1. The Higher Education Academy and its Subject Centres Scholarly Activity: What, Why & How – an introduction Ian Lindsay Academic Advisor HE in FE

2. ian@engsc.ac.uk 2 Introduction Challenges Yours not mine! What is Scholarly Activity? What is the Higher Education Academy and its Subject Centres? How can they help?

3. ian@engsc.ac.uk 3 Some of your challenges… Availability of suitable learning resources? –For staff & student use Knowing why students choose to access your HE courses –e.g. socialisation, personalisation, small class, transition, part- time/flexible provision And understanding how those differences and similarities can affect your Teaching & learning, Assessment and Curriculum Design. What factors contribute to student success? –Support? –Actually teaching…….? What are the advantages of studying at your institution?

4. ian@engsc.ac.uk 4 Some of your challenges.. Does your environment challenge the more able students sufficiently? –How do you know? What are the learning needs of your students and in what ways can these be met to aid progression from level 3 programmes? Involvement/relationship with partners/consortia? –How do these differ between HEIs and colleges? –Are you aware? –How do you allow for it? Staff needs/requirements? –Teaching and/or research? –Is there a conflict? –Is there a choice?

5. ian@engsc.ac.uk 5 HEFCE Ensure that staff involved in HE provision are appropriately qualified, have opportunities for scholarly activity and are supported by adequate learning resources, in order to ensure a high quality learning experience for the learners. Where the scale of provision is such that the college cannot provide such resources on its own, there will need to be clear arrangements to ensure that the provision is not isolated and that learners have access to such resources from one or more partner institutions. http://www.hefce.apubs/hefce/2009/09_13/

6. ian@engsc.ac.uk 6 So what is Scholarly Activity? keeping up to date with the subject curriculum development, particularly foundation degrees, often with HEIs curriculum development that involves research updating ICT skills taking higher qualifications – masters, doctorates and teaching qualifications consultancy to industry and other agencies industrial secondments or work shadowing involvement with SSCs research and publications practitioner/applied research personal development – action research and reading attending staff development events within the college attending conferences and workshops externally. –All from HEFCE Good Practice Guide for HE in FE March 2009, Page 166

7. ian@engsc.ac.uk 7 HEFCE Good Practice Guide for HE in FE While there are no generally agreed definitions, there appears to be a consensus about the distinction between scholarly activity as a broad collection of activities and the more narrow focus of research as described in higher education institutions. Now available from http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_05/#exec http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_05/#exec

8. ian@engsc.ac.uk 8 So what difference does it make? Engaging with your subject is an act that has implications for how your students see you. It impacts on how your partners (HEI and employers) see you. yourIt impacts on how well you can deliver your curriculum It impacts on how you feel about yourself…about yourself

9. ian@engsc.ac.uk Types of publication –Pedagogic Research journals –Subject-focussed Education journals –Professional Body journals: education –Discipline-based Education Conferences: refereed papers –Higher Education Research Conferences

10. ian@engsc.ac.uk Some Education Journals Active Learning in Higher Education (ALHE) Association for Learning Technology Journal (ALT-J) Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education (AEHE) European Journal of Education (EJE) Higher Education (HE) Higher Education in Europe (HEE) Higher Education Management (HEM) Higher Education Policy (HEP) Higher Education Quarterly (HEQ) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Higher Education Review (HER) Innovations in Education & Teaching International (IETI) International Journal for Academic Development (IJAD) International Journal of Technology and Design EducationJournal of Further and Higher Education (JFHE) Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (JHEPM) Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher in Education (P:PPHE) Quality in Higher Education (QHE) Studies in Higher Education (SHE) Teaching in Higher Education (THE) Tertiary Education and Management (TEAM) You probably know of others….

