Postgraduate Certificate in HE from the University of Greenwich For lecturers in the HE sector, or those suitably qualified but not yet employed in the sector : a complete one-‐year postgraduate teaching qualification, accredited by the HEA1 and, for NMC-‐registered health professionals, by the NMC2. What you learn: o You learn to delivery successful learning in the classroom – and elsewhere. You learn how assessment can support and enhance learning and make sure that students’ achievement receives fair recognition. o You learn how to design effective courses and programmes, and, where appropriate, to employ technology enhanced learning in various forms. o You learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning and the processes of quality assurance that underpin that evaluation. o You learn how to compile your own personal e-‐portfolio and to value Continuing Professional Development beyond the Postgraduate Certificate in HE. Entry requirements: You will have at least an honours degree and be appropriately qualified to teach in your specialism at HE level. If you are already a postholder in HE, you will need a mentor in your employing institution/department and should identify and agree this with your line manager; your mentor plays a key role in your PGCertHE experience. You must undertake at least 60 hours of HE teaching (Level 4-‐7) in the lifetime of the programme. Pre-‐service candidates who are accepted on the programme will need to find and undertake a teaching placement of not less than 60 hours in an HE institution, who should also supply an approved Mentor for the programme. The teaching placement needs to be confirmed by the start of the programme. Fees: The standard fee for the programme for 2015-‐16 is £2490, including your PebblePad registration (or equivalent) with the University of Greenwich. There is also a fee3, payable to the HEA for the award of Fellowship (FHEA). For participants from international partner colleges – your link tutor will give you information about admissions and fees. Modes of study: You study by online blended mode via the Moodle site on the University of Greenwich portal and through Adobe Connect webinars. There are compulsory induction and study days, and teaching practice assessments conducted by the programme team and by your mentor. Dates: The programme begins in mid-‐September and completes the following June. What our students have said: “The teaching team are really enthusiastic and committed.” 1
“I am taking away heaps of learning from this course – in particular I am taking away a lot of experience of working with others.” The Higher Education Academy. See http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ The Nursing and Midwifery Council. See http://www.nmc-‐uk.org/ 3
Does not apply to participants employed by subscriber organisations of the HEA, of which University of Greenwich is one. This fee is currently £200 – information available at https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-‐recognition/hea-‐fellowships/accredited-‐route-‐hea-‐fellowship 2
“I enjoyed the learning on this course.” The online blended learning experience The programme uses a variety of web 2.0 tools, including Moodle (the University of Greenwich VLE) and Adobe Connect, to provide a socially interactive and engaging experience. This includes learning materials, resources, activities and opportunities for sharing and interaction both in Study Groups and across the programme cohort. The programme includes an induction day (UK) or days (for some transnational participants) in September and three study days in October/November, January and March. These are all compulsory and normally on Saturdays. There are also regular webinars (online) and teaching practice assessments. Participants are supported by the programme team and their peers, the online course tutor, personal tutors and mentors. Dates of inductions and study days are posted ahead of time on the PGCert in HE blog.* Assessment and feedback takes place through a variety of individual and group assignments, including: • 4 teaching practice assessments • 3 essays of between 1500 and 2750 words on issues relating to your teaching, planning and evaluation, related to theory and scholarship; • formative reflective narratives using various media; • participation in the group assignments including development of an HE course; • engagement with the community of practitioners on the programme including peer feedback; • compilation of a reflective e-‐portfolio evidencing your practice, to be clearly mapped against the UK Professional Standards Framework4 or NMC teacher standards5. All assessments are marked Pass/Fail only, however excellence is recognised in the feedback. e-‐Portfolio: The University of Greenwich will supply you with a PebblePad6 licence and show you how to compile your e-‐portfolio online. Your portfolio will include logs (for example of teaching hours, observation of colleagues/peers teaching, CPD), and you will select other evidence as appropriate. You will provide a reflective guide (2500 words) to your portfolio, identifying the main learning trajectories and learning points, and examples of how these have application in your own teaching context. The structure of the Postgraduate Certificate in HE The Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education consists of 3 courses, each of 20 credits (60 credits in all) with 2 taught courses (in the first and second terms) and the portfolio course which runs through both terms. 4
UK PSF may be seen at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/universitiesandcolleges/accreditation/ukpsf. NMC Teacher Standard http://www.nmc-‐uk.org/Educators/Standards-‐for-‐education/Standards-‐to-‐support-‐
learning-‐and-‐assessment-‐in-‐practice/ 6
For more on PebblePad see http://www.pebblepad.co.uk/default.asp. Note: an alternative may be used from 2015. 5
3 courses, each 20 credits: Learning Teaching and Assessing (ACAD1286, Level 7) This course focuses on the successful delivery of learning in the class-‐room – and elsewhere – and how to assess learning, provide feedback and make sure that student achievement receives fair recognition. In particular it aims: ! To provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective and inclusive teaching in a range of (mainly live) settings. ! To equip you with the concepts, theories, approaches, heuristics, needed to evaluate and systematically improve your own teaching and that of others. ! To develop an understanding of the key characteristics of effective assessment and feedback and its impact on teaching and learning. Learning Design and Evaluation (ACAD1287, Level 7) This course focuses on the up-‐stream activities of planning and designing learning and evaluating and the downstream activities of evaluation of learning and quality assurance. In particular, it aims to enable you to: !
