Course Handbook
BA in Education
Year 2015
Contents
Section
Page
Sources of Additional Information
1
1.
Welcome
2
2.
Your course team
4
3.
An introduction to your course – aims and intended learning
outcomes
5
4.
The structure of your course
6
5.
The Staffordshire Graduate and Employability
12
6.
Learning, teaching and assessment on your course
14
6.1
Learning and Teaching
14
6.2
Placements and work-based learning
14
6.3
Assessment
15
6.4
How to submit assessments
15
6.5
Feedback on your work
18
6.6
External examiners appointed to your course
18
7.
Communication
19
8.
Support and Guidance (Including Personal Tutoring)
20
9.
The Student Voice
22
10.
Rules and Regulations
22
Appendices
23
Sources of Additional Information
This handbook provides useful information about your course, how it will be delivered and
how you will be assessed. It does not try to give you all the information you will need during
your time at the university. More information can be found in the following places:
On-Line Student Guide
The on-line student guide (http://www.staffs.ac.uk/student/guide) provides important
information about the university and the services available to students, including:
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Welcome Week
Student Cards
e:VisionStaffs Portal
Our Student Charter
The Staffordshire Graduate
Term Dates
Timetabling
Student accommodation
Campus and travel information
Finance, fees and support
Disclosure and Barring Service
applications
Visas
Course and module enrolment
Changing your award or modules
Withdrawing or intermitting from
your course
University rules and regulations
Disciplinary matters including
academic misconduct
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Appeals and complaints
Referencing and study skills
(including guidance on completing
assessments)
What to do if you can’t hand in
work due to circumstances beyond
your control
Examinations
Getting feedback on your work
The student voice
Employability and careers
IT services and support
Disability and dyslexia
Counselling
The Nursery
The Multi-Faith Chaplaincy
Graduation
Certificates, Transcripts and
Verification Letters
Module Handbooks
Your course is made up from a number of individual modules. Detailed information on each
module is provided in separate module handbooks. Your module tutor will tell you how to
access the handbook for their module.
The Blackboard On-Line Learning Environment
Information and learning materials for your modules will be provided on the Blackboard online Learning Environment. Blackboard will form an important part of your learning
experience. Please let your module tutor know if you encounter any problems accessing this
material.
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1.
Welcome
Welcome to the Faculty
Welcome to the Faculty of Business, Education and Law. You join us at a really exciting
time, as we are transforming our campus into a modern and vibrant environment that will
enhance the academic and social life of the University.
Through the “Staffordshire Graduate” programme, we focus on you, our students.. We will
help you to become independent thinkers, to debate, question and discuss key issues in
your chosen subject. You will be encouraged to be enterprising and entrepreneurial, to be
an effective communicator and successful team worker. We will focus on supporting your
development through your course, so that you will have the best opportunity for successful
graduate employment on completion.
Employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship are important to us at the University and are
integral to the design of all our courses. This means that we have close connections with
employers, business practitioners and professional bodies that help us make our courses
relevant, interesting and up to date.
The people you will meet in the Faculty are friendly and approachable. They are all keen to
help you succeed. Our aim is to nurture and inspire you, to help you grow, to build your
potential through working in a vibrant, thriving, and sustainable international academic
environment.
Our academic staff are passionate about their subjects, their teaching, research and
enterprise. They will help you to build your knowledge, understanding and expertise through
sharing with you experiences of their academic research, their work with local communities
and their work with organisations, local, national and international.
The Faculty of Business, Education and Law is international in its perspective. The people
that you meet will inspire you through the international perspective they have gained through
studying at or working in partnership with other Universities and Colleges both in this country
and around the world. There are many opportunities for you to learn and gain a global
perspective; from other students and the academic staff. We will help you to see new
possibilities and to bring new horizons into view.
Above all, our strongest partnership is with you, our students. We put our students at the
heart of everything that we do and we are committed to giving you the best possible
experience we can. We understand the importance of the commitment you have made to us
and we value the time you spend with us and remember, we are always pleased to hear
what you have to say.
I hope you have a successful, exciting and fulfilling time with us.
Professor Susan K. Foreman, MSc , PhD
Dean of the Faculty of Business, Education and Law
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Welcome to the School of Education
Welcome to the School of Education undergraduate sector. This Handbook contains
information about the BA (Hons) Education Award. We aim to provide you with a
programme which enhances your employability by instilling a lifelong commitment to
reflective practice and professionalism. We hope that you will find this course interesting
and useful to your career. The award that you have chosen is run and managed by the
School of Education. This handbook contains information about the course and the
University.
At Staffordshire University we pride ourselves in being at the forefront of a student centred
approach to learning and teaching. Central to this belief is that the more you contribute to it,
the more you will get out of it. You will find that the staff take an informal, although
disciplined, approach to your teaching and learning. Discussion and full participation are
encouraged with a variety of teaching methods used. The programme is a demanding one
that requires a high level of commitment, but it will be immensely rewarding. What we expect
you to get out of your studies is laid out over the next few sections of the handbook, but only
you can determine what you want to achieve.
Starting at University can be very confusing and this handbook has been designed to
provide you with all the information that you will need both about studying education within
the faculty of Business, Education and Law, and also the support structures available to help
you to survive the next three years. It also contains specific details about the structure of the
award that you have chosen. If there is anything in it that you do not understand please ask
your personal tutor or award leader for clarification.
During the first week (Welcome Week) various sessions have been set aside for discussing
any problems but please come for help as often as you need. Do not try to ignore a problem,
or think that you should be able to manage difficulties on your own and DON’T PANIC. If you
