The award is predicated upon a model of professional learning and development through a cycle of reviewing, planning, monitoring, recording and evaluating enhancements in professional practice in the participants working setting. The emphasis throughout is on the reflective process of professional development.
The assessment is intended to be authentic in that is will be based on, and will draw from, a real-world enhancement or enhancements to professional practice in supporting employability and/or enterprise work with students and – as appropriate - colleagues on the part of the participant.
The assessment strategy of the award is based on a series of scaffolded requirements presented with an overarching critical and reflective commentary explaining how the portfolio content individually and collectively addresses the learning outcomes for the Award Each task will receive formative feedback from a CRA Programme Tutor or Institutional Mentor and peer support and feedback will also be actively encouraged.
The Award supports professional engagement with the implementation of enhanced practice in evidence-informed ways, and in the presentation of the learning and outcomes from this in the form of a Portfolio for accreditation. The use of a portfolio-based approach will explicitly require candidates, with support from tutors and peers, to:
1. adopt a ‘plan-do-review’ model associated with professional learning;
2. identify appropriate targets for, and undertake key tasks related to the outcomes of the Award commensurate with their own role(s);
3. report upon the outcomes of this work, making claims for accreditation supported by evidence.
4. provide, within their portfolio, an appropriate holistic narrative which draws upon the evidence presented in 1-3 above.
Within this framework there are five elements which seek to facilitate the representation of a range of practice within a common development and presentational structure as represented within the core development outcomes, specifically:
Review their current experience and evidence informed expertise in the areas covered by the Award, with reference to institutional policies and practices;
Plan: on the basis of this review, with supporting evidence, identify their professional development goals directions and priorities and plan to work on these within the timeframe of the award;
Do: undertaken the development activities specified, whilst allowing for unanticipated learning from contexts which may not have been recognised in the plan;
Review: their development/practice and the relationship between these;
Present: a final portfolio which demonstrates how they have met the core and specialist outcomes of the award.
The Award programme lasts for 6 months during which time you would be expected to identify an issue, do something about it and reflect on your success. All of this you would discuss in a structured portfolio of no more than 8000 words. After the launch there will be no formal sessions but you will be provided with a CRA mentor and be invited to attend organised online support webinars.