New framework launched to help FE and Training staff to develop their practice using technology

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has launched the Digital Teaching Professional Framework designed to help the Further Education (FE) and Training workforce to become confident and effective users of technology in teaching and learning.

The Digital Teaching Professional Framework is a competency framework for teaching and training practitioners across all parts of the FE sector, including for learning providers in the workplace, community settings and prisons.

It has been developed by the ETF in collaboration with Jisc – a not-for-profit organisation that provides digital solutions for UK education and research – and has been designed to focus on the benefits of good pedagogy supported by technology to enhance learning.

The framework sets out different teaching contexts and activities, and the main components that comprise each of these. Each component is mapped to relevant parts of the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators, the ETF’s Professional Standards and Jisc’s six Digital Capabilities.

There are statements that describe what competency looks like for each of the teaching and training activities that form the core elements of the framework.

The competency statements describe three stages of competence to show how practitioners can develop their skills:

1. Exploring
2. Adopting
3. Leading

The new framework will be accompanied by free, online, bite-size training modules, which will be accredited so that practitioners can build up credits towards a badged award. The training modules are being designed to support just-in-time and self-identified training needs. They will also support training needs identified through a self-assessment ‘discovery tool’ that has been developed by Jisc.

The full version of the framework is designed to be used mainly by leaders, managers and HR professionals. It will provide a foundation for professional development plans, so could be used as part of a staff development approach and strategically as part of a digital skills strategy. There is a shortened version of the framework more suited for use by mainstream practitioners, which will include the most immediately useful competences. 

Vikki Liogier, Head of Learning Technologies at the Education and Training Foundation, said:

“The framework will provide a backbone and background to what will become ETF’s ‘Enhance Digital Teaching Platform’ – the overarching solution for supporting and recognising practitioners in developing professional practice using technology. The Enhance Digital Teaching Platform will offer a CPD dashboard that will strengthen training organisations’ support framework and better guide staff development pathways.”

 “This will support staff in realising the benefits of technology to their own practice and enable their learners to develop the digital skills they require for learning and being prepared for a digital workplace.”