Postgraduate Module Descriptor


EDUM036: Secondary Education and Professional Studies

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The principle aims of the module are to:

  • enable you to gain an understanding of a range of contemporary education policies and issues, theory and practice;
  • support you in reflecting critically on children’s learning and development, pedagogy and teachers’ roles and responsibilities; and
  • support you to meet the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. identify and evaluate educational theories and policies and to engage in critical debate about current issues, drawing on evidence from theory, policy, research and practice;
2. understand theories of pedagogy, learning and development, and consider how these can inform professional practice;
3. demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic knowledge to teach at Secondary level;
4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and other policies relevant to teaching in Secondary schools.
Discipline-Specific Skills5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theories to practice;
6. synthesise relevant educational literature in support of an argument;
7. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
8. present data and findings in a form appropriate for educational contexts;
9. use research data in support of an argument in education (including government reports).
Personal and Key Skills10. manage your own learning development and evaluation of your learning;
11. learn effectively both independently and co-operatively, and be aware of your own learning strategies;
12. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes with rational argument based on relevant and reliable ;
13. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, etc); and
14. think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution.

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Framework tasks related to the Educational and Professional Studies programme1,000 words equivalent1,2,3,4; 10-14Verbal
Directed study tasks related to the Professional Studies seminars2,000 words or equivalent1,2,3,4; 10-14Verbal
Formative assignment for research study1,500 words5-9Verbal and written

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Report on research study1006,000 words or equivalent5-9Written
0
0
0
0
0
0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Report on research study (6,000 words)Report on research study (6,000 words) 5-9See notes below.

Re-assessment notes

If a submitted assignment is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the assignment to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed.

You can choose to resubmit a failed assignment ‘in year’ (i.e. before the final PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) in July). The resubmission would normally be made 4 weeks after receiving feedback on the first submission. Alternatively, you may opt to go to the PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee with the fail mark. You will then be referred to the College level Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee who will confirm the conditions for resubmission of the work. Normally the resubmission should be by 1st September. You should discuss these options with your tutor.

Note: if you choose the second option, the award of PGCE will be delayed until the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee meeting following any successful resubmission (normally held in December).

If an assignment is deemed to be a Fail, the mark obtained on resubmission will be capped at 50%.