PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION 2015-6
MA in Effective Learning and Teaching
Awarding Institution: University College London
Teaching Institutions: UCL Institute of Education
Name of final award
Master of Arts (MA)
Postgraduate Diploma
Postgraduate Certificate
Programme title
Effective Learning and Teaching
Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the medium
of the English language. Competence in English language is required of all
applicants. Programme regulations may indicate the level of competence required
of each applicant and may make its achievement a condition of admission.
Participants
The programme is designed for experienced and/or qualified teachers wishing to
extend their understandings of learning in classrooms and beyond.
Educational aims of the programme
The aims of the programme are:

To problematise ‘effective’ learning and teaching, by examining various
models of learning;

To explore and develop participants’ own learning and teaching inside and
outside the classroom;

To raise awareness of how classrooms operate, developing appropriate
research capacity, sensitivity and critical dispositions to do so;

To critically analyse practices that promote student learning;

To meet participants’ particular needs and address issues of specific interest
in relation to guiding learning and teaching.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this programme, participants should have:

Problematised ‘effective’ learning and teaching, by examining various models
of learning and teaching;

Explored and developed their own learning inside and outside the classroom;

A raised awareness of how classrooms operate, and an appropriate research
capacity and awareness to do so;

Evaluate critically practices that promote student learning;

Critiqued discourses of Assessment for Learning;

Met some of their particular needs and addressed issues of specific interest in
relation to effective learning and teaching.
Criteria for admission
Participants should hold a good first degree in a relevant area and, normally, have
an approved teaching qualification and/or two years’ teaching experience. They
should show a commitment to and genuine interest in teaching and learning. Some
applicants are asked to write a qualifying essay.
Applicants whose first language is a language other than English may be required
to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
The Institute of Education is committed to admitting and supporting participants with
disabilities and welcomes applications from them. Participants do not need to be
“registered disabled” to draw on these services, though in order to provide services
in the long-term we will need to ask for medical or other evidence, as appropriate.
Disabilities Support can also support people who have a temporary mobility /
dexterity impairment / other difficulty as a result of an accident, injury, illness or
surgery.
We aim to treat every person as an individual, with needs which may differ from
those of other people with a superficially similar disability. We do not therefore have
standard procedures for participants with dyslexia, nor standard procedures for
visually impaired participants: each person's needs are considered individually.
Mode of study
The MA is taken over a minimum of two years, maximum of four years part time; or
one year full time. Full-time students take up to two modules each term and part-time
students take one. Most teaching takes place in the early evening when full and
part-time students can work together and there are some Saturday sessions.
Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
The programme is divided into study modules and each unit counts for 30 credits,
with the exception of the dissertation which is worth 60 credits.
For a Master's degree to be awarded, successful completion of a minimum of 180
credits is required. (The Institute of Education uses the European Credit Transfer
and Accumulation System (ECTS), as a guide to support periods of study
undertaken abroad and to assist student mobility. Currently it is assumed that two
UK credits equate to one ECTS. Therefore a module of 30 credits would typically
equate to 15 ECTS credits).
Students who for academic or personal reasons are unable to successfully complete
the 180 credits required for the masters award may exit with the completion of 90 or
120 credits respectively and be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate
Diploma in the subject area.
Programme framework
 Module 1 Guiding Effective Learning and Teaching (compulsory, 30 credits)

Module 2 Investigating Research (recommended, 30 credits)

Module 3 Teaching and Learning in Classrooms (recommended, 30 credits)

Module 4 Assessment for Learning (recommended, 30 credits)

Dissertation in an area relating to effective learning (60 credits) [or a report, 30
credits, in which case a 5th elective module is taken (30 credits)]
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
A wide variety of teaching and learning strategies is used across the programme.
These have been selected by the teaching team to motivate the learners, to
maximise opportunities for learning and to provide exemplars of good practice in
teaching and learning. These typically include: teacher-led exposition (20%),
discussion and activities in pairs (10%), small groups (30%) and within the whole
group (20%), individual research and presentations (10%), ICLT learning, case
studies and action research undertaken in the learners’ own institutions (10%),
focused tutorials including feedback (10%).
Because of the international nature of our student intake, we aim to draw on
international literature and link teaching activities to participants’ own contexts,
whatever their country or language. Intercultural group work has high priority.
The assessment framework of the programme consists of a 20,000 word
dissertation; or a 10, 000 word report plus an extra module assignment.
Students are also required to submit a 5000 word essay at the end of each module.
In the case of Guiding Effective Learning and Assessment for Learning, a
compulsory 1000 word essay is written mid-way through the module. . A formative
essay of 1000 words is also required which is fed back on by peers and tutor.
Feedback on another 1000 word section of the 5000 word essay can also be
requested as the essay is being developed after the module is completed.
For the Investigating Research module, the following assessment requirements are
proposed:
Students will submit coursework equivalent to a 5,000 word essay:
a) A critical review of 3-4 research articles addressing a common problem or
question;
b) A research proposal, including rationale, research question(s), critical review
of relevant literature, study design, methods of data collection and analysis,
and ethical considerations.
Information about assessment regulations
Participants must successfully complete all elements of the programme, to
achieve the minimum credits required for the award. All coursework is assessed
according to the grade-related criteria for the programme level, found in the
programme handbook.
All assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to
discuss and reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments
are graded from A to D, with D being a failing grade. Participants are permitted
to re-present a failed assignment on one further occasion, within 12 months of
the original submission.
An external examiner is appointed and plays an important role in monitoring the
quality of the programme and evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and
support provided for the programme participants and the reliability of the
judgements made in assessing them.
Support for learning
Support strategies for Masters students:

A programme handbook that gives detailed information about the
programme and advice on study skills and individual module packs with
detailed advice on assessment.

An induction programme including introduction to the Institute library,
Moodle, IT and other facilities provided by the Institute.

Support and supervision by a personal tutor who has specialist knowledge
and experience in the student’s own field. The tutor meets with the trainee in
regular 1:1 tutorials and offers guidance and support in the writing of the
dissertation.

Peer support and networking is facilitated in the group by the use of Moodle
and collaborative projects.

Access to the full range of welfare and union facilities afforded to all Institute
trainees
Methods for evaluating and improving the course
Methods for evaluating and improving the programme include:

An end of term written evaluation of the programme completed by all
students on each module.

Internal moderation of both written work and practical teaching on modules is
undertaken by programme tutors, including Awaydays on development
issues.

The external examiner has a quality assurance role; s/he looks at 10% of the
programme members’ written work, including all D grades and 10% of each
other grade.
Indicators of quality and standards
One might expect some or all of the following:

Progression of Masters students to go on to do PhD or Ed D

Promotion by some students to management roles in their schools

Programme participants delivering teaching to other practitioners in their own
institutions or on a regional or national basis

Publication of outstanding coursework in peer reviewed journals.
Date of completion/amendment of specification
August 2015