MEDD 4143 Introduction to Academic Practice [SEDA 3]

MEDD 4143 Introduction to Academic Practice [SEDA 3]

Rationale: This module is primarily designed to support HE teachers with less that 3 years full time equivalent experience in their development as HE teachers.  More experienced teachers of HE students may also find the module a rewarding learning and development experience.    The module is part of the PG Cert Learning and Teaching in HE and is designed to meet the needs of academic staff faced by the various demands of their profession.  Participants are likely to be engaged in a range of professional activities such as research, administration, income generation, liaison, quality assurance, etc., as well as teaching in their discipline.  The module seeks to encourage reflection on these various roles and individual planning to engage with them effectively for career development. The module will contribute towards HE Academy fellowship status and is intended to contribute to a SEDA-PDF award.

Intended learning outcomes:

By the end of this module, module members will be able to:

1. Engage effectively with research and scholarship in your subject discipline
2. Demonstrate a positive link between your own discipline research and scholarship and your teaching
3. Inform your professional role with relevant strategy, policy and quality considerations
4. Engage constructively and effectively with change management and academic administration
5. Undertake personal development planning to audit, reflect upon, plan, and record your personal and professional development

The following Values will underpin the Learning Outcomes and module members will be able to reflect critically on how their practice in meeting the Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrates an understanding of how people learn
2. Values diversity and demonstrates respect for individual learners’ differences and development
3. Promotes inclusively and encourages learners’ participation, empowerment and equality of opportunity
4. Demonstrates scholarship, professionalism and ethical practice
5. Values working in, and developing, learning communities
6. Engages with continuing reflection on their own practice
7. Develops their own practice, others and educational processes

Content: 

Members will examine issues around the following topics:

• research and scholarship in higher education;
• the relationships between research and teaching;
• learning contracts and reflective learning;
• effective administrative practice;
• the relationships between national, institutional and departmental policies, strategies and quality assurance procedures;
• feedback and evaluation;
• change management;
• career management.

Mode of delivery:

 The module teaching will run over a semester with the summative assessment due the following semester.  The module will be supported by:

• A programme of 3 study days
• Monthly lunchtime support sessions
• Provision of module materials and support for asynchronous discussion through a module Blackboard site,
• Tutor Support from a member of the ADPU Staff with particular emphasis on the completion of a learning contract,
• Mentor Support from within a member’s own academic department,
• Peer Support from other members on the module,
• Head of Institute’s assistance as a resource in providing the opportunity to meet the module requirements.

Learning and teaching methods

The study days will combine short inputs with extensive workshop activity.  The module is structured to provide activities which address the learning outcomes.  It will take students through the process of auditing their practice against the outcomes and values, planning to address these and then drafting and completing an action research project to meet them.  This process is supported by the module tutor, peers, their institutional mentor and Head of Institute. 

Attendance Requirements

Attendance at the study days is a requirement because of the importance of these days in building peer support and sharing ideas across as wide a range of subject disciplines as possible.

Assessment details:

Formative Assessment

The module is designed so as to provide many stages of formative assessment before the summatively assessed work is submitted.  The initial profile statement encourages an initial self-assessment which is then discussed with a tutor.  The research proposal / contracting process will allow further negotiation of the focus of the main summative assessment with a tutor.  An opportunity to present the resulting research proposal and progress to date to colleagues on the PG Cert will be provided and peer feedback from this, together with tutor comments, will be allowed to shape the final summative submission.

1. Profile Form and Statement

2. Learning contract / Research proposal

3. Class presentation

4. Review of your research and scholarly activity  

5. Peer observation records

Summative Assessment

Is on the basis of action research project on an aspect of research-related teaching developed by the candidate over the duration of the module and monitored by the tutor to demonstrate the learning outcomes have been met and the values addressed.

6. Final Research Project Report

This should be a formal piece of scholarship reporting on a small action research project you have undertaken during the year.  The key module elements it should address are research-related teaching and change management.  Within these broad areas you may identify, adapt and research any aspect of your practice.

Non-Submission, Late submission and Reassessment

Colleagues must be aware that non-submission can have damaging consequences for your academic progress and final qualification.  All non-submissions of summative work will result in failing the module, being required to undertake the module again and the overall grade being capped at a 50 pass.

Students who submit items of formative and summative assessment on time will benefit from gaining feedback on their work from module tutors and peers.  This feedback is valuable when completing future assessments and provides invaluable assistance should you be required to undertake re-assessment. 

Colleagues who are having difficulties meeting stated deadlines should contact the programme leader and put in a mitigating circumstances claim.  Such claims should be submitted within 7 days of the summative assessment deadline.   

Evaluation and Development

This module has been adapted and changed as a result of feedback from last year’s cohort.  This has resulted in changes to the learning outcomes, assessment pattern and teaching on the module.  Your views matter to the programme team.  If you have any comments on the module please let us know.  The sooner we have the feedback the quicker we can act upon it!  You will be invited to give your formal evaluation of the module once you have completed it both through a university module evaluation form and through contact with the external examiner.  All such evaluations remain confidential.

Disclosure Statement

We are committed to ensuring that disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, are treated fairly.  All reasonable adjustments to provision will be made to ensure that disabled people are not substantially disadvantaged.  Please inform your tutors of any issues you may have in relation to this statement.  Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only disclosed with your permission.