Projects and Publications
The Staff Development Forum runs projects itself and is keen to support its members with their own project work.
Current SDF projects include:
- Digital Literacies
- SaHOOTS
Suggestions for other SDF projects are always welcome.
In relation to member’s projects the SDF can help by:
- Commenting – confidentially – on initial project ideas
- Reading – again confidentially – drafts and offering suggestions
- Coaching and mentoring project leaders
- Nominating experienced staff developers to serve on advisory boards or to act as project evaluators
- Providing support with dissemination or engagement
The SDF publications include the Newsletter and – starting in November 2012 – the SDF Digest. This will share useful practice and point to helpful resources.
The Strategic Lead for Projects and Publications is Andy Wilson, d.a.wilson@lboro.ac.uk.
Projects
If you’re looking for a partner on a project, or if you want a confidential perspective on a proposal that you have in mind, then please contact Andy. He’ll draw on SDF resources and expertise to try to help. We’re particularly keen to help new bidders develop proposals for the Leadership Foundation’s Small Development Projects.
The SDF also gets involved in externally-funded project itself. See Archive Projects for information on past projects and their outputs.
The major current SDF project is a JISC-funded project on Digital Literacies
Action learning sets involving more dispersed members tend to fail because of the time, cost and carbon involved with travel. The challenge, therefore, was how to deliver action learning online. And the answer was through using Elluminate (now Collaborate). The papers below tell you all about the project, which was supported by the Leadership Foundation. More information on the Action Learning resources is available at JISCDESIGN
Key players in this are:
| Rosemary Benson | London Met | r.benson@londonmet.ac.uk |
| Rebecca Radics | Nottingham Trent | rebecca.radics@ntu.ac.uk |
| Andy Wilson | Loughborough University | d.a.wilson@lboro.ac.uk |
Publications
We’re really excited about the forthcoming SDF Digest. The first issue will be published in time for the November conference. So we’re looking for:
- Contributors – to write the material
- Members of the editorial board – to steer the journal and referee contributions
- Mentors – to support people as they write their papers
Helen Ashley is playing a key role in getting the Digest going. Please contact Helen (h.ashley@tees.ac.uk) or Andy to discuss any aspect of the Digest.
ARCHIVE PROJECTS
The Staff Development Forum is involved in research and development. This page describes the funded projects to date, and gives access to related documents.
HEFCE/LGM Dissemination Project
This report is given as a PowerPoint presentation. There is useful additional text with some of the slides, via the Notes Pages. Under some browsers you may need to first save the file, rather than simply open it, to access the Notes Page view.
LFHE Small Development Projects
SDF Strategic Staff Development Project
The SDF’s Strategic Staff Development Project was a major study funded by the Leadership Foundation, which reported in 2006. It had three linked themes, that explored the context for strategic staff development and analysed the expertise required both by those in staff development leadership roles and by practitioners.
The three Themes were:
- Promoting the Strategic Positioning and Alignment of Staff Development in Institutions;
- Defining and Supporting the Strategic Leadership Role; and
- Defining and Supporting the Staff Development Practitioner Role
Documents associated with the work are:
About the Project
- Project document - file not available – another copy needed
Project Outputs
- Theme 1: Promoting the Strategic Positioning and Alignment of Staff Development in Institutions
Developing Capability in the University (pdf, 2006)
- Theme 2: Defining and Supporting the Strategic Leadership Role
Operating Strategically (pdf, 2006)
Development Opportunities (pdf, 2006)
360 for Strategic Staff Development – Guidance (pdf, 2006)
Strategic Leadership Capability Framework – Self Diagnostic (xls, 2006)
Strategic Leadership Capability Framework – Self Diagnostic User Guide (pdf, 2006)
Capability Framework (pdf, 2006)
Staff Development Leaders Survey Report (pdf, 2006)
- Theme 3: Defining and Supporting the Staff Development Practitioner Role
Staff Development Practitioners’ Handbook (pdf, 2008)
Survey of Staff Development Practitioners (pdf, 2005)
ARCHIVE PUBLICATIONS
The Staff Development Forum has produced various documents of particular interest to the Higher Education staff development community, and intended for general circulation. Current publications and papers are available here, in date order, most recent first.
Staff Development Practitioners’ Handbook (pdf, 2008)
Development Opportunities (pdf, 2006)
360 for Strategic Staff Development – Guidance (pdf, 2006)
Strategic Leadership Capability Framework – Self Diagnostic (xls, 2006)
Strategic Leadership Capability Framework – Self Diagnostic User Guide (pdf, 2006)
Capability Framework (pdf, 2006)
Operating Strategically (pdf, 2006)
Staff Development Leaders Survey Report (pdf, 2006)
Developing Capability in the University (pdf, 2006)
Survey of Staff Development Practitioners (pdf, 2005)