are unsure about anything, please do not hesitate to come to see any member of staff.
After you have read through this handbook you will know who your key people are for your
award. Talk to us, we are approachable. If you have any problems either academic or nonacademic and you need some guidance then please let us know. If we cannot help we
probably know someone who can.
Good luck
Fiona Hall
Award Leader
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1.1 About the School of Education
The School of Education incorporates the Education provision at Staffordshire University and
includes undergraduate and postgraduate provision and teacher training. We have recently
had a number of quality accolades, such as:
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Placed 1st for Teaching Excellence - Prospects Postgraduate Awards Nov 2013
Ranked 4th in The Good Teacher Training Guide 2012 for university providers,
beating Oxford University.
Graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted four consecutive times since 2000
Our leading position in the National Teacher Training League Table
Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies endorsed by SEFDEY (Sector
Endorsed Foundation Degrees for Early Years)
MA Education Leadership rated highly by Ofsted
Teaching informed by our education policy research centre
Your Course Team
The course team is made up of experts in the field of education and early years and teach across
both programmes. All have direct experience in the field of education and are also engaged in
relevant research.
Useful Contacts
Academic Contacts
Award Leader:
Fiona Hall
Fiona.hall@staffs.ac.uk
Tel 01782 294903
Academic Group Leader:
Jim Pugh
j.pugh@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294349
Head of School:
Post vacant
Currently covered by Jim Pugh
and
Cheryl Bolton – C.bolton@staffs.ac.uk
Tel 01782 294413
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Award Lecturers:
Jayne Daly
Jayne.daly@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294781
Mandy Duncan
a.duncan@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 295772
Ruth Gill
r.gill@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294969
Dominique Hackett
dominique.hackett@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01785 294201
Duncan Hindmarch
d.n.hindmarch@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294216
Jim Pugh
j.pugh@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294349
2.1
Administrative Contacts
Award/Programme Administrator:
Elaine Knox
e.knox@staffs.ac.uk
Tel: 01782 294085
Student Guidance Advisor:
Lesley Mountford, l.s.mountford@staffs.ac.uk
Room B223, Brindley Building, Leek Road, Stoke
Octagon Building, Beaconside, Stafford
Tel: 01782 294073
Tel: 01785 353556 (by
appointment)
3.
An Introduction to your Course
This handbook is designed to be viewed online as well as in hard copy format. Further
information can be accessed from web links by holding the Ctrl key followed by left click on
your mouse wherever you see text underlined in blue.
This course offers a holistic approach to education and learning, relating appropriate theory
to practice; a key feature of the course is a progressive understanding of you as a learner
and as a learning practitioner.
You will encounter a wide range of learning experiences, including lectures, individual
tutorials, group tutorials, seminars, workshops, problem-based learning, practical work
placement and independent study. However, the main modes of study will be class contact
and directed self-study. All modules will require a certain amount of independent research
study which will feed into your face to face sessions.
You will be allocated a personal tutor, in Welcome Week, who will support you throughout
your study.
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The programme requires a high level of commitment to working individually and as part of a
team with your peers, but should be immensely rewarding. If you require any further
information please contact the University Award Leader. For general enquiries and
administrative matters, please contact the Award Administrator.
Your award has a set of written learning outcomes that describe what you should be able to
do by the end of the course. These statements are designed to help you understand what
you need to do to pass your course and receive your award. The outcomes for your course
can be found in appendix A of this handbook.
Each module you study has separate learning outcomes which join together to enable you to
demonstrate that you have achieved the overall learning outcomes for your award. The
learning outcomes for your modules can be found in your module handbooks.
The specific learning outcomes for your award and modules have been matched to eight
university wide learning outcome statements (knowledge and understanding; learning;
enquiry; analysis; problem solving; communication; application; and reflection). These
standard statements describe the abilities and skills all Staffordshire University students
should demonstrate in order to pass their course. The statements have been designed to
meet national expectations contained within the Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications. This ensures that the learning outcomes for your course are equivalent to
similar courses at other UK universities and colleges. A table showing how your module
learning outcomes have been aligned with the eight university learning outcome statements
can be found in appendix B.
4.
The Structure of your Course
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE, MODULES AND CREDITS
Level 4
Programme Title: BA (Hons) Education Studies
Teaching
Block 1
Personal,
Professional
and Academic
Development
The Community
and Informal
education
EDUC40460
An Introduction
to Young
Children’s
Development
History and
Philosophy of
Childhood
ECST40078
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Teaching
EDUC40448
EDUC40459
Block 2
Behaviour for
learning in the
inclusive
organisation
EDUC40461
(To progress to Level 5 at least 90 credits must be passed with at least 90 L4 award specific credits)
Personal, Professional and Academic Development must be successfully achieved before
progression to level 5 or award of Certificate in HE. This module is cannot be compensated.
Teaching
Block 1
Level 5
Professionalism
and educational
strategies
Understanding
Young people,
adolescence and
the adult learner
EDUC50486
Teaching
Block 2
Supporting
learning and
inclusion
Safeguarding
Children and
Young People
EDUC50488
EDUC50506
EDUC50487
(To progress to Level 6 at least 90 credits must be passed including 90 L5 award specific credits)
Professional and Educational Strategies must be successfully achieved before progression to level 6
or award of Diploma in HE. This module cannot be compensated.
Teaching
Level 6
Block 1
Teaching
Block 2
Becoming a
confident and
competent
educational
professional
Doing Education
Differently
Research
Methods
EDU60444
EDUC60603
15 credits
EDUC60490
Small
Independent
Research
Project
EDUC60604
45 credits
(Becoming a Confident and Competent Educational Professional must be successfully completed
before any final award (ordinary degree/ honours degree) can be conferred. This module cannot be
compensated
You are also expected to complete a placement each year and a requirement of this course
is that you conform to the professional expectations and policies for respective placement
