I’m going to start by saying that I’m still getting used to the idea of being a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. This allows me to put the letters SFHEA after my name, which tickles me no end.
Back in May this year I completed the Personal Inquiry (PI), Reflective Narrative and Gap Analysis needed to use the Open University’s route to HEA Fellowship, which is called OpenPAD. I also had to map these to the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching in higher education. Initially I had thought I would focus on my skills role on the new OU module, New Perspectives in health and wellbeing and explore how this had shaped my own teaching. Such a focus would have meant that I would have applied for Fellowship. However, the value of the OpenPAD process was that it created a space where all sorts of connections between various aspects of what I was doing became much clearer. I thought these connections indicated that I was actually having an effect on other (through my skills lead role and through my critical reading. This meant that Senior Fellowship seemed to be on the cards.
As I’ve let colleagues know I’m been taken aback by the warmth of their responses. The New perspectives chair (Rebecca Jones) going to the extent of Tweeting her congratulations. Rebecca’s response is especially generous as it was her suggestion, about 18 months ago, that I take on the skills lead role that has really been the catalyst. I’m not sure that I always respond as warmly as I should to the successes of other people. I try to tell myself there’s little point in resenting these as it’s impossible to lead someone else’s life. I think, particularly over the last year that I have got better in this respect but there’s probably still room for improvement.
I’m actually writing this early on a misty Saturday morning, as I’ve not found time in a busy week which has included meeting my new EdD (professional doctorate student) and co-supervisor at a residential weekend. The student is looking at how owner-managers of small companies construe their learning –should be very interesting. I’ve also provide feedback on the first on 12 progress reports which structure the EdD ‘journey’ to the thesis.
I also attended two overlapping meetings on Tuesday, both of which have implications for my workload next year. The first was about the ‘Longevity Curriculum’ that is been developed in the Health and Social Care faculty and the second was an Initial meeting for faculty Assessment Leads. (I have asked to be the assessment lead for my own unit, CICP).
The first of these could be significant because I am hoping to spend part of my time working in HSC and may end up chairing or co-chairing a second level module on ageing. The second links very strongly with the Academic Conduct Officer role and my involvement with quality reports in CICP. I also be including in the annual work plan a refocused version of my paper based on interviews with leading lights in widening participation by contrasting these with accounts from ‘non-traditional students, using data from research carried out in CICP.
I will also in 2014-15 be continuing as Academic Lead for the Badging Project – on the basis of 1 day a week. Coincidentally, I was involved in a filming for Badged Open Courses as part of a OU video about widening participation. Really pleased when I got it in one take.
The OU Choir had its two summer concerts this week singing Palestrina, Verdi and Rossini. Our conductor seemed pleased with what we had achieved, so that’s added to the sense of the fact that it’s been a really good week. This is the first summer concert I’ve done as I had to withdraw last year when Anita had her breast cancer diagnosis, so I was really pleased to have got through to the performances this time.
jonathanhughes53 