Cert Ed Pre-Service

Modules

The course operates on a modular basis. All modules count for 30 academic credits, with each credit taken equating to a total study time of around 10 hours, which includes scheduled teaching, independent study, teaching placement hours and assessment activity.

Full-time students take modules worth 60 credits per semester totaling 120 credits in the academic year to complete the course. A total of 120 credits are required to pass the course

Our teaching is informed by research, professional practice and industry engagement and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline.

MODULE 1: Research Informed Teaching, Learning and Assessment

This module discusses the implications of educational settings and current policies for the care and learning of young people and adults. It will enable you to evaluate theories and models of learning relevant to the design of subject-specific teaching and learning activities. By the end of this module you will be able to distinguish the key principles underpinning the selection of strategies for assessment and recognise factors influencing the motivation and behaviour of students. What will also be covered is the use of English, maths and digital skills within subject-specific teaching and learning.

MODULE 2: Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher

This module reviews your practice as a trainee teacher. It explores your teaching values, knowledge of your subject specialism, and your knowledge and understanding of how you are learning to teach. You will learn how to identify and respond to students’ needs, and how to use suitable teaching, learning and assessment strategies to develop inclusive teaching and learning strategies to create inclusive teaching and learning environments. You will evaluate your teaching effectiveness and develop yourself as a reflective practitioner. You will engage in personal and professional development planning, against the appropriate Professional Standards, to recognise and develop relevant subject specialist knowledge, behaviour and skills. This will include further development of English, maths and digital skills for yourself and your students.

MODULE 3: Being a Subject Specialist Teacher

This module builds on previous generic and subject specialist development in two ways. Firstly, it contributes to your development of more advanced strategies and methods for promoting learning and, secondly, it involves a focus on specific specialist areas and the critical analysis of specialist subject pedagogy. The module achieves these purposes by enhancing your ability to reflect critically on, and to evaluate, teaching and learning, by recognising particular curriculum and professional challenges, and by enabling you to develop critical responses to these concerns in sophisticated, innovative and creative ways. Key learning activities of the module are practical teaching experience and the engagement with other specialities through collaborative practice. The module is assessed through a Teaching Portfolio and a Conference Paper dealing with teaching and learning in the specialist subject.

MODULE 4: Policy and Professional Issues

This module will develop your understanding of policy and issues relating to professionalism in lifelong learning. You will explore the impact of policy on professional practice and curriculum developments, drawing on appropriate evidence to evaluate professional practice and discuss possible improvements. You will also discuss key issues of professionalism in lifelong learning, including debates on reflective practice and a discussion of your own educational values and the extent to which these promote social justice.

Assessment methods

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical’s. Seminars enable smaller group discussions to develop understanding of topics covered in lectures. You will use and have access to industry-standard software and facilities throughout your course.

When not attending lectures, seminars and laboratory or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, learning zone or technical learning resources, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations

Assessment:

The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.

There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and your final year major project. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

Feedback:

You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.

Tuition fees

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