settings – such as meeting their DBS (formally CRB) requirements. This is a work-related
course requiring reflection on your developing professional practice in the course of your
award.
Whole Course and Module Overviews
This full time programme consists of three levels, the whole programme taking three years.
Each level is normally completed within one academic year. The modules are broad-based
and are designed to ensure that all participants develop a common background related to
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the quality benchmarks of a BA (Hons) Education as outlined by the Quality Assurance
Agency1.
The course consists of 13 modules, the first 5 of which are assessed at level 4; the second 4
are assessed at level 5 with the final 4 modules at level 6. All modules are 15 or 30 credits.
All 30 credit modules require the equivalent of 300 hours of student learning and 15 credits
require 150 hours. This consists of a mixture of classroom contact time and independent
study time per module.
Level 4 Modules
Module 1: Personal, Professional and Academic Development
The module will build upon existing knowledge, skills and understanding to encourage you to
adopt a positive approach to your new course by developing skills of communication and
presentational methods. You will be introduced to the purpose and development of reflective
practice and the use of PDPs and the development of a portfolio. You will examine the ways
in which data can be interpreted, challenged and reported. You will be encouraged to
develop your personal research and practice through critical thinking skills and development
of academic argument. You will explore matters of style in academic writing, citation and
referencing using the Harvard System.
You will use electronic communication and ICT to identify and retrieve good quality sources
of information.
You will explore the organisation and management of time to maximise learning
opportunities.
This module requires you to undertake placement in an educational setting (16 x 6 hours)
and will provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate evidence of practical workbased skills and learning. You will explore your role within the setting, reflecting upon their
practice and considering issues relating to your role as a professional, your strengths and
targets, ethics and confidentiality.
Module 2: Introduction to Young Children’s Development
You will research the historical implications of the scientific study of child development and
the role of parenting, relating this to present day practice and practitioners. You will see and
understand the potential for growth, change and development in the pre-natal and new-born
baby. You will study the changes that children undergo, beginning in the womb, through the
post natal period and into childhood.
You will consider the differences between age related phases and domains of development
and the interconnected nature of these to holistic, normative development. You will explore
1
QAA BA (Hons) Education Studies Benchmark (2007)
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the difference between development, growth and maturation and their acquisition in a
sequential manner. The module will investigate issues affecting development such as
poverty, nutrition, stimulation and opportunity.
You will consider the importance of an inclusive environment with calculated risk and
challenge related to the all-round development of the child. The concept of unlimited access
to outside space, free flow play and the ideals of the "Forest Schools" movement will be
debated with theories of flexibility and structure. This module identifies key principles and
theories of learning and development which will underpin your understanding of education
throughout the rest of the course.
Module 3: Community and Informal Education
This module examines the ideas of community and informal education and their application
in adult education and youth work. You will look at current policy issues and in particular
issues of social exclusion, participation, empowerment and social action. You will examine
the development of a curriculum and the role of the media in informal education this will
include political philosophy and social justice.
Module 4: History and Philosophy of Education
Students will examine the theoretical underpinning of childhood studies and early learning
and will study some of the earliest pioneers in the field such as Rousseau, Pestalozzi,
Froebel to MacMillan, Piaget and Gardner etc. Students will discuss the differences between
the philosophies, reformers, implementation and consolidators with the emergence of
modern beliefs and development of attitudes to egalitarianism.
Students will also discuss new and emerging theories and tensions between Government
policy and practice and current initiatives in the field.
Module 5: Behaviour for Learning in an Inclusive Environment
This module aims to develop your ability to manage and develop positive behaviours in your
learning environment. Topics to be covered include:-
 Theories and principles of behaviour;
 Characteristics of behaviour including social and emotional aspects of learning and
their impact on behaviour;
 Behaviour Policies;
 Behaviour management and enhancement;
 Appropriate and effective communication;
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 Connections between learning, behaviour, environment, culture & ethos of
organisation.
Level 5 Modules
Module 6: Professional and Educational Strategies
This module follows on from the portfolio work in Module 1 enabling continuing reflection on
your personal and professional development. The focus of this module is for you to consider
your future career aspirations and development needs. You will have opportunity to
demonstrate learning and reflection of continuing personal and workplace development in
terms of how you co-operate, collaborate and interact with others. Therefore the indicative
content in this module will mostly be defined by your evaluation of your development of selfconcept as a learning practitioner on this course. This module is about you taking
responsibility for your personal development as an education professional.
The context in which it will take place includes a one day per week placement, with one
week block placement each semester, in an appropriate workplace for two semesters which
has educational links.
Module 7: Understanding Young People, Adolescence and the Adult Learner
This module provides the opportunity for you to develop your understanding of key issues
working with young people, adolescents and adult learners, focussing in particular on how
this relates to the particular needs of these learners and key elements of practice .The
content will include:
 Issues facing young people and adult learners and contemporary debates including
issues relating to a drug culture, identities, youth cultures, generation gaps, racism,
peer pressure, risky behaviour;
 Recognised needs of young people such as relationships, communication, love,
achievement, acceptance, voice, belonging;
 Beliefs, values and attitudes underpinning work within the education environment;
 Practices and processes when working with individuals and groups of people,
including developing appropriate relationships, inclusive practice, mentoring,
counselling, engagement, advocacy, solution-focussed approaches.
Much of this module will focus upon enabling students to evaluate issues and debates
