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endix 3: Detailed advice relating to Core Knowledge and Professional Values
Core Knowledge
You can most easily provide evidence of your Core Knowledge in your commentary on the Areas of Activity.
For example, designing and planning a learning activity (Area of Activity 1) effectively requires the use of
appropriate teaching and learning methods (Core Knowledge 2), an understanding of how the particular
students learn (Core Knowledge 3) and the use of appropriate learning technologies (Core Knowledge 4).
Linking the Core Knowledge to Areas of Activity provides greater coherence and depth to the evidence and
more accurately reflects the reality of practice.
Core Knowledge 1: The subject material
You should provide evidence of how you use your understanding of the nature of the subject to inform the
design and planning of learning activities and programmes of study, the teaching strategies, the assessment
and feedback. This would normally make reference to the distinctive nature, or culture, of the discipline and
the particular expectations of teaching; the issues or challenges arising from the context in which teaching
takes place, and the appropriate methods of delivering the subject at different levels (e.g. first year
undergraduate to Master’s level).
Core Knowledge 2: Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of
the academic programme
This is concerned with approaches to education that are distinctive and/or characteristic of the subject, or
what makes the teaching or support of learning in the subject distinct. It is also concerned with
acknowledging that some approaches may be more appropriate than others given the nature of the learning
desired, the level of the material being taught and the readiness of students. This is clearly linked to
demonstrating Core Knowledge 1 with its focus on an understanding the subject material, but is specifically
concerned with the strategies and approaches used to teach or support the learning of the subject.
Core Knowledge 3: How students learn, both generally and within their subject/discipline area
You can provide evidence in this case by demonstrating how an understanding of the characteristics of
different students (such as mature students, recent school leavers or research students) influences the
decisions you make about how best to work with those students. You might refer, for example, to different
theories of, or approaches to learning and how these influence your use of different strategies for teaching
and supporting learning.
Core Knowledge 4: The use and value of appropriate learning technologies
Here you need to demonstrate how and why you use specific technologies, traditional and new, to support
learning. The evidence you provide is likely to link to other areas of Core Knowledge, for example; how and
why technology is used within a specific discipline, professional or vocational areas; for specific groups of
students in specific learning contexts or environments.
Core Knowledge 5: Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
Here you should focus on the methods (formal or informal) you employ to gather information about the
impact of teaching, how you use that information and how this helps you to develop your work.
Core Knowledge 6: The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and
professional practice with a particular focus on teaching
In this section you should demonstrate how you use feedback from students to enhance your practice and
their experience. This might include an account of how you obtain feedback other than relying on the
institutional procedures already in place.
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Core Knowledge
You can most easily provide evidence of your Core Knowledge in your commentary on the Areas of Activity.
For example, designing and planning a learning activity (Area of Activity 1) effectively requires the use of
appropriate teaching and learning methods (Core Knowledge 2), an understanding of how the particular
students learn (Core Knowledge 3) and the use of appropriate learning technologies (Core Knowledge 4).
Linking the Core Knowledge to Areas of Activity provides greater coherence and depth to the evidence and
more accurately reflects the reality of practice.
Core Knowledge 1: The subject material
You should provide evidence of how you use your understanding of the nature of the subject to inform the
design and planning of learning activities and programmes of study, the teaching strategies, the assessment
and feedback. This would normally make reference to the distinctive nature, or culture, of the discipline and
the particular expectations of teaching; the issues or challenges arising from the context in which teaching
takes place, and the appropriate methods of delivering the subject at different levels (e.g. first year
undergraduate to Master’s level).
Core Knowledge 2: Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of
the academic programme
This is concerned with approaches to education that are distinctive and/or characteristic of the subject, or
what makes the teaching or support of learning in the subject distinct. It is also concerned with
acknowledging that some approaches may be more appropriate than others given the nature of the learning
desired, the level of the material being taught and the readiness of students. This is clearly linked to
demonstrating Core Knowledge 1 with its focus on an understanding the subject material, but is specifically
concerned with the strategies and approaches used to teach or support the learning of the subject.
Core Knowledge 3: How students learn, both generally and within their subject/discipline area
You can provide evidence in this case by demonstrating how an understanding of the characteristics of
different students (such as mature students, recent school leavers or research students) influences the
decisions you make about how best to work with those students. You might refer, for example, to different
theories of, or approaches to learning and how these influence your use of different strategies for teaching
and supporting learning.
Core Knowledge 4: The use and value of appropriate learning technologies
Here you need to demonstrate how and why you use specific technologies, traditional and new, to support
learning. The evidence you provide is likely to link to other areas of Core Knowledge, for example; how and
why technology is used within a specific discipline, professional or vocational areas; for specific groups of
students in specific learning contexts or environments.
Core Knowledge 5: Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
Here you should focus on the methods (formal or informal) you employ to gather information about the
impact of teaching, how you use that information and how this helps you to develop your work.
Core Knowledge 6: The implications of quality assurance and quality enhancement for academic and
professional practice with a particular focus on teaching
In this section you should demonstrate how you use feedback from students to enhance your practice and
their experience. This might include an account of how you obtain feedback other than relying on the
institutional procedures already in place.
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