The Scottish Government

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Introduction

1. Scotland's colleges are at the forefront of the Executive's drive to provide opportunities for lifelong learning, improve the skills of the Scottish workforce and create a more inclusive society. They provide a very broad range of education and training and offer courses and programmes at all levels from Access 1 to postgraduate. This varied and extensive provision gives people of all ages, backgrounds and educational levels the opportunity to improve their lives, obtain better jobs and play a fuller part in the community.

2. The achievement of these social and economic benefits depends critically on the quality of the teaching and learning experience that learners receive in colleges across the country. If they are to realise their full potential, learners need to be taught by committed and highly qualified professionals. The Executive attaches great importance to ensuring that lecturers and other staff who play a part in the learning experience are trained to the highest possible standard and have opportunities throughout their career to update and enhance their skills and knowledge.

3. The importance of the lecturer's role in providing high quality education and training is recognised in the Executive's strategy document, Life Through Learning; Learning Through Life ¹. One of the strategy's goals is the creation of 'a Scotland where people demand and providers deliver a high quality learning experience'. Improving provision for the professional training and development of college lecturers and, as a consequence, the quality of learning and teaching is one of the actions that the Executive is committed to taking in pursuit of this goal.

Arrangements for Professional Training and Development

4. Current arrangements for the initial training and continuing professional development of college lecturers are based on the recommendations made in a report published in September 1993 by a Review Committee usually referred to as the Anderson Committee. In response to the recommendations made by the Anderson Committee, the then Scottish Office established a steering group to examine the training needs of lecturers and develop a set of occupational standards that would underpin their initial training. These occupational standards were published in 1995. Further consultations and work within the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department culminated in 1997 with the publication of the National Guidelines on Provision Leading to the Teaching Qualification (Further Education) and Related Professional Development ².

5. The intention behind the National Guidelines was to create a comprehensive set of arrangements which would provide career-long professional development for college lecturers. To devise provision which would cover lecturers' needs from induction, initial teacher training ( ITT) and initial teacher education ( ITE) through to continuing professional development ( CPD), programmes were structured in terms of units which corresponded to the units of competence set out in the occupational standards.

6. The National Guidelines also provided for the establishment of the 'Professional Development Forum ( PDF) for teaching staff in Scottish colleges of further education'. The PDF is responsible for maintaining a national index ³ of all the professional development units ( PDUs) used to train lecturers. It also plays a part in approving applications from individual colleges, consortia of colleges or other training providers who wish to deliver particular ITT or CPD units that are included in the national index. Over the last few years the PDF has approved applications which allow 35 colleges, either alone or as part of a consortium, to deliver various units.

7. The units of competence in the occupational standards were developed into Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA) Higher National units. The units were then grouped into two Professional Development Awards ( PDAs): an Advanced Certificate and a Diploma (Teaching in Further Education), which were validated by the SQA in 2000. At the request of the sector the Certificate: Introduction to Teaching in Further Education was also developed to meet the demand for an award that could form part of an induction programme. Lecturers who complete the Advanced Certificate or the Diploma gain credits that count towards a full Teaching Qualification in Further Education [ TQ( FE)].

8. When the Anderson Committee was deliberating, only one higher education institution provided TQ( FE) programmes. The committee took the view that other institutions that had been approved to offer teacher education should be allowed to seek approval to deliver TQ( FE) programmes. The Scottish Office Education Department, with advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, evaluated bids from four institutions and all were approved to offer programmes that met the requirements for TQ( FE). As one of these four providers subsequently decided to withdraw its provision, TQ( FE) programmes are now provided by the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee and Stirling.

A Review of the Occupational Standards

9. In November 2002 the then Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, Iain Gray, announced a review of the occupational standards for college lecturers. The main aims of the review were to expand provision and update the contents of the standards.

10. While increasing use was being made of the PDAs that had been developed for initial teacher training, there was very little provision for CPD. The Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department ( ETLLD) was particularly keen to ensure that longer serving lecturers who had received their professional training a number of years ago had opportunities to update their knowledge and learn new skills. One of the main aims of the review was to develop a range of provision that could be used for CPD purposes.