according to their relevance and importance in their own practice in placement.
Module 8: Supporting Learning and Inclusion
This module focuses on identifying learner needs and adapting resources in order to provide
appropriate support. Learners will consider how approaches to learning may differ in
alternative educational contexts.
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Developing learner support;
Education in alternative contexts;
e-learning;
Promoting inclusion;
Special Education Needs;
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Differentiation, stretch and challenge;
Learning resources.
You will consider differing needs and how these might be best supported. You will identify
issues relating to special education needs/differentiation within your own placement setting.
From this you will consider e-learning resources which are suitable and appropriate for use
by a range of learners within a variety of educational settings. These resources will be
considered for their effectiveness to support learning and ethical considerations.
Module 9: Safeguarding and Child Protection
You will consider the changing emphasis of legislation and guidance to protecting children in
England since 1991, the impact of Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003) and the broad strategy
for change in children's services.
You will examine common causes, across professional boundaries and the reformed
structuring and services which create the means by which the interests, needs and welfare
of the children and young people can be protected and advanced. You will consider how
resources and attitudes reflect and underpin the value that society places on children and
childhood.
You will explore the notion of child protection within the context of major legislation and
policy change and will reflect, in detail, on the major changes in child welfare in order to
understand the debates shaping children's policy.
This module will introduce contemporary debates about child protection and paramountcy,
as well as deepening understanding of the policy developments involved and the
implications for children's rights and liberties.
Level 6 Modules
Module 10: Becoming a Confident and Competent Professional
This module enables continuing reflection on personal and professional development. The
focus of this module is for you to consider your future career aspirations and development.
You will have the opportunity to demonstrate learning and reflection of personal continuing
development, continuing placement development and continuing understanding of
placement organisation. Therefore the indicative content in this module will mostly be
defined by your evaluation of your development of self-efficacy as a learning practitioner on
this course. The module assessment will expect you to reflect extensively upon your workbased learning. This module is about you taking responsibility for and presenting your
personal and professional development as an education professional. The context in which
this will take place includes a one day per week placement in an appropriate workplace
which has educational links, for two semesters
Module 11: Doing Education Differently
The purpose of this module is to provide you with a broaden knowledge and understanding
of how education can take place in a variety of organisations and locations. The module will
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develop understanding of how education can follow a variety of models outside of the
traditional classroom to enhance the learning journey. In addition the module will make
international comparisons of educational modules to provide further alternative approaches
to education. Topics within the module will include: international comparisons, educational
technologies and distance learning, forest schools, work based learning and educational
visits.
Module 12: Research Methods
The purpose of this module is to provide you with an understanding of relevant theory and
practice in relation to:
- Rationale for use of qualitative or quantitative data in researching education. Underlying
methodological assumptions underpinning choice of method: positivism, ethnography, postmodernism and critical realism.
- Integrity in educational research: making assumptions explicit, acknowledging sources of
bias, caution in interpretation of data, triangulation,
- Quantitative methods including questionnaire design, descriptive statistics, sample size and
composition, regression, residuals, statistical significance, confidence intervals and effect
sizes. Application of these methods in the study of educational effectiveness, target setting
and management practice,
- Qualitative methods including interview format, document analysis, participant observation,
systematic analysis of qualitative data. Application of these methods in the context of
education,
- Ethical issues in the context of education: preserving anonymity, obtaining permission,
checking authenticity of data etc,
Module 13: Independent Research Project
The purpose of this module is to provide an opportunity for you to engage in a small scale
independent research project on a topic of your particular interest. The content of the
research will be determined by the selection of the topic to be studied and the framing of the
hypothesis/research question. This module will allow you to build on and develop your
research skills, to implement different research methodology and to undertake small scale
research utilising appropriate academic conventions.
5.
The Staffordshire Graduate and Employability
The Staffordshire Graduate represents a set of qualities that the University passionately
believes is necessary for success in the 21st century. The Staffordshire Graduate is a
reflective and critical learner with a global perspective, prepared to contribute in the world of
work. There is more information available at Appendix C.
The Staffordshire Graduate will have:
Discipline Expertise:
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•
field.
Have an understanding of the issues at the forefront of knowledge in their chosen
Professionalism:
•
Be prepared to be work-ready and employable and understand the importance of
being enterprising and entrepreneurial
Global Citizenship:
•
Have an understanding of global issues and of their place in a globalised economy
Communication and Teamwork:
•
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Be an effective communicator and presenter and able to interact appropriately with a
range of colleagues.
Have developed the skills of independence of thought and (when appropriate) social
interaction through teamwork.
Reflective and Critical Learner:
•
•
Have the ability to carry out inquiry-based learning and critical analysis
Be a problem solver and creator of opportunities
Lifelong Learning:
•
•
Be technologically, digitally and information literate
Be able to apply Staffordshire Graduate attributes to a range of life experiences to
facilitate life-long learning and life-long success.
All students will have many opportunities to develop and achieve these attributes. These will
include learning opportunities within their chosen awards and co-curricular activities such as
work experience, volunteering and the development of employability, enterprise and
entrepreneurial skills.
Employability, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
Being employable…
