Peer Review College

Published on June 17, 2018

• Blog

Teaching Excellence Alliance partners have been asked to nominate five colleagues from their institution to join the TEA Peer Review College as Members. This pack contains information to help with this selection and communication to colleagues, including:

1. The background to and objectives of the Peer Review College, including Member profiles, to help you target invitations/ nominations;
2. Terms of reference for Members, outlining the types of activities they might be involved in and expectations around levels of contribution;
3. An initial list of Peer Review College ‘offers’ and modes (still in development) to illustrate the types of interventions that might be useful. These will be refined as the PRC matures.

All existing Implementation Group Members will automatically be considered Peer Review College Members, in addition to the 5 institutional nominees.

PRC Members can be invited to make bespoke interventions by any TEA partner. To enquire about the PRC offers please email TEA@www.unialliance.ac.uk.

A. What is the Peer Review College?

1. The TEA Peer Review College draws on cutting-edge pedagogic expertise from across the Alliance to benefit the whole network. It provides national opportunities for Members to remain “in good standing”.
2. The Peer Review College is a shared resource that can be called upon by any TEA partner to work with course design teams at any stage. For example, those entering periodic portfolio reviews, seeking course enhancement, developing new courses and refreshing marketing may find it helpful. While we expect it will develop over time to meet the needs of TEA partners, the initial offers are set out below. TEA partners can submit requests for support from the Peer Review College through Basecamp.
3. There are two levels of membership within the Peer Review College:
   • PRC Members: With a proven track record in teaching in a range of disciplines, Members will act as advisors and critical friends. They will be nominated by their home institution and are expected to be exceptional. They will provide evidence of national profile, perhaps because they are National Teaching Fellows or Principal Fellows; or have roles within professional or sector bodies such as SRHE or HEDG; or have a track record of pedagogic research. All Implementation Group members are automatically PRC Members. Diversity in disciplinary reach and areas of pedagogical expertise will be sought.
   • PRC Associate Members: Alumni of any TEA development activity (i.e. sandpit or workshop attendees; students; employers) will automatically become Associates. The composition, terms and activities for associate membership will be agreed in the second phase of development, once the core Membership is established, and once there is material to provide benefit to Associates.
4. PRC Members gain development opportunities throughout the career-cycle through:
   • Exposure to a national and interdisciplinary perspective on teaching and learning approaches, best practice, and evaluation;
   • Access to a national peer-to-peer network and a space to share ideas for measuring and evidencing student learning gain, engagement and feedback;
   • National opportunities to present, facilitate and support teaching and learning enhancement; for example we may be able to offer leadership roles for staff seeking to move into more senior leadership positions.
   • Opportunities to generate academic outputs on pedagogical practice through a national platform with support from TEA leaders.
5. All TEA activities seek to embody the spirit of the TEA Strategic Overview and Principles which can be found on the TEA website.

B. Peer Review College Terms of Reference for Members

1. The Peer Review College brings together experienced practitioners immersed in the distinctive teaching practices that underpin the TEA endeavour, to build student success for all, through inclusive and transformational education. The PRC Membership will include:
   • Up to five representatives from each TEA partner university, with deep and broad experience of teaching and learning issues, whether in a faculty or as central staff, and evidence of some national expert profile including but not limited to PFHEA or NTF status; active membership of SRHE, HEDG or a similar body.
   • At least one TEA Implementation Group member from each TEA partner university.
2. Members will be expected to use their expertise to inform and enhance the work of fellow practitioners in TEA member institutions. In taking on these PRC activities they will deepen their own experience and development. By joining the PRC, Members commit to:
   • Contribute to at least one Peer Review College event or project team each academic year (starting 2017-18);
   • Provide a summary output, working with colleagues, from their work for each project or activity including but not limited to a publicly accessible case study for the UA website, a case study for sharing with the TEA community, an academic journal article or a TEA webinar;
   • Follow and apply the principles of the TEA (Annex A).
3. Peer Review College interventions can be requested by any TEA partner university.
4. The requesting university shall cover the expenses of the commissioned Peer Review College member but no consultancy fee will be payable.

C. Current Peer Review College Activities

D.           PRC Product Offers