11. The second main aim of the review was to update the content of the standards to take account of developments in teaching methods and wider policy and legislative changes. The most important of these changes were:

• The recommendations in the report by the Advisory Committee on Post-school Education and Training for Young People, usually referred to as the Beattie Committee, on the training of teaching staff.
• The introduction of new diversity legislation such as the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2000 and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
• Developments in the use of information and communications technology ( ICT) for learning and teaching purposes.
• Changes in the roles and responsibilities of college lecturers which meant that some now had roles as curriculum team leaders.

Taking Forward the Review

12. To take forward the review, ETLLD set up a number of working groups. These groups were made up of experienced practitioners from colleges together with representatives from some of the sector's main stakeholder organisations, university staff who had experience of delivering teacher education programmes and other experts. The members of the working groups are listed at Annex A.

13. Five working groups were given the following remits:

• Writing CPD standards on diversity issues.
• Writing CPD standards on the use of ICT for teaching and learning purposes.
• Writing CPD standards on teaching school pupils.
• Writing CPD standards for curriculum team leaders.
• Revising the existing occupational standards and pulling together the work of the other four groups to produce a coherent set of new professional standards.

Changes in Format and Nomenclature

14. The original standards were written in the SQA's unit format which is no longer used. The group which had overall responsibility for writing the new standards considered that this format was no longer appropriate. Its thinking was influenced by a desire to adopt a format which would ease the task of converting the standards into both SQA Higher National units and TQ( FE) programmes. Because the standards had to serve more than one purpose, the group thought it important that they should not be overly prescriptive.

15. The format that has been adopted sets out the 'context and rationale' and then goes on to elaborate the standards by means of an 'indicative content' section. The 'context and rationale' provides a short statement explaining the importance of each standard, the context in which it operates and the lecturer's role and responsibilities in relation to it.

16. Each of the bullet points in the 'indicative content' describes the methods or strategies that can be used to achieve a particular standard and outlines the skills and knowledge needed by the lecturer. Though efforts have been made to avoid duplication, skills or knowledge which the group considered to be particularly important to a lecturer may be mentioned in the 'indicative content' for more than one standard.

17. In writing the indicative content, the group has adopted certain conventions. A bullet point which contains a colon followed by a series of semi-colons is intended to be an exhaustive list. Use of the term ' e.g.' indicates that a list is not intended to be exhaustive.

18. Bullet points also contain references to 'legal considerations' and 'relevant legislation, standards and guidelines'. The group's thinking was that the standards were likely to maintain their currency over a longer period if they contained general references rather than specified current pieces of legislation or guidance. It is, of course, recognised that qualifications developed from the standards will need to be regularly updated to take account of new legislation and changes to various forms of official guidance.

19. The working group with overall responsibility for pulling the standards together also decided on some changes in nomenclature. The new standards will consist of initial standards which will underpin ITT and ITE programmes and a suite of CPD standards. The new standards will also be referred to as professional, rather than occupational, standards.

The Initial Standards

20. The initial standards are made up of six individual sets of standards which, taken together, are intended to provide a comprehensive statement of the skills, knowledge and understanding required to perform competently as a college lecturer. The individual standards follow a logical sequence which begins with the induction of learners, proceeds through planning and preparation, delivery, assessment and evaluation and concludes with the professional development needs of the lecturer.

21. The working group took the view that the needs of the learner should be at the centre of the new standards. The underlying philosophy is that the lecturer's role is not simply about imparting facts and information but also involves acting as a facilitator and co-learner.

22. The content of the standards has also been updated to take account of diversity issues, the use of ICT for learning and teaching purposes and college involvement in teaching school pupils.

CPD Standards

23. There are individual sets of standards on managing and leading a curriculum team, teaching children and young people and the use of ICT for learning and teaching purposes. There are also three separate sets of standards on different aspects of diversity. The standard on promoting learning and equality for people with disabilities incorporates some of the training which is provided by the Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology ( BRITE) Centre.