... involves the development of a set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that makes
graduates more likely to gain employment, have the capability of being effective in the
workplace and be successful in their chosen occupation to the benefit of themselves, the
workforce, the community and the economy.
Being Enterprising …
…involves a set of skills and attitudes that can enable a culture of identifying opportunities,
creativity, risk taking and innovation. It can involve many activities – for instance organising
an event, planning an overseas trip or involvement in a social enterprise. Equally it can be
about finding new solutions to old problems in your workplace, conducting a piece of
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research in a resourceful way, starting a new society or being involved in a community
project. Employers value enterprising people!
Being Entrepreneurial…
…very often involves using enterprise skills to create new businesses and bring them to
market. There is considerable support for those wishing to do so while at University.
However, being entrepreneurial is not just about business skills or starting new ventures; it is
a way of thinking and behaving relevant to all parts of society and the economy in terms of
mindsets, behaviours, skills and capabilities to come up with new ways of doing things well
and the flexibility to change career direction.
More information on the Staffordshire Graduate can be found at:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study/staffordshiregraduate/
Your course is designed with employability in mind and a significant feature of the
programme is the work placement that can take place across a variety of workplace settings.
Whereas initial placements are more to do with how you see yourself within a professional
working environment, later placements will focus on how you work with others individually
and in teams and how you see yourself as contributing to the aims, ethos and culture of the
workplace.
The course has been designed to meet the needs of anyone looking to work with people in
any professional context that involves learning. This includes anyone considering working in
educational settings such as schools, colleges, academies, museums and art galleries,
youth services, education departments within film, theatre, radio and television, the armed
forces and many others. You may also progress to employment within family and children
centres, care support, educational administration and management, play work, learning
support and so on. Alternatively, you may enter teaching through PGCE, Schools Direct,
Schools Direct salaried and SCITT routes.
6.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment on your Course
6.1 Learning and Teaching
The teaching and learning strategies have been carefully designed to provide practical
contexts for the analysis of contemporary issues and problems of a practical and theoretical
nature. Learning and teaching strategies will include, whole and small group discussion,
case studies, individual research, verbal questioning, experiential practical learning such as
facilitated learning observation, one-to-one tutorials, critical reflective practice, tutor
modelling of good practice, observation of other professionals, guest speakers.
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6.2 Placements and Work-Based Learning
You will attend work placements in appropriate settings throughout the programme, and be
expected to maintain and use a professional development portfolio. In the first instance this
portfolio will focus upon you as a learner and then upon how you interact and work with
others, leading on to how you interact with the workplace and see yourself as a developing
professional within your chosen area of work. Your final placement may be a setting defined
by your own interests within education and future employment plans.
In the first year your placement will take place in semester two for three weeks. In year two
you will undertake two three week placements in semester one and two and in the final year
you must undertake at least 16 days, the timing of which is of your choosing. It is expected
that the placement is related to education and development in some way but the exact
nature is available for discussion. It is also expected that students will find the placements
themselves although help and support is available if required.
6.3 Assessment
It is understandable that some methods of assessment will suit different students in different
ways, therefore a range of assessment methods will be used to assess the learning
outcomes including written assignments, individual and group presentations, professional
dialogue through learning conversations and the use of media such as video, podcasts and
blogs.
Formative assessment will underpin all teaching and learning, and enable the tutors to
identify potential problems, offer feedback and maximise the effectiveness of the learning
process. Reflection, self-evaluation and self-assessment will be an important part of the
formative assessment processes. Your engagement with vocational learning is also
formatively assessed through presentations of work related learning, developing practical
resources and producing reviews of policy and practice.
In the final year you are required to undertake a research project. Some projects will require
ethical approval and more guidance is available at Research ethics on the website.
6.4 How to Submit Assessments
Assignments must be submitted on or before the submission deadline. Failure to do so will
result in a failure of the module and possible withdrawal from the course.
Your assignment should conform to the word requirement; an assignment of more than 10%
above or below the word limit will be penalised. Please enter the number of words on the
front page of your assignment.
15 | P a g e
You should type or word process your assignments using a clearly legible font and size
(Arial 11, for example) spacing the lines by 1½ or double; you should number the pages and
have your student number on each page of your work.
You will need to submit the majority of your assignments using the Turnitin system on the
Blackboard VLE your tutor will advise you
For instructions how to use this see:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/about_us/university_departments/information_services/learning_supp
ort/refzone/turnitin.jsp#students
For any problems with this, contact IT services:
The Service Desk is available by phone 24/7, including bank holidays. Students can contact
their nearest Service Desk on:
01782 294771• 01782 294135 or 01785 353339
E-mail: 3800@staffs.ac.uk
If you have a learning support agreement which recognises dyslexia as a disability make
sure that you ask for an electronic version of the yellow sticker (available from the Faculty
Office) to attach to your work to signal to the tutor that the assignment needs to be marked
on content and understanding and not penalised for grammar, spelling or punctuation errors.
Similarly, if your learning support statement specifies that you can negotiate the submission
dates of your assessments then please ensure that you have agreed new submission dates
with your tutor in advance of the original deadline. On the Faculty assignment cover-sheet
there is a box for stating the agreed negotiated deadline and the tutor’s signature. Please
be mindful of the fact that you may need to complete the cover-sheet in advance of the
