Using Guidance and Resources
Ensure that you have read the Guidance section and that you have studied the UKPSF and the Advance HE guidance on the Dimensions of Practice.
Please make use of the Resources menu which has access to the Academic Essentials website, and to various reading lists for teaching and learning.
You also have access to free Epigeum courses ‘University and College Teaching’, ‘ Teaching Online’ and various researcher development courses – view the full list. You can sign up for an Epigeum account by following these instructions on the Doctoral School website. Important: the relevant Teaching Programmes or Research Programmes token must be entered to gain free access to the courses available through the Sheffield Hallam institutional subscription.
Most people find attending a writing retreat a useful way of making space to work on their submission and receive dedicated verbal feedback on their work as they progress. You can attend as many or as few retreats as you like.
You might also find the Exemplars section of this site useful as a guide to how others have approached their submission
Choosing your Format
Although most people prefer to submit using a standard written format there are two other formats to choose from – Multimedia and Verbal to allow for the most appropriate ways of demonstrating you meet the UKPSF fellowship criteria. Basic information regarding these formats can be found below but more detailed advice and guidance can be found under Guidance.
Written Route
This route is entirely written and has maximum word lengths indicated for each part of the submission. There is a separate section for references (SHU APA style) so these are additional to the word length.
Multimedia Option
This approach is flexible so you should check the table below to get a clearer picture of the options for your category of Fellowship. You should continue to use the Written/Multimedia application form and complete the required written sections.
If you would like to make your submission in a mixed media format you can do this, either
- as a PebblePad asset or webfolio (you will need to make access public and provide the link); or
- as a website (eg Google sites; Slideshare; Storify; YouTube); or
- as a screencast
Verbal Route
The verbal route is designed to enable you to demonstrate your engagement with the UKPSF dimensions of practice (DoP) at the level appropriate to the fellowship category you are apply for.
It is equivalent to the written route in all substantive respects, including the basis on which it will be judged. However, due to inherent differences in the mode of communication it may not be identical – for example in relation to the documentation you will need to submit.
Choosing your Referees
- You will need to select carefully, two referees who can provide an informed peer review by writing a testimonial in support of your application
- One of your referees must be internal to SHU, the other can be from SHU or elsewhere.
- Your referees should be credible in terms of their role and knowledge of higher education and/or professional practice.
- Remember, your referees’ statements form part of your evidence in support of your claims.
- One of your referees must undertake an observation of your practice, who must hold a category of fellowship that is at least at the level you are applying for
Possible referees might include
| Someone you have: | taught with, or who knows your teaching |
| worked with on something like a project, working party or committee | |
| Someone who may: | know you externally through professional practice, approvals/reviews process, other inter-institutional collaboration or contribution |
| be a subject lead or departmental head and has a good grasp of teaching and learning matters | |
| be in a relevant role or position in relation to your practice or have institutional leadership in learning and teaching | |
| have acknowledged pedagogic expertise through publishing, research, awards etc. | |
| be a Fellow, Senior or Principal Fellow | |
| Someone who can: | comment on your practice |
| corroborate some of your examples or case studies | |
| complement your other referee |
What do the referees do?
- Guidance for referees is available on the TALENT wesbite
- Referees statements should be written on the forms provided and be approximately 500 words in length
- Your referees must have read your completed submission before writing their statement and confirm that they have done so
- One referee must observe your practice. If you are applying for D1 or D2, what is observed is up to you, but should be of your teaching or teaching-related activity, for example: staff training, one-to-one student guidance, PhD supervision tutorials. At D3 level this might involve for example: observation of chairing a L&T related committee meeting. This observation is designed as a supportive peer review process without any formal requirement for feedback or recording of outcomes to the TALENT scheme, although it may be referred to in their referee’s statement, if appropriate and relevant. You might also want to think of it simultaneously, as a way of fulfilling the requirement for annual PRE observation.
- Referees should send their written statements to you
- You may review the contents of the referees’ statements to ensure that they have commented and corroborated your submission appropriately