The concept of educational gain was included within the latest version of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2022-23 but left open for institutions to define. The move from the use of the term ‘learning gain’ to ‘educational gain’ by OfS signalled a recognition that the return on higher education goes beyond those outcomes that can be indicated through a focus on learning.
For those who have defined their educational gain in the process of writing their submission, approaches to doing so have varied significantly with some basing their gains on the outcomes of their mission, their values or their educational approach; others being defined through their graduate attributes or through external typologies generated through learning gain research. The process of writing them undoubtedly created an opportunity for reflection, by a range of stakeholder groups, on the purpose and impact of higher education.
With the TEF submission requiring an evaluation plan for demonstrating achievement of the educational gains, the sector recognises that future rounds of the TEF will hold them to account for the commitments they have made. It is clear that evaluation of educational gains will need to be embedded and educational gains socialised with staff and students to have traction.
These mindshare sessions are designed for higher education providers to come together to discuss how educational gains have been defined in their contexts and reflect on their implementation and/or evaluation plans with other institutions. Institutions do not need to have made a submission to the TEF in 2023 to participate in either group.
Register for your place at the mindshare events
Event aims
The Mindshare Exchange promises a range of valuable outputs that will significantly contribute to advancing educational gain and fostering a culture of excellence within your institutions:
1. Enhanced Collective Understanding: By participating in the exchange, you will gain access to a wealth of diverse perspectives and experiences. Through engaging in discussions and exchanging ideas with fellow professionals, you will develop a comprehensive and contextualised understanding of academic progress advancement.
2. Innovative Ideas and Best Practices: The exchange will serve as a breeding ground for innovative ideas and best practices. As you collaborate with colleagues from various educational institutions, you will gain fresh insights into effective strategies, pedagogical approaches, and student support initiatives that drive educational gain. This exchange of ideas will inspire and equip you with practical tools to implement change.
3. Networking Opportunities: The Mindshare Exchange will provide a networking platform, allowing you to connect with like-minded professionals. By building meaningful relationships, you will cultivate a network of supportive peers who can serve as resources and collaborators beyond the exchange itself.
4. Community of Practice: The exchange aims to establish a vibrant community of practice, where members can continue to collaborate, share resources, and learn from each other.
Events
Measuring Educational Gain mindshare event 1
For Small and Specialist Institutions and College-based HE Providers
2 November 12pm - 2pm
Measuring Educational Gain mindshare event 2
Open to all other institutions
3 November 12pm - 2pm
Measuring Educational Gain co-creation event
Open to all
29 November 12pm - 2pm
Meet the team
Juliette Gaunt
Juliette Gaunt is a National Teaching Fellow and Collaborative Excellence Award winner. Juliette’s current role is Senior Consultant (student success) with Advance HE. Her interests include student success, mental health and wellbeing, student enablement and leadership in Higher Education.
Dr Helen May
Dr Helen May is a consultant working with Universities and Higher Education Organisations across the UK. She works with staff, students and advisers to enhance the quality of the student experience and student outcomes, through facilitating cultural change leadership. Helen’s current work focuses on impact evaluation and driving institution-wide priorities associated with student success. She is working with a large diverse institution to shape a four-year plan, in preparation for the next Teaching Excellence Framework assessment cycle, after taking a lead role in writing their TEF submission. In a previous institution, Helen she led a 9 month-long subject-level pilot, in readiness for TEF; having an impact on a data-driven culture.
Helen’s interest in teaching excellence, impact and evaluation stems from her work on strategic change, quality enhancement and leading the Teaching Excellence Awards for the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE). She worked in as a national senior adviser for 14 years. During this time, she led more than eight quality enhancement priorities, impacting upon sector-wide approaches to student success, retention, inclusion and internationalisation.
Over her career, Helen has authored a number of publications, receiving over 1400 citations, covering various topics including social capital; inclusive learning and teaching; student engagement; equality and diversity; transnational education; and strategic change. Helen began her career as a primary school teacher. She holds an M.Ed (1997) and Ed.D (2003) from the University of Leeds, focusing on student engagement and inclusion and a Certificate of Professional Development in Business and Executive Coaching (2011).
Dr Geoff Stoakes
Geoff was, until recently, Special Adviser (Degree Standards) at Advance HE where he led the Degree Standards: External Examining project (2015-21) managed by the Office for Students. He was seconded to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2015 to work on the development of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and worked on the Department for Education’s TEF working group. He was also a member of HEFCE’s Learning Gain Steering Group.
Geoff was formerly Vice Principal of Plymouth Marjon University and Head of Research at the HEA. His most recent publications include the Review of External Examining Arrangements across the UK (HEFCE 2015), the HEPI-HEA Student Academic Experience Survey 2014, Fundamentals of External Examining (Advance HE 2019), and a vignette: ‘Covid-19 and the impact on managing quality and standards in online assessment’ in Baughan, P (ed.) On your marks: Learner-focused Feedback Practice and Feedback Literacy (Advance HE, 2020). He is a historian by training and prior to joining the Higher Education Academy in 202, he published widely on Nazi foreign policy.