submission date to ensure you get the tutor’s signature – rather than assume the tutor will be
available on the day / time you intend to submit.
If you hand work in after a negotiated deadline, it will be treated as ‘late’, and will be marked
at zero. So, if having once negotiated a deadline you find that, as it approaches, you are
going to need a further extension, you will need to go back to your Award Leader / Personal
Tutor to authorise this. Your Award Leader / Personal Tutor will use the test of
‘reasonableness’ in agreeing to any further extension.
If you need to adjust the assignment schedule agreed with your Award Leader / Personal
Tutor for reasons that are unrelated to your disability, then you will need to use the normal
Extenuating Circumstances procedure.
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Failure to submit
If you are unable to submit your assignment on time you may be eligible to apply for
extenuating circumstances. You must contact your tutor as soon as possible in order to
discuss your options.
You must submit all pieces of assessment required for each module on or before the
submission date for each piece of assessment. Failure to do so is likely to result in failure of
the module overall. There may be occasions when you are unable to submit or undertake a
piece of assessment due to circumstances beyond your control. The University has put in
place a procedure for dealing with such extenuating circumstances. You can find more
information on the university’s extenuating circumstances procedure at:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/extenuating/
Attempting ALL Assessments
It is important that you attempt ALL assessments for all your modules. You should
ensure that the appropriate coursework is submitted on time and required timed
assessments (including exams, class-tests, presentations, vivas) are attended. The
University has changed its regulations to minimise the number of students who do not
complete modules. Now, your right to a second (referral) attempt at a failed
assessment(s) will be conditional on whether you have or have not made a first
attempt (unless a successful claim for extenuating circumstances has been made) at
the assessment(s). What does that mean? It means that in most cases, unless a
successful claim for extenuation is made, students who have not attempted assessments will
not be allowed a referral for the module, will therefore fail the module and if a core module,
fail the award! Attempting all assessments is therefore ESSENTIAL.
This re-enforces the fact that it is always better to submit a half-finished assignment than
not submit anything or attempt an examination you are not confident about than not
attend – you may gain sufficient marks to pass the module or at least allow the possibility for
compensation between modules (if allowed by your award).
If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from submitting / attending
assessments then ensure you gather evidence to support an extenuating claim. Again,
submitting a draft assignment by the required deadline is better than nothing and if the
extenuation claim is successful a further assessment opportunity can always be offered. If
you are unable to attend a timed-assessment due to an extenuating circumstance you
should also inform the Faculty at the earliest opportunity and then make an extenuation
claim.
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Penalties for Late Submission
It is your responsibility to submit work on time. Failure to do so will normally result in the
award of zero for that assessment. In this case you will have lost that opportunity to submit
the assessment and you are reminded that you only have one such opportunity per module.
If there are circumstances beyond your control which have caused you not to hand in the
work on time you should bring them to the attention of your personal tutor and make a claim
for extenuating circumstances. Alternatively later submission may be negotiated if this is
considered to be a reasonable adjustment due to a disability. This must be agreed prior to
the hand in date in accordance with an assessment report from the University. For details,
see the disability support pages.
7.5 Feedback on your Work
Module Handbooks will provide you with marking criteria and an explanation of what you
need to do to achieve these grades in relation to particular kinds of assignments. All
conventional forms of assessment (examinations and essays) are marked anonymously.
Provisional grades will be available within 20 working days and are subject to external
examining and final confirmation by the assessment/award board. The external examiner is
always someone who is an expert in the field, and usually a senior academic at another
University. The external examiner will be sent a sample of assignments and is responsible
for ensuring that the marking is appropriate and that the standards achieved by trainees on
those modules are comparable with those of students on similar awards at other universities,
as well as with the level and subject benchmarks established at the national level by the
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education. Assessment Boards, attended by
the relevant external examiner(s), confirm the marks for all modules. Only then are final
marks released. Assessment boards also determine the date by which any failed modules
must be resubmitted. The Award Board decides on the award of qualifications to trainees,
determines the date by which any other failed modules must be recovered and considers
any trainees who have failed an award.
6.6 External Examiners Appointed to your Course
External examiners help the university to ensure that the standards of your course are
comparable to those provided by other universities or colleges in the UK. More information
on the role performed by external examiners can be found at:
www.staffs.ac.uk/externalexaminers/
The external examiner for your course is:
Dr Deborah Le Play, senior lecturer at De Montfort University
It is not appropriate for you to make direct contact with your external
examiner.
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7.
Communication
The course team will contact you via blackboard announcements and emails. It is important
that you check your emails regularly and also check for module announcements. Students
can contact the course team by email, telephone or in person.
8.
Support and Guidance
You will be allocated a personal tutor in welcome week.
Throughout your course you will meet the Module Tutors at the taught sessions. If you
require additional advice and guidance, please do not hesitate to contact the Module Tutors,
Award Leader or the Award Administrator. One-to-one support tutorials can be arranged on
request, either be face to face, by telephone or by e-mail.
Please contact your tutor if you have any concerns about assessment or any other aspect of
your course. Generic support with studying, assignments and assessments can be found on
the
libraries
Learning
Support
web
pages:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/support_depts/infoservices/learning_support/index.jsp
Your first point of contact is with your Personal Tutor. Their role is to support the
development of professional skills through tutorials, observation and feedback on your
practice. They also provide guidance on assignments and liaise with your placement and
any staff providing identified support for your learning.
This role includes:


