Distance Learning PGCE Course team & Module information

As a team, we are committed in supporting you and sharing this experience through the course. Thank you for being part of our community and we look forward to welcoming you in our DL PGCE programme. We hope you will enjoy this experience.

Course Team

Meri Nasilyan-Lowe | Course Director M.Nasilyan@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Alina Kalnina-Kalnaraja | Online Learning Tutor A.Kalnina-Kalnaraja@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Connor Hulme | Course Administrator Education@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Associate Tutors

Leanne Buckley

Diana Tremayne

Roy Halpin

Michelle Whitehead

Andrew Bridge

Tracy Edwards

Carly Waterhouse

Fiona Steel

Introduction | DL PGCE Team | Welcome to the Course

Modules

Professional Values and Practice (PVP): 20 credits

Module leader: Meri Nasilyan-Lowe

We will explore 3 main topics in this module, all of which will prepare you to respond to the assignment and to meet the learning outcomes. They are also designed to complement and enhance the learning and development that you are engaging in whilst on placement and/or in your professional practice and development.

All of the module content is essential, but often we struggle to understand what is presented to us unless we have a chance to make our own meaning. Online courses are particularly tricky in this respect so it is really important that you regularly check your emails, participate in the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and clarify any issues with your allocated module tutor.

The module programme is outlined for you below and there are a number of tools on the right hand side that you can customise. They can alert you when there is an announcement, display tasks you've created in your calendar and show new posts in Discussion Boards and so on.

Where do I start?

Start with the Module Induction section first then engage steadily through the topics. Have a look through the assignment guidance but don't try to tackle this until you have gained a good understanding of what is required.

Module Programme:

Module Induction

Topic 1 - Exploring Professional Values and Practice

Topic 2 - Strategies for Promoting Learning

Topic 3 - Understanding Safe and Effective Learning Environments

For the Professional Values and Practice module there is one summative assessment and it is worth 100% of the marks for the module - An essay of 4000 words around professional context, policy analysis, classroom observation reports and teaching experience.

Developing Subject Competence (DSC): 20 credits

Module leader: Meri Nasilyan-Lowe

Throughout this module there will be a focus on the identification of professional and research literature on the curriculum and the application of this to planning, teaching, learning, assessment and classroom management.

This module will allow you to build upon existing subject competence appropriate to the educational phase that you have chosen to work in, and enhance your skills, knowledge and understanding through research, professional practice, critical reflection and collaborative activities.

We will explore the national curriculum and its politics and ideological underpinnings as well as subject specific research and theory which should allow you to analyse the role of your subject in light of changing policies and the challenges of meeting the needs of a diverse range students. Please note for the purpose of this module primary and early years colleagues should select one specific subject to research in more depth.

The module content will directly inform your assignment; each topic should take you approximately 1 week to complete, this will leave you enough time to then focus on your assignment in the final few weeks.

Module Programme:

Module Induction

Topic 1 Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Topic 2 The Nature of Individual Subject Areas

Topic 3 Understanding Learner Misconceptions

Topic 4 Continuity and Progression

Topic 5 Subject Specific Assessment

Topic 6 Planning for Learning

Topic 7 Continuing Professional Development

For the Developing Subject Competence module there is one assignment and it is worth 100% of the marks for the module - an essay of 4000 words with supporting appendices. around your subject expertise and policy studies.

School-Based Independent Study (SBIS): 20 credits

Module leader: Meri Nasilyan-Lowe

This module appears to have less ‘content’ than your other two modules. This is because the major focus here is on developing and carrying out your own research study.

We will give you information and support here to enable you to do this successfully, but this builds on the content you will have covered in your other two PGCE modules. You may well have completed a dissertation or independent study in some format for your undergraduate degree; you will be able to draw on these skills here.

We will be introducing you to situated practitioner research, a form of Action Research, where you will investigate your own practice or a situation in which you are working.

Although there is just one assignment in this, there are a number of key tasks you need to complete in good time. The Module Induction topic includes a diagram of the indicative timeline for completing the required elements of the module.

Module programme:

Module Induction

Topic 1 What is Action Research?

Topic 2 Choosing your topic

Topic 3 Ethical issues and principles

Topic 4 The research process

Topic 5 Presenting your Study

For the School-Based Independent Study module there is one assignment and it is worth 100% of the marks for the module - a research based project of 4000 words with supporting appendices.

3000 word (equivalent of) Digital Poster, with voice or script commentary and 1000 words Ethical application (submitted before starting the action research/assignment)