Beyond evaluative studies: perceptions of teaching qualifications from probationary lecturers in the UK

Abstract

Probation is little used as a frame of reference in academic development literature. Frequently, the focus is on evaluating teaching qualifications for new lecturers. Less often investigated is the issue of situating such a course within the overall experience of new academics, to consider the role that teaching qualifications have within wider probationary processes in the UK. This qualitative study sought the views of new academics on various influences shaping their socialisation. Insights from this work can feed usefully into policy and practices for academic developers, and three key themes – equity, impact and congruence – are elaborated in this article.

Keywords:

• probation
• teaching qualifications
• academic practice
• academic development

Acknowledgements

My grateful thanks go to David Green, Christine Sinclair and Lorraine Walsh for helpful and insightful comments on an earlier draft of this article.

Notes

1. Not all institutions require successful completion of the whole PGCert within probation. Gosling (2010) provides a useful summary of the current situation across a range of UK universities.

2. The teaching and learning centre is used here as a generic term denoting the institutional home of the PGCert. It does not refer to a specific institutional centre of that name.