Please get in touch if you would like to find out more

1. Chrissi Nerantzi
Academic Developer
Manchester Metropolitan
University
@chrissinerantzi
FLEX: Good Standing Pilot
(Jan-June 2015)
E-portfolios for Teaching and Learning in HE, 24 April 2015,
Imperial College London
Kath Botham
Academic Developer
Manchester Metropolitan
University
@kathbotham
Dr Peter Gossman
Academic Developer
Manchester Metropolitan
University

2. Context
• MMU PSF Scheme (Kath Botham, lead)
• FLEX CPD Scheme (Chrissi Nerantzi, lead)
• PGCAP (Dr Peter Gossman, lead)
• HEA Pilot Project “Remaining in Good
Standing” “Strategic Enhancement
Programme Career Progression and Staff
Transitions” Strand – currently running with
10 institutions

3. Drivers

4. The UK PSF
• Dimensions of practice explicitly relate to CPD
and academic development (UK PSF, 2011)
– Engage in CPD incorporating research, scholarship and
evaluation of professional practices
– Use evidence-informed approaches and the outcomes
from research, scholarship and CPD
• Requirement for new schemes accredited by
HEA to incorporate mechanisms to
demonstrate good standing
• MMU Scheme due for re-accreditation in 2016
4
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/ourwork/rewardandrecog/ProfessionalStandardsFramework.pdf
MMU PSF at http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/psf/index.php
The UK PSF

5. Institutional :
• Principle 1: We will provide an excellent learning
environment and outstanding student experience
• Principle 2: MMU provides an innovative, flexible,
enterprising and internationalised curriculum
• Principle 3: Assessment at MMU is an integrated and
integral part of learning and teaching
• Principle 4: Student progression, confidence and success
will be achieved through outstanding personalised and
individual support
• Principle 5: Programmes are responsive to quality
enhancement procedures throughout the student lifecycle
• Principle 6: Staff are lifelong learners, fully engaged with
their own professional development
http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltastrategy/index.php
Institutional:
MMU Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy

6. • as a process and product (Keegan, 2009)
• self-evaluation, active monitoring, interpretation
of experiences, reflection and critique of practice
(e.g. Klenowski, 2004; Donelly, 2003)
• identifying knowledge gaps, leading to new
objective setting and further activity (Ellis &
Goodyear, 2010)
• portfolio: use for developing the habit of mind
that views collaborative learning as a way of
coming to know in teaching (Grant & Huebner,
1998)
Use of e-portfolio for development

7. Personalisation
Link to sample portfolio by Neil Currie https://asboallstar.wordpress.com/
• Developing reflective habits
• Developing a scholarly
approach to learning and
teaching
• Opportunities for distributed
professional conversations

8. “It [The portfolio] has really helped me to begin
my journey as a reflective practitioner and
really think and reflect on the impact my
teaching has on my students. It has
also helped me think about why I am teaching.”
PGCAP participant, University of Salford
Practitioner’s voice

9. FLEXible CPD

10. What is it?
• practice-based academic CPD for teaching tailored to priorities
and aspirations
• activities linked to current/past CPD, subject-specific or generic
• pick ‘n’ mix academic CPD activities per academic year
• capture CPD in academic portfolio
• get recognition for CPD can be combined with academic credits

11. Types of FLEX activities
observation of
teaching/
microteach
presenting at a/an
conference/event
participating in a
webinar
participating in an
open course
carry out evaluation
of teaching activity
participating in an
internal workshop
attending a
conference/event
leading a webinar leading an open
course
co-facilitating an open
course
co-facilitating
workshop
pedagogical research participating in an
external workshop
using self-study
resources
networking
mentoring coaching creating resources for
students
professional
discussion with
colleagues
(funded) project
participating in a
project
leading a project participating in a
short course
leading a short course creating resources for
staff development
curriculum
development activity
curriculum
enhancement activity
reflection on practice team-teaching evaluating a student
survey
discipline specific
pedagogic activity
generic pedagogic
research
peer review listening event creating/adapting
open educational
resources

12. What can I get for it?
Successful completion of FLEX can be
used to:
• Support the submission of a PSF
Fellowship application
• Submitted for an academic award
(15 or 30 academic M level credits)
• Annual FLEX award
• Evidence of CPD for PDR purposes

13. “I have enjoyed the process, I feel I have learned a lot and have read a lot in doing so. In
reflecting on my own practice, I have realised ways in which I can improve and why I should
so by looking at theory.
I have enjoyed the feedback process which I think works really well and I feel this method of
reflecting on a blog is quite apt for a modern day student. I would like to use this a little
going forward with my students on a smaller scale as a reflective log book maybe. In some
of my units we get the groups of students to hand in a written log of the groups
contributions and attendance etc. each week, so this would work great digitally.
I have realised the importance of reflecting and the importance of theory. I only wish I had
more time to do it.” FLEX, MMU
Developing reflective practice
Public FLEX portfolio Dr Sam Illingworth:
http://classroombeing.tumblr.com/post/92718631419/flex-1-exploring-the-role-of-the-expert