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Contribute to the design of courses and programmes, including uses of technology enhanced learning Contribute to effective evaluation of courses and programmes. Understand quality assurance and enhancement processes and contribute to these for the effective management of learning. Professional Development in HE (ACAD1288 or 89, Level 6) This course supports the successful development of your personal e-‐portfolio of evidence and reflection. In particular it: !
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Initiates the generation of self-‐directed professional development in a personal e-‐portfolio. enables you to engage with current trends and leaders of innovation in teaching and learning, alongside more experienced colleagues. fosters the habitual record and reflection of SoTL endeavour within their own disciplinary contexts by early career HE professionals. Demonstrates your evidence satisfies the requirements of the HEA and (if appropriate) the NMC. Required IT equipment and skills For successful participation in the PGCert in HE, access to your own computer, with audio capacity, a camera/webcam and good broadband connection, are required. The PGCert in HE Blog (see next page) has an IT Equipment and Skills audit which gives more information about this, and about other skills which will be useful to you – the programme will also help you to develop some of these skills and provides support and guidance as you learn. How to apply and register for the PG Cert in HE UK applicants based in and studying within the UK: All UK candidates for the University of Greenwich’s programmes must fill out OLAF, the On Line Application Form, by following the following steps: 1. Click on the link: https://nelson.gre.ac.uk/pls/prod/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon . 2. Go to the bottom of the page and click First time user account creation and follow the instructions. Once you have registered as a user you can complete OLAF. 3. Use the Application Type “Postgraduate”. The Admissions Term: Academic Session 2015/2016 Select Programme of Study: PG Cert Higher Education from the long dropdown list. (It’s almost exactly halfwaydown – use the RHS slide) Choose the preferred mode: Distance Learning /year 1 (ie online blended) The Month / Year of Entry is: Sept 2015 4. You need to complete ALL sections of the form including residential and statistical data. Please see the guidance leaflet on applying for the PGCert in HE which has further information. This can be found on the PGCert in HE blog*. 5. If appropriate, you will be contacted for interview by a member of the programme team. 6. After the interview, you may receive an “Unconditional Offer” which you must go back to OLAF and accept. 7. If you have problems you can contact the Enquiry Team on 020 8331 9000. If you are a member of University of Greenwich staff, or staff at a UK Partner college of the university, please see the guidance leaflets on Admissions and Registration – on the PGCertHE blog.* Registering Online Once your application has been processed you will be invited to begin registration online towards the end of August. Please see the guidance leaflet on registering for the PGCert in HE. This will be available on the PGCert in HE blog by the start of August 2015*. NB Admissions is the key stage where you enter your details; registration is essential, but is primarily for checking and confirmation of your details. Participants who are internationally based: Candidates who are staff in international partner colleges will be advised about the admissions and registration process by their link tutor. You should NOT apply through the University’s Online application process (OLAF). * The PGCert in HE blog provides other pre-‐arrival information, including an IT Skills and Equipment Audit, guidance about studying online and key programme dates. The blog will be updated through Spring and Summer 2015. If there is information you would like to find there, please leave a comment and let us know! http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/pgcertinhe/