PDA Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges SCQF level 9

Professional Development Awards (PDAs) extend or broaden professional or vocational skills and are linked to National Occupational Standards.

The revised PDA in Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges at SCQF level 9 is intended for college lecturers currently working in Scotland who have subject specific expertise but no formal teaching qualifications. Evidence of competence will be gathered within the workplace.

It has been designed to reflect the range of practical skills and knowledge required by college lecturers and is aligned to key professional competences identified within the updated Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges (2018).

The PDA has been revised to ensure its continued fitness for purpose, following the update of the professional standards, to better reflect the range of skills needed by college lecturers today.

It develops the core competences required to teach in a college by providing an opportunity to learn, develop and demonstrate a variety of specialist and high-level transferable skills including, setting suitably challenging learning goals, seeking feedback on learning and using feedback from learning and other available data to inform next steps for learning and to support improved learner attainment.

Candidates will develop their understanding of the barriers to learning faced by college students and learn how to overcome or mitigate their effect on learning and active engagement. They will develop their knowledge of relevant legislation and educational policy, demonstrating the ability to plan and deliver effective, accessible, and inclusive learning, teaching and assessment opportunities, in response to identified learner needs.

Use of effective formative and summative assessment strategies and technologies to support learning are also important components of the award. Candidates will develop and apply selected research-informed approaches and practices and evaluate their impact on student learning, supporting attainment and learner progression pathways. They will apply learning management strategies by creating positive environments for learning and will critically reflect on and evaluate their practice, identifying areas for personal development and improvement.

This qualification is available through colleges and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

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The revised PDA in Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges at SCQF level 9 has been designed to reflect the range of practical skills and knowledge required by college lecturers and is aligned to key professional competences identified within the updated Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges (2018).

This PDA provides progression routes to further study (see Progression) by maximising opportunities for potential credit transfer into TQ(FE) (Teaching Qualification (Further Education) programmes as well as also supporting the ongoing, career-long professional development of their skills.

College lecturers currently working in Scotland who have subject specific expertise but no formal teaching qualifications.

Access

Entry is at the discretion of the centre.

Candidates would benefit from having attained the skills, knowledge and understanding required by one or more of the following or equivalent qualifications and/or experience:

  • Communication at SCQF level 6
  • Numeracy at SCQF level 4
  • Problem Solving at SCQF level 5
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at SCQF level 5
  • Working with Others at SCQF level 4
  • or similar qualifications or experience

Candidates completing this award should have a teaching timetable which provides them with the opportunity to meet the assessment criteria for the two mandatory units.

The units in the PDA have been aligned to the updated Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges (2018).

This PDA may be used to provide a progression pathway onto the Teaching Qualification (FE) programme offered by the Higher Education Institutes approved to deliver this qualification.

Centres with devolved authority for approval should use their own internal approval process.

Centres without devolved authority are required to come forward for approval and should contact SQA's Business Development Team for guidance.

Assessors and verifiers must be able to meet SQA's general requirements for technical/occupational competence as outlined in the Systems and Qualification Approval Guide.

Centres that were previously approved to offer the PDA: Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges at SCQF level 9 (GG87 49) have been automatically approved to offer the revised PDA.

Each individual unit specification gives detailed information on the evidence requirements and approaches to assessment for each unit.

Group Award code: GR5K 49 (16 SCQF credit points)

The PDA in Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges at SCQF level 9 consists of two mandatory units.