Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EFPM902: Creating Effective Learning in Higher Education

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

This module is designed to develop supportive communities of practice amongst academics and professional staff in Higher Education, in a range of teaching-related roles, who are relatively new to the University. Most of the teaching on the module is concentrated into three study days. Structured learning activities will be varied, to include interactive lectures, discussion groups, a ‘panel of experts’ event, and collaborative small group tasks. In common with the other PCAP module, participants will be allocated an academic tutor and will be entitled to a one-hour individual tutorial during the module, plus support by email and/or telephone.

Appropriate sessions will be selected from the following indicative syllabus:

Contexts for creativity in higher education: issues, changes and values;

Developing your practice through dialogue with peers: the notions of academic tribes and territories; communities of practice (Rowland; Wenger);

The socially constructed nature of learning and its implications for your teaching of large and small classes (active learning and feedback loops; use of PowerPoint; questioning techniques);

The idea of professional development: mapping your academic and professional practice against, and critically engaging with, the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF);

Planning for teaching: programmes, modules and individual sessions. QAA Subject Benchmarks: tribes and territories in practice?;

Creating authentic intended learning outcomes; selecting teaching methods/ learning activities and assessment methods, including online options;

Research-inspired, inquiry-led learning;

Developing student skills for academic success, employment and sustainability;

Cultural inclusivity in an internationalised university;

Student wellbeing and accessible teaching;

Technology-enhanced learning;

Engaging students as agents for change

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
38	262	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	20	Whole group sessions (3 study days), comprising a combination of discussion groups, collaborative small group tasks, a panel of experts debate and interactive lectures
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	5	Triad concept-mapping activity: working in a group of three to prepare a group presentation
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	10	Blended learning engagement including online discussion and preparation for session
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	1	Individual tutorials and online/telephone support
Guided independent study	2	Exeter Academic Seminars and Workshops are small group, interactive staff development sessions run by University academic or professional staff on a wide range of practice-related topics
Guided independent study	10	Engagement with peer dialogue/observation and writing up and reflecting on that experience
Guided independent study	40	Independent study of the education literature focusing on the area of teaching practice to be developed
Guided independent study	42	Completion of the ASPIRE application for Fellowship of the HEA (Descriptor 2)
Guided independent study	120	Implementation and evaluation of planned change to teaching practice
Guided Independent Study	50	Developing output to be assessed, reflecting on and evaluating the implemented change

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Exeter Learning Environment (ELE) https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=903

Plus Advance HE - Higher Education Academy resources, relevant to each subject discipline, online at https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources