Introduction
This award is intended for those who are involved in supporting students’ personal or academic development in post-compulsory, adult education and higher education settings.
Successful graduates of programmes accredited against this award are entitled to refer to themselves as a SEDA Recognised for Personal and Academic Support.
Aims
- To support the professional development of individuals offering support and guidance in a personal or academic tutoring capacity
- To promote reflection in and on own personal, academic and tutoring practices
- To support individuals in enhancing practice, systems and support structures for personal and academic support in their setting informed by shared values
- To enhance personal and academic tutoring and student support practices more widely.
Audience
All those working in post compulsory, adult, lifelong learning and higher education settings who have a role as personal and/or academic support to individual students. This is an area of increasing importance which requires consideration and support by institutions and by teams as it evolves. The award provides a vehicle for institutions and individuals to inform and structure this process of review and development.
Values
Award recipients will have shown how their work is informed by the SEDA Values:
- Developing understanding of how people learn
- Practicing in ways that are scholarly, professional and ethical
- Working with and developing learning communities
- Valuing diversity and promoting inclusivity
- Continually reflecting on practice to develop ourselves, others and processes.
Core development outcomes
Additionally award recipients will be able to:
- Identify their own professional development goals, directions or priorities
- Plan for their initial and / or continuing professional development
- Undertake appropriate development activities
- Review their development and their practice, and the relations between them.
Specialist outcomes
Award recipients will be able to:
- Reflect on the need to be informed by an awareness of boundary issues and a commitment to ethical practice
- Support and guide students taking into account the framework of the institution and the various policies, systems and processes of both the institution and HE
- Analyse and apply relevant research, literature and theory to inform, evaluate and enhance practice
- Apply appropriate skills when dealing with students either in a personal or academic context, taking into consideration the diverse backgrounds and needs of learners.
