Introduction
This toolkit is developed as a resource for providers of teaching-related continuing professional development (CPD) in higher education. It focuses on capturing the longer term value and impact of CPD for teachers and learners, and moving away from immediate satisfaction measures. It is informed by the literature on evaluating higher education teaching and by empirical research into practice across the sector. It provides a series of templates that can be used to create bespoke CPD evaluations to capture impact through evaluation before, during and after an activity or event.
In essence this follows a five-step process:
- Analysis of staff and programme development needs in relation to previous feedback, institutional and departmental priorities.
- Establishing learning outcomes for the CPD activity and the aims of the evaluation.
- Consider how and when to evaluate impact, considering the aims and learning outcomes.
- Deliver or facilitate the CPD activity and commence ongoing evaluation. This may be ongoing over several years.
- Disseminate the findings and share the lessons learnt.
The toolkit is focused around supporting staff to develop meaningful evaluation processes, using standard social science research methods, supported through a suite of templates that offer structure to the selection of questions to pose. The approach advocates evaluation activity before, during and after events, with the emphasis on repeating the evaluation after six months and two years to gauge longer term impacts. The annual University cycle means that opportunities to act on information gained in a CPD activity often cannot be used for eighteen months to two years.
The toolkit is primarily designed for those who provide teaching – related CPD but also signposts evaluation tools for those working directly with students supporting teaching and learning. Click on the appropriate link below to begin thinking about evaluating teaching in your own context.
