Scottish Higher Education Developers October 2018 | Page 11

THE PRINCIPAL’S TEACHING AWARD SCHEME (PTAS) Daphne Loads and Emily Salvesen, The University of Edinburgh Funded by our alumni, through the Development Trust, teams of staff and students are awarded grants of up to £15,000 to engage in inquiry into learning and teaching and evaluation of innovative activities. They share the results across subject areas and Schools. The Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme aims to: • encourage colleagues to explore new practice and innovations Rough, emotional journeys Image: Mule Train with Colorful Blankets, Old Spanish Trail, 1830s by Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CC By 2.0 • disseminate good and/or innovative practice across the University and more widely • promote and recognise excellence in teaching • raise the status of teaching in the University • enhance the quality of the student learning environment. The scheme was initiated in 2008, by Professor Carolin Kreber, with the support of our then Principal, Sir Tim O’Shea. Since then, 190 projects have been undertaken, into a diverse range of topics across the disciplines. In 2017, an investigation using poetic inquiry gave an indication of the depth of impact of PTAS projects on teachers’ personal and professional development. “We found that [poetry] gives a real sense of the rough, emotional and meaningful journeys that can take place for colleagues who are engaged with teaching development projects. [One] participant had moments of revelation and epiphany on his project journey but also stumbled and struggled. There is a sense … that he has reflected deeply and learned a great deal …about himself as a change agent …. I have a sense of his commitment to his journey as a teacher, despite possible risks and setbacks.” (Loads, Marzetti and McCune, under review). 7 Celebrating 25 years of SHED