Dip into the section below that best fits your career stage and role to find developmental activities that you can engage with.
Our employment and training guidance for Assistant Lecturers covers recruitment, contracts, pay, expectations of the role and the department, training and support, and lastly, opportunities for those who don’t teach but are interested in developing the education side of an academic role. You may also be interested in the resources listed under New to Teaching below.
If you are new to teaching in higher education you will find a selection of events and resources here that will support your development and practice.
Use this Timeline Organiser to help navigate your first year of teaching at Essex.
Don't forget to explore the other areas of Professional Development and Training available to you from the main menu.
| Events | Focus | Next Steps |
| Induction checklist | All new staff are expected to engage with the guidance for new starters | Find out more on the Staff Directory |
| Education and Research staff induction | This event will orientate you to the institutional context and support available for you | Learning event catalogue |
| CADENZA: Pathways to Fellowship Discover all you need to know about professional recognition | Developing your education practice Awards and recognition |
Access the guidance |
| Academic permanency and promotion guidance | Use this to understand Pathway to Permanency and promotion | Find out more on the Staff Directory |
| Peer review of teaching Details on the policy and requirements for teaching staff | Developing your education practice | Access the guidance |
| Education Insights: New to teaching in HE Find out the key points to prepare for teaching | Developing your education practice Role-specific career stage support |
Learning event catalogue |
| Teaching and Learning in Higher Education This short course provides an overview of topics designed to support those new to teaching. | Developing your education practice Role-specific career stage support |
Enrol on the Moodle course |
| Education Insights: Active Learning engaging your learners in their learning | Developing your education practice | Article Quick Guide On-demand course |
| Education Insights: Voice and performance Looking at delivery approaches and care of our selves when teaching | Developing your education practice | Article Quick Guide |
| Lectern and teaching room workshop | Digital skills | |
| Blended Learning Baseline course This will support all teaching staff in meeting the 12 requirements of the Blended Learning Baseline. | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Article Access the Moodle course |
| Getting Moodle ready for start of term A run through on preparing your Moodle space | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
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| Education Insights: Digital Engagement Tools (Poll Everywhere) A look at classroom engagement tools that encourage active learning | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
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| PowerPoint: The Essentials Learn how to add content to your presentations such as text, images, hyperlinks, audio and video | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Learning event catalogue |
| Creating Accessible Learning Materials How to make your documents, presentations, videos and web content meet accessibility standards | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Quick Guide |
| Student wellbeing support and signposting An overview of support and resources to support student wellbeing | Student support | Access the guidance |
The following events and resources are for those educators who are looking to extend their practice and develop their skills further. Note if you are an experienced educator but new to teaching at Essex make sure you check out the New to Teaching section above for additional development opportunities.
Don't forget to explore the other areas of Professional Development and Training available to you from the main menu.
| Events and resources | Focus | Next steps |
| CADENZA: Pathways to Fellowship Discover all you need to know about professional recognition | Developing your education practice Awards and recognition |
Access the guidance Learning event catalogue |
| Academic permanency and promotion guidance | Use this to understand Pathway to Permanency and promotion | Find out more on the Staff Directory |
| Education Exchange Meet and discuss current education themes with your colleagues | Disseminating your practice Developing your education practice |
Article Access the Moodle space Learning event catalogue |
| Education Insights: Effective Personal Tutoring In-person session to find out more on this topic | Developing your education practice | |
| Education Insights: Innovative assessment In-person session to find out more on this topic | Developing your education practice | Article Quick Guide Learning event catalogue |
| Education Insights: Competency Based Assessment Short online course with examples and guidance | Developing your education practice | Article Quick Guide |
| Managing Groupwork Assessment design and teaching approaches with groups | Developing your education practice | Quick Guide |
| Module design strategies Guidance on Module design processes and strategies | Developing your education practice | Access the guidance |
| Elearning design developing learning materials for online or blended teaching | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Article Quick Guide |
| Education Insights: AI in teaching more information on this fast moving theme | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Article Quick Guide Learning event catalogue |
| Advance HE development programmes Visit their website to find topical articles and events |
Accessing funding opportunities
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Access the website |
| Times Higher Education Campus Teaching & Learning best practice from around the world | Advice and insights shared from universities around the world | Find out more on the Times Higher Education Campus webpage |
Personal Tutors work with the department to provide the tutees with essential information. All Personal Tutors are supported by a Senior Personal Tutor who can be contacted for further advice, information and training.
Personal Tutors are required to complete a Personal Tutor Confidence Tool as a part of their role-based Essential Training.
There are a number of resources available to help guide you through the process of supervising PGR students.
A tailored role-based support programme is available to support academic Heads and Directors to transition into and flourish in their role.
Which roles have a dedicated role-based support programme?
What is the role-based support programme?
Each Head of Department/School or Director will be invited to attend role based support events and encouraged to frame their professional development plan with the following four areas of the role-based support programme:
Our role-based support programme infographic (.pdf) provides a visual representation of the four areas above.
Further information about the role-based support programmes can be accessed in the Role-Based Support Moodle resource.
Here is an overview of accreditation opportunities, learning events and resources to support Technicians to develop their education practice.
Achieve Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy
Depending on the level of student support that is being provided, you could be able to achieve Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE). Find out more about our CADENZA Pathways to Fellowship or book to attend an introduction to CADENZA session on HR Organiser.
| Events and resources | Focus | Next steps |
| Essential training Including health & safety, safeguarding and information security | Essential training | Access the guidance |
| Education Insights: Digital Engagement Tools (Poll Everywhere) A look at classroom engagement tools that encourage active learning | Education delivery | Quick Guide Learning event catalogue |
| PowerPoint: The Essentials Learn how to add content to your presentations such as: text, images, hyperlinks, audio and video. | Preparing teaching materials | Learning event catalogue |
| Blended Learning Baseline course This will support all teaching staff in meeting the 12 requirements of the Blended Learning Baseline. | Education delivery | Article Access the Moodle course |
| Teaching and Learning in Higher Education This short course provides an overview of topics designed to support those new to teaching. | Education delivery | Enrol on the Moodle course |
| Learning to Teach Online This LinkedIn Learning course provides learners with some key information to successfully teach a digital class. (Sign into UoE Linkedin Learning first) | Education delivery | Access the LinkedIn Learning course |
| Active Learning Strategies Quick Guide Some examples of active learning strategies for both small and large groups. | Education delivery | |
| Managing Groups Quick Guide Supports teaching staff to consider assessment design and implementation at the module level. | Education delivery | Article Quick Guide |
| Branded PowerPoint templates Guidance to ensure that your PowerPoint templates are accessible and impactful. | Preparing teaching materials | Access the guidance |
| Creating Accessible Learning Materials Quick Guide How to make your documents, presentations, videos and web content meet accessibility standards. | Preparing teaching materials | Quick Guide |
| Student Wellbeing support and signposting An overview of support and resources to support student wellbeing. | Student support | Access the guidance |
Find a selection of resources below that are specifically targeted at enhancing student engagement.
| Events | Focus | Next Steps |
| Education Insights: Active Learning | Developing your education practice | Article Quick Guide On-demand course |
| Education Insights: Digital Engagement Tools (Poll Everywhere) A look at classroom engagement tools that encourage active learning | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Quick Guide Learning event catalogue |
| PowerPoint: The Essentials Learn how to add content to your presentations such as text, images, hyperlinks, audio and video | Developing your education practice Digital skills |
Learning event catalogue |
| Education Exchange event recordings | Developing your education practice Disseminating your practice |
Moodle course |