Meeting you for the first time within 3 weeks of registration.
Holding one further meeting in the first term and one meeting in each subsequent
term of the course.

Holding any additional meetings at the instigation of yourself, or where otherwise
necessary.

Providing you with general academic guidance on your progress through the award
for which you are registered.



Taking appropriate action in respect of absenteeism.
Indicating their availability though appropriate means
Taking any necessary initiatives to refer matters to student counsellors/awards
directors/module leaders, etc., completing referral forms and forwarding to
appropriate personnel where appropriate, plus placing a copy on file. (Anything
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which is deemed to be of private and confidential nature may be held on your file in
a
sealed envelope, marked accordingly. This will only be “used” with your
permission.)
8.1

Providing careers advice where appropriate or directing you to people with
appropriate expertise.

Providing support, if appropriate, for an extenuating circumstances claim.
General Support and Guidance
If you have concerns about your ability to complete your course for any reason, you are
strongly encouraged to speak to one of the tutors and hopefully a mutually agreeable
support strategy can be offered to you.
If you have any general concerns, the Faculty Student Guidance Advisor can help you
with a wide range of educational issues as well as offering specialist information and
support. A drop-in service is available, but to discuss an issue in depth you can then book
an appointment.
If you are part-time, off campus, or a distance learning student you can telephone or email
your faculty Advisor. These details are on the Student Guidance website:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/supportdepts/studentguidance/index.jsp
8.2
Disability
Staffordshire University is committed to enabling all students to achieve their full potential. If
you have a disability or specific learning difficulty (SpLD) which might affect your progress,
you are strongly advised to disclose this to one of the Award or Module Tutors at the earliest
opportunity. Every effort will be made to implement any reasonable adjustments to the
learning environment in order to support you through the module. Each Faculty has a
Disability Coordinator who coordinates support for disabled students.
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The Student Enabling Centre provides specialist study support for disabled students and
also a counselling service to support students who may experience issues that affect their
mental wellbeing. The service provides a range of information, advice and facilities such as
offering study needs assessments, help to apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
and providing study support services for students with dyslexia.
At Stoke, the Student Enabling Centre is based in the Cadman Courtyard, and at Stafford in
the One Stop Shop in the Beacon Building. More information about the Student Enabling
Centre can be obtained from http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study/disabled/ or by email at
disability@staffs.ac.uk or counsellingreception@staffs.ac.uk
8.3 The Students Union
Your Students’ Union understands the pressures and challenges of academic study and is
always here to help all its student members.
Representation
If you have an issue with your course, you can turn to your Student Academic
Representatives. Elected by their course mates, the Student Academic Reps are there to
listen to your views, represent them at faculty meetings involving your course and feed them
back to the Students’ Union to help achieve positive outcomes for you. If you’re not sure if
your course has a Student Academic Rep, get in touch with the Students’ Union and we can
find yours or help you become one.
Advice
For those matters that can’t be fixed so easily, the Union also provides a team of fully-trained
advisers to help you find the best possible solutions to your queries. Available on both
Stafford and Stoke campuses, the advisers can be seen for free all week, just drop in to find
out when they’re free. The team can help you with academic issues, housing, student
funding, benefits and much more. If you can’t make it into the Union, you can also chat to
them online at www.staffsunion.com/advice.
8.4 Further Support
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The University has other services which offer support to international students, mature
students, students with caring responsibilities and students who have been in care.
Information
on
all
our
services
for
students
can
be
found
at
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study/services/
Information on university support services can be found in the on-line student guide
(available at: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/student/guide/)
The Student Advice Centre run by the Students’ Union provides independent, impartial and
confidential advice to students free of charge. More information on the Students’ Union can
be found at: https://www.staffsunion.com/)
9.
The Student Voice
During the course you will have the opportunity to share your views and opinions on
your modules, course and the university. Your feedback is key to ensuring that we get
an accurate picture of what it is like to be a student at Staffordshire University and
enables us to enhance the learning experience for current and future students. Each
year group is expected to nominate a student representative who will be able to
represent the class at course committee meetings. In addition there are annual internal
surveys as well as the National Student Survey (NSS) at the end of the final year. You
are also able to feedback at the end of each module.
10. Rules and Regulations
If your course operates in accordance with the university’s standard regulations include
the statement: Your course is delivered and assessed according to the University’s
Academic Award Regulations. These can be accessed at:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/regulations
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Appendix A – Award Learning Outcomes
Through a multidisciplinary, vocational approach the programme focuses on the following
aims:

Reflect a set of beliefs, values, morals and ethical principles for those seeking a
qualification and eventually employment in the education sector that promotes
equality, respect for diversity and challenges prejudices and stereotypes.

Produce reflective practitioners able to take responsibility for their own learning,
equipped with a theorised understanding of policy and practice with an ability to use
research and reflection to inform practice and articulate a professional rationale.

Reflect the view that children and young people are at the heart of the work of an
educational practitioner.

Provide structured and assessed opportunities for work-based learning in a variety of
settings.

To enable students to develop their key and transferable skills and to apply these in
an academic context when working with others in a variety of settings.

To provide an enabling structure that allows students to benefit from their learning
and experiences so that they may respond flexibly to the changing expectations and
demands of both policy and practice in the work-place.

To provide a programme of development that inspires and interests trainees to
develop a passion for working with others and to continue to seek opportunities for
mutually extending and enhancing their learning experiences.

To develop a critical understanding of appropriate pedagogical approaches to work
with children, adolescents and adults.

