| Unit name | Curriculum Practice (level 6) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUC30044 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Ms. Bailey |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Educational and Professional Studies and Curriculum Research |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit is solidly based in students' developing professional practice. It is both university and school based, allowing students to consider the theoretical underpinnings of learning and teaching their subject and then to put these ideas into practice in secondary schools. It provides the basis of practical experience on which students' professional development can be built through their developing careers. Students observe good practice and consider how to implement ideas from this into their own practice. The unit supports the development of their skills in planning, teaching and evaluating lessons. It helps them develop their skills in assessment of pupils' learning and in using that assessment to inform their teaching. It supports them in considering how to use their existing subject knowledge effectively and in understanding pupils' different ways of understanding.
Aims:
This unit aims to support the practical development of key professional skills. It will enable students to begin their development into reflective professionals who will be motivated to continue developing their skills and understanding throughout their careers. It aims to support the development of their own professional identities as teachers through working with a range of active practitioners. It will provide them with opportunities to develop their skills in planning, teaching and evaluating lessons, as well as assessing pupils’ learning and acting on the knowledge gained through that assessment. It will enable them to use a range of research a professional literature to inform their own practice.
Students will be able to:
•Use some key research and other professional literature to inform their development as teachers;
•Use their subject knowledge effectively to reflect on their teaching;
•Present well-structured accounts of their learning within their subject.
Students will take part in subject-based sessions during university-based periods of the course (12 weeks throughout year) and work in a subject department for the school based elements (24 weeks). During subject-based sessions they will engage in a variety of activities, from lectures to seminars and practical workshops. In school they will observe practice, teach classes and take part in regular tutorial sessions with a subject based mentor.
During the year students will carry out a range of formative tasks designed to develop their teaching skills. They will base a formal assessment on one of these, as appropriate within their specific subject. Because of the different nature of school subjects this will vary but will be based on practical activities underpinned by research in the appropriate professional literature.
The formal presentation, the equivalent of 2000 words, may include:
•A research seminar presented by the student and documented;
•A practical task supported by documentation of the underpinning research.
Not all subjects offer the same list of references, however for this level student teachers are required to make use of at least 4 references. All books are currently on subject reading lists and available or in the process of being purchased.
