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Department of Education, Unit Catalogue 2011/12


ED50254: Education and professional studies (EPS M)

Click here for further information Credits: 12
Click here for further information Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Click here for further information Period: Academic Year
Click here for further information Assessment: CW 100%
Click here for further information Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take ED30252
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
The Education and Professional Studies (EPS) Programme unit is an essential component of training to become a teacher. Teachers are part of a large team dedicated not only to developing children's subject knowledge but also to their development as people. Students will acquire:
* Understanding and knowledge that provides the foundation for their own professional development throughout their careers;
* Understanding, knowledge, critical reflection and professional practical skills that broaden their perspectives of education beyond a subject focus and to give some structured insights into the holistic nature of life in schools;
* The knowledge, understanding and cognitive/intellectual skills necessary to carry out an enquiry through which they demonstrate an ability to analyse, interpret and critique findings and are both critical and evaluative of their own practice and the contribution that their work makes to their own knowledge and the wider field of educational knowledge;
* An awareness of ethical issues in current areas of study and the ability to discuss these in relation to personal beliefs and values.

Learning Outcomes:
Students will:
* Know about (and have worked within) the statutory frameworks relating to teachers' responsibilities;
* Have gained an enhanced and critical awareness of key professional issues that face schools in an ever changing climate and have undertaken extensive reading so that they are able to make valid contributions to educational debate and evaluate their impact, in a variety of settings;
* Examine and evaluate how schools organise and manage the welfare of their pupils through involvement in pastoral systems;
* Have an understanding about the contribution that support staff and other professionals make to teaching and learning and have investigated related research on the effective deployment and engagement of staff in school settings so that they are able to evaluate the impact that these staff have on teaching and learning;
* Be able to demonstrate and promote positive values, attitudes and behaviour that are expected from pupils;
* Have contributed effectively to the corporate life of schools;
* Be able to conduct an enquiry which is both valid and reliable and which contributes to both their own professional knowledge and the wider field of educational knowledge and theory, reflecting in a critical and balanced manner on the findings;
* Be able to evaluate their own enquiries and reflections in relation to the wider field of educational knowledge and theory.

Skills:
The following skills will be facilitated:
* Make critical use of the literature in the field of Education;
* Make critical use of professional experience in the field of Education;
* Analyse, interpret and critique findings and arguments;
* Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems;
* Evaluate research and variety of types of information and evidence critically, also making informed judgements in the absence of complete data;
* Contribute to professional debate in the field of education;
* Act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level and evaluate the effectiveness of their work;
* Communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Evaluate their own academic and professional performance;
* Manage change effectively and respond to changing demands;
* Manage time, prioritise workloads and recognise and manage personal emotions and stress;
* Develop ICT skills to participate in on-line discussion and create an EPS e-portfolio;
* Personal skills in being able to relate to others and manage learners effectively;
* Communication skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening;
* Ability to work with others and in teams;
* Ability to understand how students learn and develops as a teacher;
* Ability to identify and promote the learning in others;
* Ability to regard all learners as having equal aaccess to learning and be mindful that all should have the opportunity to succeed;
* Carry out an effective and a critical enquiry which will contribute towards their own knowledge and knowledge within the field of enquiry.

Content:
Students will engage in a number of topics that are relevant to all teachers, regardless of their subject specialism within the school, and are of current concern to all school teachers. Students will, through, reading, reflection, presentations and discussions:
* Engaged critically with academic literature so that they deepen their knowledge and understanding of educational theory and issues;
* Reflected on their own experience, in a range of school settings, so that they can analyse this in the context of their wider theoretical knowledge;
* Appreciate the need to promote cross curricular skills such as numeracy, literacy and ICT. They will become aware of current strategies being employed in schools and the direction of government policy in this area;
* Appreciate the importance of Citizenship education for all pupils in order to create responsible and active citizens of the future;
* Become aware of the developments in post-16 curriculum and the emerging 14-19 curriculum [secondary students only];
* Become aware of current developments in inclusion and the need to ensure that all pupils achieve their potential regardless of their physical, intellectual, linguistic, social, cultural and emotional development;
* Become aware of the Foundation Stage curriculum [middle years students only];
* Understand the importance of target setting for pupils based upon local and national norms.
During this unit, students will engage in e-learning discussions in forums drawn from the above topics. Their participation in these discussions will lead to evidence required for the portfolio required as part of the assessment of this unit.
The Educational Study is the main vehicle of assessment. The study involves students carrying out school-based research informed by academic literature producing a report which is assessed at M level. Students will be expected, through their reading, analysis, reflection and writing to reflect critically and to evaluate their findings so that they meet Masters level criteria. Students receive additional tuition on research methods in education and on academic writing. During this unit students begin the study with a pilot stage, and then develop the study, through work in schools, supported by work in the University to produce the final report. Students will be able to submit a draft and receive feedback and comment.
Students will be expected to engage critically with a range of academic literature and to set their own findings within the wider context of their own reading and reflection.
Click here for further informationProgramme availability:

ED50254 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Education
  • THED-AFP30 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Biology (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP31 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Chemistry (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP33 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) English (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP36 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) History (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP37 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Information Technology (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP38 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Mathematics (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP40 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Middle-years English (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP41 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Middle-years Mathematics (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP42 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Middle-years Science (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP39 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Modern Foreign Languages (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP43 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Physical Education (Full-time)
  • THED-AFP44 : Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Physics (Full-time)

NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.