Developing New Higher National Units and Awards

24. A sub-group of the PDF is working in partnership with SQA to develop and validate Higher National units and awards based on the new standards. The first three new qualifications, which are all at level 9 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF), were validated earlier this year. These new qualifications are:

• The Advanced Diploma: Teaching in Further Education: An Introduction - a two unit (two credit) award which provides a basic grounding in teaching methods.
• The Advanced Diploma: Teaching in Further Education - a three unit (five credit) award which will count towards a full TQ( FE).
• The Advanced Diploma: Teaching Children and Young People - a two unit award which will provide training for college lecturers who teach school pupils.

25. ETLLD and the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council are working in partnership to procure teaching materials and assessment instruments to support the delivery of these new qualifications. It is hoped that these materials will become available for use by the end of 2006.

26. Later this year work will commence on the development and validation of a suite of CPD units and awards and, possibly, a new version of the existing Diploma: Teaching in Further Education. It is hoped that teaching materials and assessment instruments to support the delivery of this second tranche of new qualifications will become available early in academic year 2007/08.

27. A breakdown of the existing and new provision for Initial Teacher Training and Continuing Professional Development is provided at Annex B. Details are also available on the PDF website ⁴. Please note that there will be transitional arrangements to allow lecturers who are part way through one of the old qualifications to complete their course of study.

Credit Transfer

28. The three Teacher Education Institutions ( TEIs) which provide TQ( FE) programmes have agreed that credit will be awarded where a candidate has already completed the new Advanced Diploma: Teaching in Further Education.

The Role and Membership of the Professional Development Forum ( PDF)

29. The PDF was brought into existence to improve the training and development of lecturers in Scotland's colleges by approving the provision of high quality ITT and CPD units that meet the needs of both the individual and the profession. Its role is to:

• oversee the arrangements for updating the occupational standards;
• devise and apply criteria that allow higher education institutions, colleges or other training providers to become 'approved providers' of ITT and CPD units; and
• consider applications from 'approved providers' for individual units to be included in the national index.

30. The national guidelines specified that the PDF should comprise:

• a chairperson drawn from the higher or further education sectors;
• experienced practitioners from colleges;
• a representative of the Association of Scottish Colleges ( ASC);
• a representative of the General Teaching Council for Scotland ( GTCS); and
• representatives from ETLLD and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE).

31. The review of the occupational standards included a consultation exercise which was conducted during 2003. The consultation paper included some questions on the future role and membership of the PDF. On the basis of the responses to this consultation, ETLLD has taken action to expand the membership of the PDF and is considering some further changes.

Expanding the Membership

32. The original membership of the PDF excluded some bodies that have an interest in the professional development of college lecturers. The bodies which most obviously lacked representation were the Funding Council, the teaching unions and the three TEIs. To remedy this situation, ETLLD invited each of these three groups of stakeholders to nominate a single representative to sit on the PDF.

33. Action has also been taken to ensure that the PDF contains a nucleus of experienced practitioners from different types of colleges and various parts of the country. ETLLD believes it is important that the PDF contains a core group of members whose duties have included responsibility for the development of lecturing staff and, preferably, have also been involved in the delivery of induction and ITT programmes. As a result of these changes, the PDF now has a total of fourteen members, six of whom are experienced practitioners from Scottish colleges.

Delegating Functions Currently Undertaken by the Executive

34. ETLLD believes that the PDF should continue to act as an independent and authoritative source of advice on all matters relating to the professional training and development of college lecturers in Scotland. However, it is willing to consider whether the administrative and secretarial support it currently provides and the role it plays in taking responsibility for the implementation of the PDF's decisions could be delegated to a body within the sector. ETLLD will investigate this possibility but the PDF, colleges and other stakeholders will be consulted before any final decisions are made.

35. To fulfil the requirements of the Teachers (Education, Training and Recommendation for Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 1993, ETLLD works in conjunction with HMIE and in consultation with the GTCS to approve the content and quality of TQ( FE) programmes. While ETLLD will examine the feasibility of delegating its role in quality assuring TQ( FE) programmes, any body which took over this function would have to possess the necessary expertise and be seen to be impartial. If any proposed new arrangements were not acceptable to all stakeholders, this function would remain with ETLLD.

