Advancing Teaching and Learning programme
Applications now open for 2023-24!
Apply before Monday 19 February 2024. Before you apply, attend an online information session. See dates and times at end of page below
The Advancing Teaching and Learning (ATL) programme is a taught programme designed to support those who are relatively new to teaching and supporting learning, or those who teach or support learning within a specific context (eg tutorials, lab demonstrations, running study skills support sessions).
Upon successful completion of the ATL, you will be awarded Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).
Who can apply?
The ATL programme is open to DPhil students, postdoctoral and early career researchers, academics new to teaching, and professional learning support staff, including librarians, technicians, study skills support staff etc. Associate Fellow is appropriate for teachers who do not engage in the full range of teaching and assessment activities, but who have a specific role in teaching and supporting higher education learning.
Participants must be engaged in teaching and/or learning support at Oxford during the 2023-24 academic year.
Are there prerequisites?
Yes, there are three prerequisites:
- Applicants to the ATL programme must have attended a Preparation for Learning and Teaching at Oxford (PLTO) or equivalent before the start of the first ATL workshop. Arrangements for PLTO vary across the University, so you should consult your department, faculty or division training office if you are unsure how to register. If you have not attended a PLTO course, you are required to provide a summary of your induction to teaching or learning support at the University in your application (eg a departmental teaching induction event or being inducted in your Oxford teaching/learning support role).
- You will need a minimum of 15 hours of contact time of teaching and/or learning support during the 2023-24 academic year. Teaching and learning support includes lab demonstrating, tutorials, seminars, lectures, workshops, academic skills sessions.
- If you are not teaching in TT24, you will need to collect feedback (student feedback and/or an observation of your teaching) from your MT23 or HT24 teaching or learning support activities. The feedback you collect forms an essential component of the assessment for the programme and you will not be able to successfully complete without it.
- Student feedback can include end of term evaluations (maybe run by the department/college) and/or in-class evaluations you have conducted (eg a short questionnaire, classroom assessment techniques). See Methods to evaluate your teaching for more suggestions.
- Observation of your teaching by a peer or more experienced teacher on a teaching or learning support session (eg class/tutorial/lab/lecture/workshop). You will need a record of the observation and suggest you use the teaching observation template.
Is Associate Fellowship right for me?
To find out if your teaching and/or learning support experience, roles and responsibilities align to the Associate Fellowship criteria, you will need to complete the Advance HE Fellowship Category Tool. You must use the 2011 Category Tool at this link and not the updated 2023 Category Tool.
You submit the results of your Fellowship Category Tool as part of the application process for joining the programme, and in the first workshop you will review your category tool responses to ensure you have the appropriate teaching experiences to submit a portfolio aligned to the Associate Fellow criteria.
How do I apply and when is it delivered?
To apply for a place on the programme, you will need to complete the ATL application form (behind SSO) If you do not have an SSO, please contact us at programmes@ctl.ox.ac.uk and we will send you the application form.
The programme comprises three three-hour interactive in-person workshops. A small amount of pre-workshop preparation is required, and participants are supported by a dedicated Canvas site. The workshops take place outside full term, with the following term giving you time to prepare your portfolio and gain feedback on it before the submission deadline.
What are the programme dates?
| Deadline for applications | Notification of successful application | Workshop dates | Portfolio deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
12noon, Mon 19 Feb (Wk 6, HT24) |
Week commencing Mon 26 Feb (Wk 7, HT24) |
Workshop 1: Mon 11 Mar 9.30am-12.30pm (Wk 9, HT24) Workshop 2: Wed 13 Mar 9.30am-12.30pm (Wk 9, HT24) Workshop 3: Mon 15 Apr 1.30-4.30pm (Wk 0, TT24) |
12noon Thu 13 Jun (Wk 8, TT24) |
How is it assessed?
The Advancing Teaching and Learning programme is assessed by a 1,400 word written teaching portfolio. Alongside the portfolio, participants also need to submit a supporting statement from someone at the University who will act as an ‘advocate’ and certify that their teaching and/or learning support practice is aligned with the requirements for Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. The portfolios are assessed internally by the Centre for Teaching and Learning.
What do I get on completion?
The Advancing Teaching and Learning programme is accredited by Advance HE and mapped to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in higher education and on successful completion, participants are awarded Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and are entitled to use the post-nominal letters, AFHEA.
Is there a fee?
There is no fee for the Advancing Teaching and Learning programme provided you are either a registered doctoral research student of the University or a member of staff with an Oxford ‘Single Sign-On’ (SSO) during the ATL programme.
If you are a medical educator, a tutor based in the Department of Continuing Education, or do not have SSO for any other reason, you may wish to consider asking your department or faculty to arrange a SSO for you. If this is not possible, you should be aware that you will be charged an administrative fee by Advance HE for processing your Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, AFHEA, award. This fee is 50% of the current direct application fee for AFHEA.
How can I find out more before I apply?
To find out more about ATL, or if you have any questions, please attend one of the following online information sessions:
