Module EDUM033 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
EDUM033: Primary Curriculum Studies
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The principal aims of the module are to:
- enable you to gain a comprehensive understanding of theory and practice in the key areas of English, Communication and Languages, Mathematical understanding and Scientific understanding;
- enable you to gain an introduction to the teaching of the Arts, Physical Education (PE), Humanities, Music and Modern Languages (ML), Computing in primary school settings;
- help you meet the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status and thus be in a very good position to gain employment as a primary school teacher;
- nurture your development as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner who is able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and curriculum theory.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, ML, Computing and engage in critical debate about current educational issues, drawing on evidence from theory, research and practice; 2. recognise pupils learning needs in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, ML, Computing and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work; 3. demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic subject knowledge to teach in the primary phase of education; 4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science, the Arts, PE, Humanities, Music, Computing and ML; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice; 6. synthesise relevant educational literature to support understanding of childrens development in the primary curriculum; 7. appreciate the potential for cross curricular, integrated and themed approaches; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. manage your own learning; 9. be aware of your own effective learning strategies; 10. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes; and 11. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, committee based, etc.). |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
The module introduces students to current thinking in the teaching of Primary education and develops students’ pedagogic and academic subject knowledge in the field of Primary education. Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
University-led sessions on English, Maths, Science, Humanities, Music, PE, Art, ML, Computing.
School-based activity on PE, ML.
The module will address the following key elements:
- English, Mathematics and Science within the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2;
- Humanities, Art, Music, ML and PE. within the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2;
- Effective formative and summative assessment;
- The role of Computing;
- The principles of lesson planning, including recommended structures for Literacy and Mathematics lessons;
- Critical reflection, through the use of lesson evaluations, agenda evaluations, assignments, directed tasks, and peer and tutor discussions.
On the Primary PGCE, you will learn and reflect on the skills and knowledge required by the programme’s credit-bearing and non-credit bearing modules throughout the year. You will need to think about the modules in relation to each other. To facilitate this, the learning and teaching activities and guided independent study described below are scheduled to occur across all three terms both in the context of your university taught course and in the context of your 24 weeks of applied professional experience in schools.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 164 | 136 | 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 | 27 | 27 x 1 hr lectures: English, Mathematics, Science |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 81 | 27 x 2-3 hr seminars: English, Mathematics, Science |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 56 | 20 x 2 hr seminars: Humanities, Art, Music, PE, ML, Computing |
| Guided independent study | 20 | Framework Tasks for PE within School Based placements |
| Guided independent study | 20 | Framework Tasks for ML within School Based placements |
| Guided independent study | 96 | Peer support and personal study time. |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
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 assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Subject Knowledge Diagnostic Audits (English, Mathematics & Science) Personal action plans produced to address areas of weakness. The action plans are monitored by academic and school based mentors. | Science - 120 question audit (Sharp & Bryne (2007) English - four sections: Textual Analysis (fiction and poetry); Non-fiction; Phonics; Grammar. Mathematics: Self-assessment questions in Haylock (2010) | 3-6,8-9,11 | The first audits for English, Mathematics and Science are in September and scores recorded and action plans produced and signed by an academic tutors. The second audits are at the end of the Autumn term which is put into your Individual Development Portfolio together with an action plan if necessary. |
| Formative subject directed tasks | 1,000 words | 1-2,4-6,8-11 | Peer seminar discussion |
| Framework Task: ML Personalised action plan developed in collaboration with the school mentor | 20 hours | 1-11 | UVT moderation |
| Framework Task: PE Personalised action plan developed in collaboration with the school mentor | 20 hours | 1-11 | UVT moderation |
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.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and development | 100 | Portfolio to be developed during the 36 weeks of the programme to provide evidence of achievement of the professional standards required by the NCTL for QTS. There is no stipulated length. | 1-11 | Pass/Fail indicated by Final Summative Report |
| 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 assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and development | Portfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and development | 1-11 | See note below. |
Re-assessment notes
The Professional Learning and Curriculum Studies modules are designed to allow you to manifest attainment of the teachers’ standards. As these modules are assessed concurrently, in the same work placement context, and with regard to some shared intended learning outcomes, a referral or deferral in either module will necessitate a referral or deferral in both.
If a submitted portfolio is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the portfolio to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed, based on an additional school placement if this is confirmed by the Consequences Board following the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee for the PGCE Primary programme.
The resubmission would normally be made at the end of the additional placement.
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Basic reading:
Art: Ogier, S. (2017). Teaching primary art and design. Exeter: Learning Matters.
Computing: Berry, M. (2013) Computing in the national curriculum A guide for primary teachers. Bedford: Newnorth print
English: Fisher, R. (2010) Using talk to support writing. London: SAGE
Humanities: Cooper, H. (2017) Teaching History Creatively. Abingond, Oxon: Routledge
Maths: Haylock, D. (2018) Mathematics explained for Primary Teachers. 6th Edition. London: SAGE
ML: Jones, J. and Coffey, S. (2013) Modern foreign languages, 5-11: a guide for teachers. London: Routledge.
Music: Atkinson, R (2018) Mastering Primary Music. London: Bloomsbury.
PE: HM Government (2015) Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation. Whitehall, London: Crown copyright.
Science:Harlen, W and Qualter, A. (2014) The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools. 6th edition. London: Fulton.
