorising on pedagogy and learning, to produce and share insights about university teaching and the teaching/research relation and to construct a basis for a distinctive European conversation will be distinctive and innovative. The Core modules will be made available in the main European languages.

The three key modules are as follows:

Core 1. Teaching in the University / this module will focus on the distinctive character of universities, public and private aspects of the academy, the teaching-research relation [researching teaching and teaching research], the teacher as a learner, the construction of the university curriculum and the argument around pedagogy and innovation.

Core 2. Learning in the University / the contexts and ways of the learner, perceptions of learning, forms of assessment, designing and negotiating, learning from evaluation.

Core 3. Professional Responsibility / the university teacher and developing reflective practice [reflection in and on action- practical theorizing], professional dialogue and collaboration, communities and networks of learning

2. Options

A further three modules will be needed to compete the MA in University Teaching and Learning; they will be chosen from agreed and accredited modules produced by partner universities. These modules will be specialized in terms of knowledge areas or skills and will be produced at comparable level; they will pass through an accreditation procedure for MAUTL. Option Modules may be produced as part of distinctive routes [for example, within a medical speciality] or skill cluster [for example, Developing a Programme with Multimedia/ Teaching in Distance Learning Mode/ Effective Small Group Teaching etc]. Option modules may only be available in languages of production.

3. Materials Bank

In addition to the modules, the MA will enable the creation of a further element - there will be an Item or Materials Bank created to support university teachers on the MA: in the first instance, key texts will be stored in the Bank but later, additional materials including examples of University Teacher Portfolios (assessments), new texts and discussion threads will be added.

4. Assessment

Assessment could take various forms but similar university programmes have used portfolios of work to advantage. A portfolio [literally a valise or folder] will be used as an assessment tool. In their portfolio, they will be expected to refer to the full range of teaching undertaken and demonstrate use of self, peer and student evaluation; contain examinations of teacher's own theories in use; discuss their pedagogical approach in the context of their own discipline and comment critically on their teaching innovations. Portfolios are assessed against evidence of capability and reflection.

PART TWO: 
Project WorkPackages

The project will need a development and a test stage - The first stage will involve the construction of the website, course team module production and accreditation policy/ a parallel process will involve planning university cooperation, forms of exchange and partner module procedures. The second stage will involve a trial of the integrated package, assessment test run, final arrangements for accreditation, partner agreements/contracts etc

The project is likely to need the following structure to manage the production

WP 1 - Project Management

Overall budget and schedule management/ integration of electronic, text and mentor aspects of project/ copyright clearance/

WP 2 - Web Management

Construction and management of website / enabling - draft production -interactive discussion- video

WP 3 - Core Modules

Course team production of core modules/ meetings/ draft transmission /text translation

WP 4 - Accreditation

Managing accreditation process between partner universities and creating routes for additional module clusters.

WP 5 - Evaluation

Evaluating PROEM / This proposal has evolved from a collaboration between two TNPs, Medische hulpbron and TNTEE, which are the largest of the Thematic Networks and are practised in professional education issues and contain members skilled in the aspects of policy, practice and implementation needed for this proposal.