Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EPSM000: Educational and Professional Studies

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The principal aims of the module are to:

  • develop your knowledge of contemporary education policies and key pedagogical theories;
  • enable you to reflect critically on children’s learning and development, pedagogy and teachers’ roles and responsibilities in multi-professional  contexts; and
  • engage with relevant government reports, policies and academic research in order to develop critical appraisal of contemporary social trends and issues in theory and practice

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 critically evaluate educational theories and issues, and engage in critical debate about current educational 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 subject knowledge to teach in the early childhood and primary phase of education;
4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage, including assessment frameworks;
Discipline-Specific Skills5. critically evaluate the relationship between educational theories and practice;
6. produce a critical synthesis of relevant literature to develop an argument;
7. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing;
8. use research findings and data in support of an argument (including government reports);
Personal and Key Skills9. demonstrate competence in self-management: the management of time, tasks and evaluation of your professional learning;
10. demonstrate competence in learning independently and cooperatively;
11. demonstrate competence in communication and presentation – including the capability to express ideas coherently in written tasks, participate in group tasks by expressing ideas and personal judgement, and argue rationally using relevant sources to substantiate opinions and arguments;
12. demonstrate competence in using IT - search electronic databases in the library, use ELE, email, word processing, use the internet for resources and information;
13. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based);
14. identify and reflect on the main features of practice-based problems and develop strategies for their resolution; and
15. interpret and use data effectively.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

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:

All lectures are normally underpinned by the Ten Key Principles of Effective Pedagogy from the TLRP (Teaching and Learning Research Programme).  The lead lectures include:

  • National policy frameworks;
  • Theories of children’s learning and development;
  • Pedagogy – choices in theory and practice;
  • preparing to teach learners from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Background;
  • Creativity in Primary Education;
  • Child Development;
  • The importance of informal learning to children’s educational development;
  • Addressing Gender and Social Class Inequalities in Primary Schools;
  • Provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND);
  • English as an Additional Language (EAL);

There are additional lectures which address other generic aspects of professional development, e.g.:

  • Child protection and Safeguarding;
  • The Exeter Model of Education;
  • Behaviour Management etc.
  • Seminar days and workshop activities and other events will provide additional learning opportunities e.g. Employability, NQT year etc.

Further extension will be provided through the Professional Studies element of school-based work

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
322680

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities99 x 1 hour Lead lectures
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities99 x 1hr seminars to discuss and explore in more detail the issues raised in the lead lectures
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities88 x 1 hour additional lectures
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities63 x 2 hour ‘seminar day’ lectures and seminars
Guided independent study60reading for seminars
Guided independent study80preparation and writing of formative and summative assignments
Guided independent study50school placement framework tasks
Guided independent study78school placement planning and evaluations

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 assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Evidence based teaching: Behaviour Management (Poster)A2 poster1-14Verbal and written feedback
Raising Pupils’ Aspirations: Directed Task to probe children’s knowledge of and perceptions about going to University.Notes and analysis of children’s responses (1,000 words). 5,7-9,11,13,15Verbal Feedback

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
Part 3: Theoretical & conceptual exploration of a key issue in primary education1004,000 words1-15Written feedback
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
Part 3: Theoretical & conceptual exploration of a key issue in primary educationPart 3: Theoretical & conceptual exploration of a key issue in primary education1-15See 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 Discipline-level Assessment, Progression & 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 have your mark recorded at the APAC as a fail mark. You will then be referred to the College-level APAC 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 next assessment meeting following any successful resubmission (normally held in December).

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