14. Project Summary
• HEA-supported pilot project
• Use of e-portfolio (Wordpress) as a tool for
demonstrating HEA Fellowship good standing
• Participants: 5 / 3 PGCAP graduates (3 FHEA +
2 SFHEA and FSEDA)
• Use of FLEX (Flexible CPD)
– Also a mechanism for Good Standing
• Use of peer support & feedback

15. Jan 2015: Ethical Approval and Project start
Jan – Feb 2015: Prospective participants approached and recruited
Feb 2015: Participant Meeting 1:
• Intro to pilot project
• Support setting up portfolios
• Development of buddy system
Feb – Mar 2015: Participants started creating reflective Good
Standing account
March 2015: Participant meeting 2:
• share progress
• discuss and agree way forward
Project Timeline

16. Mar - April 2015
– Participants working on Good Standing account,
– Share and get feedback with buddy
April - May 2015
– Complete Good Standing account
– Professional discussion with buddy (recommend award)
– Submit portfolio for Good Standing Award
June 2015 Participant meeting 3:
– Final feedback/award agreed (Future PSF Team Moderate)
– Institutional PSF celebration
– HEA Project event
July 2015 also share findings at MMU CELT conference
Project timeline (cont)

17. Remaining in Good Standing for Associate
Fellow/Fellows/Senior Fellows/Principal
Fellows
1 FLEX activity
academic portfolio
piloted
Structure of the Good Standing account
1. What I did?
2. Why I did it?
3. What I learnt?
4. What my future plans for development will be?
Case study, critical incident or CPD activities
1000 – 1500 words or equivalent (1 inherent Flex Award or
overall summary of Flex portfolio activities)

18. Potential Benefits Challenges
Creating opportunities for ongoing
reflection
Engagement/ Project timescale
Opportunities for professional
conversations/ Sharing portfolio with others
Lack of familiarity with technology
Creating a record of CPD Initial feedback from participants:
• Time or lack of it
• Reluctance to take ownership of CPD, Prioritise
CPD areas and ongoing link to practice
enhancement
• Limited sharing
• Fear of peer review
• Other priorities
• Inexperience at reflective practice/writing
• Demonstrating development of own practice
specific difficulties for Academic Developers
Capturing personal development
Capturing achievements
Provides evidence of both process and
product of learning
working towards multiple goals: academic
credits, the annual FLEX Award/Good
Standing Award
Continued use portfolio to capture further
ongoing CPD, achievements, use for Prof.
Recognition, career progression

19. emerging idea:
Reflective game, pre-portfolio
UK PSF Game by Shirley Bennett, Northampton
University

20. Finally
• Project work in progress
• Welcome any comments or suggestions
• Any Questions?

21. We asked you: Do you use an e-portfolio for your development?

22. Responses: 21
yes: 7
no: 13
maybe: 1
This is what you said…
33%
62%
5%
Do you use an e-portfolio?
yes
no
maybe
How important is modelling of practices?

23. • Donnelly, R (2003) Integrating the use of teaching portfolios with experiential learning in a postgraduate certificate
in third level learning and teaching. Teacher Development 7 (2), 245-264.
• Ellis, R & Goodyear, P (2010) Students’ experiences of e-learning in higher education: the ecology of sustainable
innovation. New York: Routledge.
• Keegan, H. (2009). Formal to Informal - Education to Industry; easing the transition through Social Media. Online
Educa Berlin. December 2009.
• Klenowski, V (2002)Developing portfolios for learning and assessment: processes and principles. London:
RoutledgeFalmer.
• Nerantzi, C. & Currant, N. (2011) Using e-portfolios for learning and assessment within the Postgraduate
Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) at the University of Salford, Centre for Recording Achievement, available
at www.recordingachievement.org
• Nerantzi, C., Currant, N., Avramenko, A. & Harvey, V. (2011) Feedback conversations in a blended classroom, TEAN
STOREHOUSE,
athttp://www.cumbria.ac.uk/AboutUs/Subjects/Education/Research/TEAN/TeacherEducatorsStorehouse/Assessm
ent/Assessment.aspx
•
• Smith, C. & Nerantzi, C. (2013) ePortfolios: Assessment as learning using social media, in: Miller, D & Volk, B, E-
Portfolio an der Schnittstelle von Studium und Beruf, Muenster: Waxmann, pp. 147-166.
References

24. Contact details
• Chrissi Nerantzi : c.nerantzi@mmu.ac.uk
• Kath Botham : k.Botham@mmu.ac.uk
• Dr Peter Gossman : p.gossman@mmu.ac.uk