Workshop for NTF Aspirants: Leeds Beckett University: 23rd March

I enjoyed leading this workshop today, with participants consisting of colleagues from Leeds Beckett, Leeds University, Bradford University, Salford University, Bolton University, Sheffield University, the Open University, Doncaster College, and Cumbria University, and with Cathy Brown representing the HEA, and hosted by Professor Ruth Pickford (NTF). I ran this on behalf of the Committee of the Association of National Teaching Fellows. The CANTF slides I used are attached here:  ANTF-prospective-NTFs-2017-New-Deadline-pr2.pptx (598 downloads)
Participants thought of the following great questions, which we tried our hardest to address and answer:

  • Does the marking scheme apply in the same way to each of the three criteria i.e. impact internally and externally?
  • How can excellence be evidenced?
  • What is meant by ‘show us rather than tell us?’ What would that look like in practice?
  • What examples of excellence are beyond the day job?
  • What is the success rate for applications? How many apply and how many are awarded?
  • How many achieve NTF on second application?
  • How can we standardise outstanding?
  • What more can the HEA do to assist institutional contacts and nominees (from HEA Rep)?
  • What is acceptable in terms of evidence from colleagues?
  • What are the key common characteristics of successful/unsuccessful applications?
  • If each section is read separately do you have to repeat context scene setting?
  • Please provide clarification of what ‘the student voice’ looks like in an exceptional NTF application?
  • Is there a requirement for the scope of impact of a practitioner’s work?
  • I need a better understanding of what ‘five points’ and ‘outstanding’ means
  • How many initiatives should be discussed in each section or is one long project okay?
  • What are reviewers looking for in terms of distinctive practice?
  • What do we need to do to support a series and succession planning for applications year on year?

I hope the workshop helps aspirants to achieve NTFs this year or next year – and good luck.

Mistake in ‘Lecturer’s Toolkit’! p.19

I failed in my proof-reading! They put Question 5 in twice, in Chapter 1. The question at the top of p.19 should be as follows:

Question 6
(a)   Still thinking of the first time you helped other people get a grip on that particular topic, think back to the first time you attempted to see how well they’d ‘got it’. Think of the first time you tried to measure their learning of the topic.

(b)   To what extent did you find that after that first occasion of measuring or assessing their learning, you yourself had made sense of the topic even more deeply? Choose one of the three options which follow:

  • Very much better
  • Somewhat better
  • No better

(Many thanks to Will Haywood for spotting this and sending me a message on Twitter).

Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown, Dublin

Good to be working in Ireland on Friday 3rd February, with Sally, on various aspects of assessment and feedback. Sally’s slides are on her website, and my main slides are here:  Blanchardstown-plenary-opening-version-5.pptx (544 downloads) ,  Fifteen-ideas-for-reinventing-assessment-Blanchardstown-w.pptx (561 downloads) ,  Involving-students-in-their-own-assessment-blanchardstown-2017-w.pptx (585 downloads) .

Leicester College: 6th Teaching and Learning Conference: 27th January

Great to be with you for the morning of your 6th Teaching and Learning Conference. Here are the main slides I used – but not in the same order as I used them, as I was playing with the order to fit coffee in well. Assessment-and-Feedback-Leics-2017-w-1.pptx (648 downloads)   I hope I’ve provided some food for thought – and there’s lots more in the files you can download using the inks on the slides. I wish you well on the continuation of your Journey through 2017, and hope to see you again. Thanks too for all the Tweets, and to Lisa, Anne and Stewart for making all the arrangements. All trains were on time, and I not only got to the Sage in Gateshead in time for the concert, but also the pre-concert talk (I never stop trying to learn).

University of Gloucestershire: 20th January

I thoroughly enjoyed my day with you all at Cheltenham. Here are the main slides from my keynote on how students learn: How-students-really-learn-gloucs-2017-w.pptx (655 downloads) . I’ve deleted the bits where I roamed around various other things on my machine!
Here next are the slides from the select and intensive workshop I ran with course leaders and HODs. Towards-assessment-as-feedback-gloucs-2017-w.pptx (703 downloads) . You might also like to look at some of the things I covered with the PGCAP folk on feedback in the afternoon, where I expanded on some of these things.
Finally, here are the main slides from the session on smarter feedback. Smarter-feedback-gloucs-2017-w.pptx (603 downloads) . Please note the extra slides which I’ve put in on marks getting in the way, and how we can get round this – slides 69-78, which you did not see. I’m writing this on a very full train to Newcastle – but I have a seat. Thank you all for joining in so well. There’s loads more ideas on the downloads suggested in the slides. Thanks to Hannah for arranging the whole day, and to Amanda and colleagues for looking after me on the day.

Sheffield Hallam University, January 12th

I really enjoyed our workshop together today. Many thanks to Sue Beckingham for arranging everything so well – and indeed to Peter for his authoritative voice from time to time. Here are the  main slides we used, and the file for the material on ‘building on feedback’ to adapt for your students.  building-on-feedback-w.docx (623 downloads)   SHU-2017-w.pptx (589 downloads)
You were the best group of participants I’ve had in ages – many thanks.