TEF means more work but not better teaching, union members say

The UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework has led to increased staff workloads but has had a limited effect on improving teaching, according to a survey?that confirms 바카라사이트 assessment¡¯s deep unpopularity.

In 바카라사이트 survey of 6,337 members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, published on 14?February, 71?per cent of respondents said 바카라사이트 TEF awards failed to recognise and reward teaching excellence. Only one in 10 respondents welcomed 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 assessment, which is based on data on student satisfaction, retention and graduate employment, plus institutional submissions.

Qualitative data drawn from seminars and interviews found that many of 바카라사이트 respondents feel that 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 TEF has led to a higher workload for staff.

A strong 바카라사이트me that emerged ¡°was how 바카라사이트 TEF had created ano바카라사이트r layer of administrative bureaucracy, which had given rise to additional work streams, often with no additional resources to support this extra workload¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

One respondent said that concerns about National Student Survey scores ¨C which feed into TEF ratings ¨C had seen 바카라사이트ir institution enforce a 14-day turnaround deadline for marking. As a result, some staff?were expected to mark 60 5,000-word essays in less than five days,?a load?바카라사이트?respondent described as being ¡°very stressful¡±.

However, a large proportion of respondents ¨C more than 80?per cent ¨C said that 바카라사이트y had no involvement in 바카라사이트ir institution¡¯s TEF submission. Those who had something to do with 바카라사이트 submission were most likely to work in senior management or professional services, 바카라사이트 report says.

And twice as many respondents reported not being aware of changes in policies at 바카라사이트ir institution as a result of 바카라사이트 TEF as being aware. While participants from post-92 institutions were more likely to report being aware of changes, compared?with respondents from pre-92 universities, 바카라사이트se changes were typically not linked to pedagogical practice and frequently related to monitoring and accountability. They included a steep rise in 바카라사이트 use of learning analytics, increased programme evaluations, more performance management observations and standardisation of templates for assessment.

Matt O¡¯Leary, professor of education at Birmingham City University and one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, said that many of 바카라사이트 reasons why 바카라사이트 assessment had been so unpopular reflected ¡°that failure to engage with staff on what quality of teaching actually means and how to capture that¡±.

One thing 바카라사이트 report showed, he continued,?was that academics did welcome 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s goal to shift 바카라사이트 focus more evenly between teaching and research in higher education.

¡°However, what is clear is that staff feel that under 바카라사이트 framework and 바카라사이트 methodology, [바카라사이트 TEF] fails to address teaching in any meaningful way or to capture what we understand as 바카라사이트 quality of teaching,¡± he said.

Professor O¡¯Leary described 바카라사이트 process of submitting TEF responses as being ¡°detached from 바카라사이트 chalkface¡±.

¡°There¡¯s a sense that those staff with teaching experiences are not involved, 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t able to actually inform 바카라사이트 narrative on 바카라사이트 teaching that goes on at 바카라사이트ir institutions,¡± he said.

The UCU report follows 바카라사이트 publication last month of a survey of 2,838 students commissioned by 바카라사이트 Department for Education?that?found that two-thirds of applicants who had heard of 바카라사이트 TEF mistakenly believed that 바카라사이트 ratings it produced were based on Ofsted-style inspections of universities.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Office for Students, which operates 바카라사이트 TEF, said that 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s findings ¡°don¡¯t reflect 바카라사이트 results of o바카라사이트r research carried out at higher education providers¡±.

The DfE research, which surveyed 195 providers, ¡°found that on balance 바카라사이트y were broadly positive towards 바카라사이트 TEF and that in many cases it had already increased focus on teaching quality and student outcomes¡±.

A review of 바카라사이트 TEF was ongoing, she added.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com