'Left with a title but nothing else': the challenges of embedding professional recognition schemes for teachers within higher education institutions

Spowart, Lucy, Winter, Jennie, Botham, Kathryn, Burden, Penny, Van der Sluis, Hendrik ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2543-6279 and Huet, Isabel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6215-0448 (2019) 'Left with a title but nothing else': the challenges of embedding professional recognition schemes for teachers within higher education institutions. Higher Education Research & Development, 38 (6). pp. 1299-1312. ISSN 0729-4360

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Abstract

With increasing moves globally towards the professionalisation of teaching in Higher Education, there is growing interest in the role of accredited professional recognition schemes which provide professional development for established university teaching staff. In the UK, There are now over 120 professional recognition schemes, resulting in institutionally focused evaluation studies examining their impact. This paper contributes to this emerging body of work, it draws on cross-institutional data and Foucauldian theorising to address two important questions. In what ways does engagement with an institutional professional recognition scheme impact on participants’ teaching development, and how does institutional culture influence that engagement? The data illustrates that whilst institutional culture drives engagement, it did little to promote teaching development. Across the case-study institutions, neo-liberalism agendas were apparent. Some staff felt pushed to achieve professional recognition in response to the increasing use of metrics to measure the student experience and to inform institutional standing in league tables. Whilst evidence shows the process of seeking accreditation can lead to an enhancement in teaching practices, caution must be taken to ensure that the professional development opportunities offered by accreditation schemes are fully realised.

Item Type: Article
Identifier: 10.1080/07294360.2019.1616675
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Higher Education Research and Development on 16/05/2019, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07294360.2019.1616675
Keywords: recognition; evaluation of impact; professionalization of teaching; professional standards
Subjects: Education > Academic identity
Education > Higher education
Education > Teaching and learning
Depositing User: Isabel Huet
Date Deposited: 11 Mar 2019 14:50
Last Modified: 06 Feb 2024 15:59
URI: https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/5840

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