EDU8134 : Professional Learning in Context (Primary) - Postgraduate Study

Offered for Year: 2024/25

Module Leader(s): Mr Fred Clark
Lecturer: Dr Maria Mroz, Professor Heather Smith

Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value:	30
ECTS Credits:	15.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

Drawing upon the literature on professional learning, this module aims to provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to reflect critically on their own practice and to undertake small–scale action research of children’s responses to the curriculum and the effectiveness of their own pedagogy. It requires students to engage with a range of perspectives and integrate learning from experience in schools with the relevant research and professional literature in the wider academic and governmental context.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will work independently to:
1. gather data in primary classrooms using appropriate methodologies;
2. analyse data with relation to lectures, seminars and relevant research and professional literature;
3. draw upon their findings to inform pedagogy;
4. analyse the impact evidence informed pedagogy with reference to changed behaviours in pupils;
5. evaluate and critically comment on the above cycle with relation to lectures, seminars and relevant research and professional literature

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Category	Activity	Number	Length	Student Hours	Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Lecture	11	1:00	11:00	Present in Person
Structured Guided Learning	Lecture materials	4	1:00	4:00	Non-synchronous Online
Guided Independent Study	Assessment preparation and completion	1	45:00	45:00	N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Practical	15	6:00	90:00	N/A
Guided Independent Study	Skills practice	1	40:00	40:00	N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Small group teaching	9	1:00	9:00	Synchronous Online
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Small group teaching	24	1:30	36:00	Present in Person
Guided Independent Study	Reflective learning activity	1	30:00	30:00	N/A
Guided Independent Study	Independent study	1	35:00	35:00	N/A
Total	300:00

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module combines lectures, seminars, the use of Canvas and extended reading to support action research in the classroom. In a primary classroom students independently carry out formative assessment and make use of diagnostic tools to help improve the teaching and learning cycle.

The module meets the needs of the students by providing an authentic induction into the ways of working and areas of debate in schools and enables them to draw upon research to inform practice. The integration of practical experience with a critical appraisal of current research evidence required by the written element models the process of professional learning as required in the work-place. The written elements, enable students to demonstrate competence in the key skills essential in the teaching profession

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Description	Semester	When Set	Percentage	Comment
Written exercise	1	M	50	3,000 word written critical commentary
Written exercise	1	M	50	3,000 word written critical commentary

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment combines presentation skills and individual, written critical reflection in accordance with the criteria for Level M, assessment will focus on the quality of the links made between current research and practice. Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate evidence drawn from a range of sources and develop an argument that exemplifies the capacity for professional judgement.

Reading Lists

EDU8134's Reading List

Timetable

Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
EDU8134's Timetable

Module