The Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges

The ‘Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges' were published by the Scottish Executive in June 2006 . The standards consist of initial standards for underpinning Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes and a suite of standards for the continuing professional development (CPD) of lecturers. The development of the standards into qualifications is shown in Diagrammatic Form (16.69 kB).

In addition to the Teaching Qualification (Further Education), two SQA Professional Development Awards, at SCQF Level 9, have been developed from the Initial Standards. The PDAs have been designed to allow candidates to progress from Introduction to Teaching in FE (ITFE) to Teaching in FE (TFE) and thence to TQ(FE), gaining credit for TFE. The Awards are:

• Advanced Diploma: Introduction to Teaching in Further Education. This PDA has 2 single-credit Higher National Units, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Teaching in Further Education: Planning
  - Teaching in Further Education: Delivery and Assessment

• Advanced Diploma: Teaching in Further Education. This PDA has 1 single-credit and 2 double-credit Higher National Units, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Plan and Prepare the Learning Experience (2 credits)
  - Facilitate Learning, Teaching and Assessment (2 credits)
  - Develop Professional Practice

There are individual sets of CPD Standards (21.26 kB) on managing and leading a curriculum team, teaching children and young people and the use of ICT for learning and teaching. There are also three separate sets of standards on different aspects of diversity, ‘Promoting Learning and Equality for People with Disabilities', ‘Managing an Inclusive Learning Environment' and ‘Promoting Good Relations between People of Different Racial and Ethnic Groups'. The standard on promoting learning and equality for people with disabilities incorporates the training which is provided by the Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education (BRITE) Centre.

Four SQA Professional Development Awards, at SCQF Level 9, have been developed from the CPD Standards. They are:

• Advanced Diploma: Teaching Children and Young People. This qualification has 2 single-credit Higher National Units, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Working in Partnership with Schools
  - Teaching Children and Young People
  

• Professional Development Award in Inclusiveness: Facilitating Strategies to Support Learners with Additional Needs at SCQF Level 9. This qualification is a specialist PDA related to the standards, ‘Promoting Learning and Equality for People with Disabilities' and ‘Managing an Inclusive Learning Environment'. It has been designed for candidates undertaking the BRITE training and has 1 double-credit and 1 single-credit Higher National Unit, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Facilitate Inclusive Learning Strategies
  - Promoting Inclusiveness for Learners with Additional Support Needs (2 credits)

• Professional Development Award in Inclusiveness: Promoting Equality and Diversity within the Learning Environment at SCQF Level 9. This qualification is a general PDA related to all three diversity standards and has been designed to reflect the need for lecturers to have the knowledge and skills to deal with all aspects of equality and diversity i.e. race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and gender. It has 2 single-credit Higher National Units, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Creating and Managing an Inclusive Learning Environment
  - Supporting and Promoting Diversity

• Professional Development Award in Managing and Leading a Curriculum Team at SCQF Level 9. This qualification has 2 single-credit Higher National Units, at SCQF Level 9.
  - Managing Curriculum Processes
  - Managing Curriculum Teams

• Using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Learning and Teaching. The CPD Standard, ‘Use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Learning and Teaching' has been developed as a Unit with 1.5 HN credits, at SCQF Level 7.

Teaching PDAs

HN unit F22R 34 Using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Learning and Teaching.

Garry Cameron
Tel: 01786 892115
Email Garry