Learning and Teaching Support Staff

36. Colleges deploy learning and teaching support staff in a variety of training, instructing, demonstrating and facilitating roles. As these staff make an increasing contribution to the students' learning experience, it is important that they are properly trained. Their training and development needs are currently being examined by the Working Group on Staffing, Learners and Learning Environments ( SLALE), which is taking forward one strand of the Review of Scotland's Colleges. Part of SLALE's remit is to identify, and make recommendations concerning, the training and development needs of different types of learning and teaching support staff.

37. While the recommendations which emanate from SLALE's enquiries should rectify any existing deficiencies in provision, it will fall to individual colleges to provide for the continuing training and developmental needs of learning and teaching support staff. As these staff play an increasingly important part in the learning and teaching process, there is an argument for some form of sector wide support to ensure that good quality training provision is developed on an ongoing basis. One way of achieving this goal would be to extend the PDF's remit to include learning and teaching support staff as well as lecturers. ETLLD will have discussions with Forum members and, if appropriate, explore the possibility of a wider role for the PDF with colleges and other stakeholders.

Approval of Programmes Leading to the Award of a Teaching Qualification in Further Education [ TQ( FE)]

Statutory Requirements

38. In accordance with the Teachers (Education, Training and Recommendation for Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 1993, a TQ( FE) is awarded following a course of education and training provided by an approved higher education institution. The regulations also specify that the content and nature of programmes leading to the award of a TQ( FE) must be approved by Scottish Ministers in consultation with the General Teaching Council for Scotland ( GTCS).

39. To gain approval a programme leading to a TQ( FE) must make provision to award credits to candidates who have completed ITT units delivered by providers, typically colleges or consortia of colleges, approved by the PDF. The ITT units and providers approved by the PDF are listed on the PDF website at: http://www.fepdfscotland.co.uk/indexofunits.htm.

40. Regulation 3 of the 1993 regulations stipulates that all applicants for places on programmes leading to the award of a TQ( FE) must satisfy the requirements for admission laid down by Scottish Ministers in consultation with the GTCS. Current entry requirements for all TQ( FE) programmes are set out at Annex C.

Submitting Schemes for Approval

41. Any higher education institution ( HEI) that wishes to provide a programme leading to the award of a TQ( FE) must submit a model of its scheme for approval by ETLLD, acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers, and the GTCS. Scheme models must satisfy the requirements listed below and should, as far as possible, conform to the format set out at Annex D.

42. While they may also include other optional units which the HEI considers appropriate, TQ( FE) programmes must cover all the initial professional standards set out within this document. The indicative content which is provided for each of the standards is intended as a guide on which HEIs can build and develop appropriate theoretical underpinning knowledge. Schemes submitted for approval should explain explicitly how underpinning 'professional studies' will be incorporated and how they relate to the programme as a whole.

43. Programmes leading to the award of a TQ( FE) must be certificated by a relevant institution in terms of the 1993 regulations. Schemes submitted for approval must contain full details of all relevant validation, accreditation and approval arrangements. Submissions should also make it clear which elements of the programme are based on the initial professional standards and which are unique to a particular scheme.

44. The submission should include an outline of the arrangements for teaching practice. The information provided should clearly specify the respective responsibilities of the HEI, the employing college and any mentors or other people who play a part in the arrangements.

45. Submissions must include information on provision for awarding credit in respect of units of ITT completed by candidates. The information provided should specify exactly how much credit will be awarded to candidates who have already completed the Advanced Certificate: Teaching in Further Education, the Diploma: Teaching in Further Education or the new Advanced Diploma: Teaching in Further Education.

46. Schemes must include provision for an induction programme, either as an integral part of the course or as credit-bearing provision by another approved provider. Submissions should also describe the provision that is being made to cater for the needs of teaching staff who work part-time, are employed on some other form of flexible working pattern or have a fixed-term contract.

47. Submissions should clearly describe how course members are registered, advised and monitored in respect of their progress. Information should also be provided on assessment arrangements. Information on these arrangements should explain how assessments cover all the initial professional standards and provide details of the provision made to ensure that there is an adequate degree of externality.

48. Schemes must contain arrangements for the overall management and quality assurance of the programme. Information on this aspect of provision should include details of any quality assurance role undertaken by outside parties.

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