Blog article written by CDN College Awards Gold Sponsor – GTC Scotland
The national roll out of college lecturer registration is now well underway, with more than 3,400 lecturers from 24 of Scotland’s 26 colleges invited to register. By the start of November, more than 400 lecturers had joined the register and GTC Scotland was processing over 1,000 applications – with more arriving by the day. Dr Pauline Stephen explains how the college sector is working in partnership to support an enhanced culture of professional learning and help ensure the best possible outcomes for students.
A partnership approach is key to raising the status of college lecturer professionalism in Scotland, and central to the college lecturer registration project. This is a joint effort between GTC Scotland, EIS-FELA, Colleges Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. We are a diverse group, with different views and ideas, but we are united in our commitment to ensure that all lecturers in Scotland’s colleges benefit from registration with GTC Scotland.
With almost 8,000 lecturers in colleges in Scotland it’s no small undertaking. It is however an essential undertaking. Scotland’s colleges play a vital role in our society by delivering high-quality learning experiences for students, which helps them to achieve the best possible outcomes and career destinations. A culture of lecturer professionalism is key to improving the quality of learning and teaching in the Scottish education system, for every learner.
As a registrant of GTC Scotland, lecturers are required to be guided by the Professional Standards for College Lecturers, and to actively engage in career-long professional learning.
There is already a diverse range of rich professional learning taking place across Scotland’s colleges, but this is often not known about beyond the college it is happening in. To help advance professional learning in the college sector, GTC Scotland, together with the College Development Network, Education Scotland and EIS FELA Learning Representatives, are working to raise awareness and increase engagement in the wide variety of professional learning taking place. If you would like to share an example of professional learning please contact us collegesector@gtcs.org.uk
Through registration with GTC Scotland we will raise the profile of lecturer professionalism and by supporting a culture of professional learning will help ensure the best possible outcomes for our students.
Dr Pauline Stephen is Chief Executive and Registrar at GTC Scotland
Find out more about college lecturer registration at www.gtcs.org.uk/college
