Modules

Research Informed Teaching Learning and Assessment – This module aims to develop your understanding of how people learn in the Lifelong Learning Sector and of the role of assessment in enabling learning and achievement. It introduces theories and principles of learning and assessment and develops your ability to apply research evidence in designing effective learning and assessment strategies and materials. It seeks to develop positive approaches to the management of group and individual behaviours and promotes an inclusive approach to teaching, learning and assessment. It introduces the role of key transferable skills and the ways in which people learn English, Maths and digital skills. The module is assessed by means of a practical micro-teaching assignment and the design of an intervention, strategy, activity or resource, underpinned by an understanding of key principles of teaching, learning and assessment.
Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher – The 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're learning to teach. You'll have the opportunity to 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 environments. You'll have the chance to evaluate your teaching effectiveness and develop as a reflective practitioner as well as engage in personal and professional development planning, against the appropriate Professional Standards, to recognise and develop relevant subject specialist knowledge, behaviours and skills. This will include further development of English, Maths and digital skills for you and your students.
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 subject specialist pedagogy. The module seeks to enhance your ability to reflect critically on, and to evaluate, teaching and learning; by recognising particular curriculum and professional challenges; and by developing your ability to respond to these concerns in sophisticated, innovative and creative ways. Key learning activities of the module are practical teaching experience and the engagement with other specialists through collaborative practice. The module is assessed through a Teaching Portfolio and a Conference Paper dealing with teaching and learning in the specialist subject.
Policy and Professional Issues – The module will develop your understanding of policy and issues relating to professionalism in Lifelong Learning. You'll have the opportunity to explore the impact of policy on professional practice and curriculum developments, drawing on appropriate evidence to evaluate professional practice and discuss possible improvements. You'll 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

The approach to assessment is defined as

1) Varied and creative: we are working to enable students to develop both academic rigour and professional confidence which means offering an assessment strategy that does not over privilege a single mode of communication. Students are formally assessed through writing, presentations, posters, micro-teaching, video essay, blogging and whatever new modes of demonstrating knowledge and skill emerge as appropriate. The assessment regime requires this degree of flexibility to allow us to respond to unanticipated changes in our working environment, ensuring that trainees are equipped to manage these.

2) Re-contextualised: trainees work in an extraordinarily diverse range of contexts from formal FE colleges to a women’s refuge to hostels for the homeless. The assessment strategy therefore needs to be flexible enough to allow trainees working in each of these contexts to make a direct connection between their specific interest and concerns and the core competences required from an FE teacher. This implies an assessment that is relevant to the specific context while simultaneously broad enough to develop an awareness of unknown future contexts.

3) Balanced: in a time when the professionalism of teaching is no longer assumed we are committed to modes of assessment that encourage questioning and critique. It is important that trainees developing know-how is assessed but the context for the next few years equally demands that they have critical insight into knowing-what and why with a reflexive appreciation of where their own professionalism sits within knowing, doing and being.

4) Where there is more than one assessment method in a module, students who fail one assessment and pass the other(s) will only have to be reassessed in the failed component
The content is organised over four modules that incorporate both academic content and professional practice