The Developing Child
30 Credits
(Compulsory)
This module aims to allow students to focus on the child development subject area in greater depth than they encountered in their previous courses or experiences. It will enable students to become more specialized in child development and allow them to apply their knowledge in practice. This module will allow students to advance their skills in observation and assessment of child development, supporting their planning of children’s next steps. Students will be encouraged to use the Statutory Framework (EYFS, DfE 2017) in a critical way. Although the module will cover areas of development such as Language, Cognition, Physical and Personal, Social and Emotional, a holistic approach will be prominent throughout. The importance of safeguarding, particularly around safeguarding babies and young children will also be included within the module. Theories and current research around child development will be critically explored and applied to practical situations.
Effective Early Years Pedagogy and Practice
30 Credits
(Compulsory)
This module will enable students to develop a critical understanding of children’s learning and development in relation to the role of the pedagogue. It will facilitate a critical awareness and understanding of what promotes effective practice and pedagogy in early childhood, making links to international comparisons as well as focusing on the role of leadership in developing practice. This module will also include references to theory, research, and, where appropriate, practice. There will be opportunities to examine current thinking and research in early childhood, encouraging students to analyze and critically evaluate links between personal principles, early childhood theory, and where appropriate, their developing practice. Students will embark on a process of critical analysis and evaluation to enhance the quality of provision for young children and their families.
Dissertation
60 Credits
(Compulsory)
The Dissertation module provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding of research, and a critical awareness of current problems in professional practices, by designing and undertaking a small-scale research study. Following ethical approval and justification of research methodology and methods, students will normally collect, analyze and interpret primary data and reflect on the ethical implications of their research. However, alternatively, students may develop a. systematic understanding of knowledge by undertaking a non-empirical study in consultation with their supervisor.
Research Design: Methodology and Methods
30 Credits
(Compulsory)
This module will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles underpinning effective research designs in education and the social sciences at the master’s level. Beginning with a reflective approach to their own ontological and epistemological positioning in relation to both their research design and established research paradigms, students will explore issues of research methodology, ethics, and understanding in relation to a chosen field, to enhance and inform professional and/ or academic practice. Students will relate their chosen issue critically to current literature and need to critically analyze the validity, reliability, and appropriateness of their research processes. Students will design a research project, which will include a framework for the collection and analysis/interpretation of primary data.
Introduction to Mentoring and Coaching
30 Credits
(Optional)
The focus of this module is to offer students the opportunity to explore the basic definitions of coaching and mentoring within an educational setting. Students will critically reflect on and evaluate the impact of some of the approaches to coaching and mentoring on the workforce in their own work setting. Students will be expected to reflect on their personal experiences and develop their critical stance which is underpinned by a theoretical debate. The module will assist teachers and others working in schools in the task of providing professional development on various levels.
Advanced Mentoring and Coaching
30 Credits
(Optional)
The focus of this module is to offer students the opportunity to compare definitions of coaching and mentoring within an educational setting. Students will show evidence of developing their critical reflection on professional practice and the impact of educational theory and research on professional development. Students will be expected to demonstrate in their assignment, evidence of skills development in relation to educational research and professional development. This module will guide students to reflect, consolidate and enhance their coaching and mentoring skills further. Students will be expected to offer critical reflection on their personal experiences and develop their critical stance which is underpinned by a theoretical debate. The module requires students to reflect critically on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint, explore the implications for professional practice, and ultimately provide opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.
Educational Leadership
30 Credits
(Optional)
The focus of this module is to explore approaches to leadership and management, and the skills and qualities required to lead and manage a range of individual and professional groups within an educational setting. Current research, statutory requirements, legislation, and policy will be drawn from in relation to leadership and management. Students will critically reflect on and evaluate the impact of different approaches to leadership and management, and models of leadership. Students will also be introduced to Appreciative Inquiry as a potential organizational development method to support leadership and management practice.
Change Management
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module examines the key characteristics of change management in educational settings. It considers those factors that affect change at the micro, mezzo, and macro level of organizational endeavor, including personal, inter-personal organizational, and strategic concerns. The module is underpinned by an analysis of common concepts in the evaluation of change management, including complexity, capacity building, professional capital, professional learning communities, renewal, sustainability, leadership, and inquiry.
Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module encourages Students to make use of specialist information, texts, research, and/ or practice relating to learning, teaching, and assessment, and to critically analyze and reflect on theory in relation to their own practice and context.
Learning via New Technologies
30 Credits
(Optional)
The thematic and analytical focus of this module is the impact of digital media and new information and communication technologies upon culture, notions of identity, and education/learning. Students will explore how new technologies, particularly web 2.0 tools, have impacted learning and teaching, and how comfortably digital media sits within education. Students will be introduced to the perspective that the spread of the new IC technologies is the source of some profound cultural changes that have massive implications for both socialization and educational processes. Students will also be expected to demonstrate that they can use the new technologies in their own creative educative production, in critiquing their use in the learning and teaching process.
Support Student Learning in Higher Education
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module provides an introduction to the issues and practicalities of supporting student learning in Higher Education. It will examine the purposes of Higher Education, and relevant adult learning theories and encourage students to critically reflect on how these interact with their values to shape their HE teaching practices. The practices explored will include session design, support for informal learning, assessment and feedback, evaluation, and enhancement of own teaching practice. As such the module addresses the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in HE at descriptor 1. N.B: EDM740 can be taken as a short course, a stand-alone module, that leads to the award of an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).
Introduction to Higher Education Practice
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module provides an introduction to higher education practice; seeking to relate, professional expertise, subject knowledge, research, and scholarship to course design. It encourages students to critically reflect on their own professional identities (ies) as an academic, practitioner, and HE teachers. This is then related to an in-depth examination of values-based curriculum design and the scholarship of teaching in HE. The module addresses descriptor 2 of the UKPSF.
Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module offers students the opportunity to explore the concepts of inclusion and special educational needs and disability and to critically engage with the debates surrounding the inclusion ‘agenda.’ They will gain a critical understanding of how SEND can affect pupils’ participation and learning and can cause barriers to learning that can lead to underachievement. They will explore strategies to promote a whole school culture of high expectations and best practices in teaching and learning to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
The Role of SENCO
30 Credits
(Optional)
This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to appreciate and develop the personal and professional qualities and leadership skills they need to promote inclusive practice and support the interests and needs of children, young people, and pupils with SEND and disabilities. Students will be encouraged to critically reflect on the role of the SENCO and to critically evaluate their practice in the aspects of multi-agency working, meeting statutory responsibilities, and deploying resources and systems to improve outcomes for pupils with a range of SEND and their families.
Professional Portfolio: National Award for SEN Co-ordination
(Optional)
This level 7 module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to achieve the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination. Students will be expected to evidence of all the learning outcomes for the National Award by completing an electronic portfolio. The evidence will be drawn from school-based activities, policies, procedures, and systems that SENCOs have put in place, used, developed, or reviewed. The evidence will be accompanied by a series of critical reflections on the student’s professional practice informed by recent research and reading. *In order to attain this full qualification to include the Professional Portfolio there is a charge of 50% of a MA module fee.
Specialist Study (Negotiated Module)
10 Credits
(Optional)
This module encourages students to make use of specialist information, texts, research and/ or practice to substantiate arguments relating to the chosen issue and to critically analyze and reflect on theory within the area.
Specialist Study (Negotiated Module)
20 Credits
(Optional)
This module encourages students to make use of specialist information, texts, research and/ or practice to substantiate arguments relating to the chosen issue and to critically analyze and reflect on theory within the area.
Specialist Study
30 Credits
(Optional)
The module encourages Students to make use of specialist information, texts, research and/ or practice to substantiate arguments and to critically analyze and reflect on theory within the chosen area. Students will also demonstrate an appropriate understanding of professional research and ethical issues. Students will undertake a self-directed study within the chosen specialist area and be encouraged to engage in professional discussion and collaborative dissemination of information. Following gaining ethical approval, students will undertake a small-scale, research project, which will normally include the collection and analysis of primary data. However, students may undertake a non-empirical study in close consultation with their tutor.
Independent Study
30 Credits
(Optional)
The module encourages Students to make use of specialist information, texts, research and/ or practice to substantiate arguments and to critically analyze and reflect on theory within the chosen area. Students will also demonstrate an appropriate understanding of professional research and ethical issues. Students will undertake self-directed study within the chosen specialist area and be encouraged to engage in professional discussion and collaborative dissemination of information.