From 1 February 2020, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) will be piloting a new approach to achievement recognition gained on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform. The digital teaching solution is designed to help develop teaching and training practice using technology across the Further Education (FE) and Training sector.
When a teacher or trainer completes a module on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform they earn a digital achievement badge to recognise their progress and professional development, linked to the three stages of the Digital Teaching Professional Framework (DTPF): Exploring, Adopting, Leading. The online badges can be used to show professional development progress, added to professional profiles, for example on LinkedIn or shared on social media.
Currently only a one-star achievement badge is awarded when a cluster of training modules have been explored and completed by a teacher or trainer. Through the pilot, Enhance Digital Teaching Platform users will be able to further gain two- and three-star achievement badges. The badges will be awarded for:
One star – exploring and completing a cluster of training modules
Two stars – submitting a personal reflection on a training module which will be peer-reviewed
Three stars – submitting a resource and a personal reflection which will both be peer-reviewed
Through the pilot, practitioners will also be able to gain recognition for roles as a Contributor and a Reviewer on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform.
Contributors: practitioners who engage in the relevant category’s Community of Practice and contribute constructive comments to peers’ shared reflections and/or resources
Reviewers: practitioners who “blind” review peer practitioners’ reflections or resources and help to mentor practitioners, as well as sharing reflections and resources themselves
The aim of the pilot’s new approach is to continue helping practitioners develop and redefine their practice using EdTech. The pilot’s developments support this aim by giving recognition of effective practice through awards and by fostering sustainable peer support across the communities of practice.
The new awards approach will be piloted from 3 February with two categories of training modules which cover Element F, the Accessibility and Inclusion element, of the Digital Teaching Professional Framework. A full suite of bite-size training modules is now available for both F1 Accessibility and F2 Equality and Diversity.
Practitioners can start preparing to gain these new awards now by completing all the badges in either the Accessibility or the Dealing with Difference and Diversity badge categories on the Enhance platform. The modules highlight pedagogical approaches using technology and show practitioners and managers how digital technologies, when used effectively, help to make learning inclusive and accessible for all learners.
After completing modules, practitioners will apply the learning from the modules to their delivery, then reflect on the impact the training has had on their practice and their learners.
For more information about the achievement badges visit the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform’s website.