11. ian@engsc.ac.uk What types of contribution are there? Pedagogic research Applied and practice-based research/ Action research Case studies Opinions

12. ian@engsc.ac.uk Papers "Traditional" papers should include one or more of the following: Original work of a pedagogic research or developmental nature Surveys of current or recent work Proposed new methods or ideas which are well elaborated and argued Ref: Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI)

13. ian@engsc.ac.uk Action Research An informal, qualitative, interpretive, reflective and experimental methodology that requires all the participants to be collaborative researchers. Action research is carried out by people who usually recognise a problem or limitation in their workplace situation and, together, devise a plan to counteract the problem, implement the plan, observe what happens, reflect on these outcomes, revise the plan, implement it, reflect, revise and so on.... Ref: Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI)

14. ian@engsc.ac.uk Case Studies Should be critical reports about work undertaken on an international, national, regional or local basis and are likely to include: a background scenario; a clear statement of the purpose of the work; relationship to past or current work; who was involved; what happened; what deductions can be made; a critical review of the work; the implications of the work reported. The style should make the article easy to read and understand. Ref: Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI)

15. ian@engsc.ac.uk Opinions Opinions are shorter, hopefully contentious and are likely to include one or more of: Research or development work which is at an early stage (the contribution is signalling that the work is in progress); Unsubstantiated personal opinions which will be of interest to the readers of IETI; Articles of a speculative nature; Proposed new methods of working. Ref: Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI)

16. ian@engsc.ac.uk And now? Would you like to submit a paper? Do you have a topic in mind? What do you need to get that draft ready for publication? Is there anyone who could help to author a paper with you? Would you like some support?

17. ian@engsc.ac.uk 17 What is the Higher Education Academy? www.heacademy.ac.uk www.heacademy.ac.uk Our mission is to help institutions, discipline groups and all staff to provide the best possible learning experience for their students. Head Office in York –CPD –Professional Recognition –HE in FE Enhancement ProgrammeHE in FE Enhancement Programme –Etc… 24 Subject Centres around the country –Resources not just for their communities…Resources not just for their communities

18. ian@engsc.ac.uk 18 The Academys Strategic Aims To be an authoritative and independent voice on policies that influence student learning experiences To support institutions in their strategies for improving the student learning experience To lead, support and inform the professional development and recognition of staff in higher education To promote good practice in all aspects of support for the student learning experience To lead the development of research and evaluation to improve the quality of the student learning experience To be a responsive, efficient and accountable organisation

19. ian@engsc.ac.uk HE in FE Enhancement Programme HE in FE Web pages Searchable on-line directoryon-line FEC-focused events Monthly e-bulletine-bulletin

20. ian@engsc.ac.uk 20 In order to improve students' learning experiences, The Higher Education Academy is currently developing EvidenceNet, a service to promote and explore the use of practice- and research-based evidence in teaching and learning in Higher Education.EvidenceNet –Note: prior to March 2009, EvidenceNet was known as The Research Observatory.

21. ian@engsc.ac.uk 21 24 Subject Centres http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/SubjectNetwork.htm

22. ian@engsc.ac.uk 22 Subject Centres Work on subject specific issues to: –Promote and share good practices in learning, teaching and assessment. –Broker the transfer and take-up of knowledge and practice between users, experts, developers and innovators. –Set up, support and develop learning & teaching networks.

23. ian@engsc.ac.uk 23 Subject Centre Focus Practitioner Connecting expertise with needs Close links with subject academics and professional bodies Harvesting good practices –E.g EscalateE.g Escalate Creating partnerships and collaborations Visits to departments, meetings with Learning and Teaching groups, facilitating discussion groups, organising events & workshops etc...events

24. ian@engsc.ac.uk 24 Subject Centre Services… On-line databases and resources Publications, briefings and guides Case studies News feeds and online updates Enquiry service Journals –E.g Engineering & ADM Books Special Interest Groups Regional Groups & Networks

25. ian@engsc.ac.uk 25 Subject Centre Awards –Student AwardsStudent Awards –Teaching AwardsTeaching Awards

26. ian@engsc.ac.uk 26 How can we work together? Remember - were there for you !! –Please let colleagues know about the Higher Education Academy and the Subject Centres. –Please let us know how youd like the Higher Education Academy and the Subject Centres to help you in your role. But, in addition, Please let us know: –if you have developed, implemented or practiced any new approaches, or altered any existing ones….

27. Thank you Comments, questions, suggestions? ian@engsc.ac.uk enquiries@HEAcademy.ac.uk