Dr. Jen Harvey:

Absolutely. I believe that all teachers at third level should have a teaching qualification of some kind, although it is important what that qualification is. It is not a tick-box exercise that involves sitting down and learning about cognitive science or some other subject. In our institution, we made the policy decision to invest in our staff and it is very resource-intensive to provide the support for postgraduate diplomas for all new staff, unless they are completing a PhD. I must admit that there were various reservations initially as to whether this was a good policy, and how motivated people would be within that. On day one, we had a couple of people sitting there, arms folded, with an attitude of "I have to be here." However, these academics recognised that one of the most important aspects of the programme is not just the tool set or the menu of options that is being provided to them through this experience, but the safe space, the time in which they can amend their practices and look at what they are doing as teachers. They can come and talk about issues they are facing in a structured way. They can look at others by going to visit them in a very supportive way, in the style of tutor observation. For example, a scientist can go and see what somebody else is doing in photography by arrangement, and is in turn asked for feedback on how the students are doing this or that. One learns an enormous amount by looking and seeing what other people are doing. Most people will only teach the way they were taught or based on whatever their experience was. By providing the academics with a range of different opportunities, although they might like some better than others, we are giving them the option of making selections afterwards.

It is very much a practice-based programme. I am not saying it is absolutely the best, as I may be a bit biased. It is portfolio-based in terms of its assessment: there is a range of evidence that those taking part present as part of a portfolio submission, and we support them through this. It deals with a lot of the challenges with regard to the transition to third level and reflecting on assessment and feedback. On the point mentioned by Dr. Foley, one of the major challenges in starting out as an academic is that one is pulled in all directions. The new academic is supposed to be researching, doing administration and trying to get his or her head around it all, and usually, as the new person, has the worst teaching possible. There are maybe 19 contact hours with students, which the academic must design and develop. A programme that provides support over the academic's first or second year is invaluable because it gives him or her the time, the opportunity and the safe space to say "I am having a problem with this," "I am not sure how to do that," or "Has anybody else faced this challenge?". To compare it to a traditional second level education certificate is perhaps not the best way of doing it, because we are not all the same.