Professional Development in Higher Education

Teachers interested in further articulating a personal philosphy of teaching in higher education (HE) may be interested in the following extract from the SEDA Web publication, Professional Development in HE Underpinning Values and Principals. SEDA is the professional association for staff and educational developers in the UK, promoting innovation and good practice in higher education.

The accredited staff member in HE has shown how these values underpin their work:

• The experience of students. A principal purpose of a Higher Education institution is the education of its students. This should, therefore, be a significant focus for attention, whether or not the member of staff comes into contact with students on a regular basis.
• The learning experience of staff. Another principal purpose of HE is the pursuit and dissemination of new knowledge. All staff should have opportunities to be engaged in the shared culture of learning at an appropriate level.
• Commitment to Higher Education. Staff may have spent several years working in areas other than Higher Education, from which they bring much associated knowledge and transferable skills. Such knowledge and skills need to be channelled into the context of Higher Education in a way which recognises and refocuses them accordingly.
• The contribution of all staff in pursuing high quality. Staff need to recognise that they play their part in contributing to the creation and achievement of the goals set out in the institution's mission statement.
• Continued reflection and improvement on working practice in HE. In the spirit of lifelong learning, staff should be encouraged to reflect on their work in order to identify the causes and effects of their actions. The understanding gained should contribute to the continual cycle of improvement.
• Team working. Much work is carried out as part of a team made up of a range of staff. The colleagueship and support of peers is as important as individual effort.
• Practising equal opportunities. Everything a member of staff does should be informed by Equal Opportunities legislation, policy and best practice. This requires an understanding of equal opportunities in the field of work and in the institution.
• Health and Safety. Everything a member of staff does should be informed by an understanding of health and safety issues, policy and best practice. http://www.seda.demon.co.uk/pdvals.html