To enable all students to understand the development and learning needs of all
children, young people and adults in a diverse society without prejudice or
discrimination.
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Appendix B – Curriculum Maps
You will progress through three academic levels on the programme and the Learning Outcomes for the BA (Hons) Education at each level will enable
you to demonstrate:Common learning
outcome headings
Knowledge and
Understanding
Learning
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
LEVEL 6
Demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of key
concepts,
philosophies, political,
economic and social
of education.
Demonstrate
knowledge and critical
understanding of the
main theories and
research appropriate to
the holistic
development of
children, young people
and adults, including
meeting individual
needs.
Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key aspects, including
acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of
which is at or informed by, the forefront of defined aspects of a
discipline.
Develop lines of
argument and make
sound judgements to
challenge and
evaluate appropriate
education studies
literature through
research, showing a
willingness to
accommodate new
ideas.
Understand the limits of
your knowledge,
(theory to practice) in
relation to education
and care organisation
and management, and
how this influences
analysis and
interpretations based
on that knowledge.
Demonstrate an
understanding of the
uncertainty, ambiguity and
limits of knowledge.
Enquiry
Analysis
Problem Solving
Communication
Present, evaluate and
interpret complex data
(qualitative and
quantitative)
appropriate to the
diverse range of
education studies.
Demonstrate
knowledge of the main
methods of enquiry
within education
studies and
demonstrate
application of the key
principles of
Information Literacy.
Deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry
and initiate and carry out projects.
Evaluate and interpret
the diversity,
complexity and
changing nature of
education and
educational policy.
Use a range of
established techniques
to critically analyse the
management
processes and
procedures for
educational settings.
Describe and comment upon current research, or equivalent
advanced scholarship and critically evaluate arguments,
assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete),
to make judgements.
Evaluate the
appropriateness of
different approaches
to solving problems.
Evaluate critically the
appropriateness of
different approaches to
solving problems and
propose solutions to
problems arising from
analysis.
Develop appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a
range of solutions – to a problem and use decision-making in
complex and unpredictable contexts
Communicate relevant
ideas and findings
reliably through
written and oral
means both
individually and within
groups, using
Communicate
effectively independent
points of view,
information and
arguments precisely
and convincingly in a
variety of forms, to
Communicate and analyse information, ideas, problems, and
solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
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Application
Reflection
structured and
coherent arguments.
specialist and nonspecialist audiences,
and deploy key
techniques of the
discipline effectively.
Undertake further
training and develop
new skills that will
enable them to
assume significant
responsibility within
relevant vocational
organisations.
Apply underlying
concepts and principles
of personal
responsibility and
decision making that
will enable the student
to assume significant
responsibility both
within the educational,
vocational sector and
outside the context in
which they were first
studied.
Apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review,
consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding
and devise and sustain arguments, using ideas and techniques,
some of which are at the forefront of a discipline.
Demonstrate qualities
and transferable skills
necessary for
employment,
management or
further training
including the use of
ICT resources for
producing written
material and research.
Demonstrate new and
existing qualities and
transferable skills such
as organising own
learning, time
management,
collaboration and
increasing levels of
autonomy in familiar
and unfamiliar
situations with open
mindedness, necessary
for employment or
Manage their own learning, exercise initiative, personal responsibility
and demonstrate the learning ability, qualities and transferable skills
necessary for employment or further training of a professional or
equivalent nature.
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further training.
4|Page
An illustration of the course in relation to QAA subject benchmark(s) for Education.
QAA Subject Benchmark
Knowledge and understanding
the underlying values, theories and concepts relevant to education
the diversity of learners and the complexities of the education process
the complexity of the interaction between learning and local and global contexts, and the extent
to which participants (including learners and teachers) can influence the learning process
the societal and organisational structures and purposes of educational systems, and the possible
implications for learners and the learning process.
Application
analyse educational concepts, theories and issues of policy in a systematic way
identify and reflect on potential connections and discontinuities between each of the aspects of
subject knowledge and their application in educational policies and contexts
accommodate new principles and understandings
select a range of relevant primary and secondary sources, including theoretical and researchbased evidence, to extend their knowledge and understanding
use a range of evidence to formulate appropriate and justified ways forward and potential
changes in practice
Reflection
the ability to reflect on their own and others' value systems
the ability to use their knowledge and understanding critically to locate and justify a personal
position in relation to the subject
an understanding of the significance and limitations of theory and research
Transferable skills: Communication and presentation
organise and articulate opinions and arguments in speech and writing using relevant specialist
vocabulary
Transferable skills: Technology
students should be able to use technology effectively to enhance critical and reflective study
Application of numerical skills
collect and apply numerical data, as appropriate
present data in a variety of formats including graphical and tabular
analyse and interpret both qualitative and quantitative data.
Working with others
the ability to collaborate and plan as part of a team, to carry out roles allocated by the team and
take the lead where appropriate, and to fulfil agreed responsibilities.
Improving own learning and performance
able to articulate their own approaches to learning and organise an effective work pattern
including working to deadlines.
Analytical and problem-solving skills
To process and synthesise empirical and theoretical data, to create new syntheses and to
present and justify a chosen position having drawn on relevant theoretical perspectives.
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Level 4
1. Knowledge
and
Understanding
2. application
3. reflection
4. communication
& presentation
5. technology
6. application of
number
7. working with
others
8. Learning
9. Analytical &
problem solving
Level 5
Level 6
Module
1
Module
2
Module
3
Module
4
Module
5
Module
6
Module
7
Module
8
Module
9
Module
10
Module
11
Module
12
Module
13
(PPAD)
(CD)
(comm)
(H & P)
(B4L)
(PES)
(UYP)
(safe)
(Inc)
(BCCEP)
(DED)
(RM)
(IRP)
Appendix C – The Staffordshire Graduate
AWARD TITLE:
BA (Hons) Education
Characteristic
1.
Work-ready and employable
2.
Understanding of enterprise and
entrepreneurship
3.
Understanding of global issues and
their place in the global economy
4.
Communication skills
Method of Assessment
Modules 1, 6, 10
Modules 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10,11
Modules 3, 4, 11
All modules
Portfolio of personal and professional
development will provide a full range of
employability skills and attributes.
There are elements in most modules which
require students to be enterprising in the way in
which they apply their skills, knowledge and
understanding. These attributes will be captured in
the portfolio of professional development
Comparative studies of education systems are
considered within several modules
The whole course is dependent upon students
engaging in learning conversations. Some of
these will be observed during taught sessions and
others will be evident through online discussions
2|Page
and an online forum.
5.
Presentation skills
Modules 1, 6,9, 10
6.
The ability to interact confidently
with colleagues
All modules
Acting as learning practitioners who mentor and
coach one another is an ongoing expectation of
the course which itself fosters inter-dependence
as well as independent learning.
7.
Independence of thought
All modules
Each written element is based around informed
critical reflection, evaluation and development of
own practice. Self-assessment is a requirement of
the assessment processes associated with
drafting assignments and completing the online
portfolio.
8.
Skills of team working
All modules
Peer-assessment throughout taught programme.
Candidates have to work with peers, with
colleagues on placement and University staff, to
gain informed critical feedback on their practice.
Students have to present their work to their peers
as well as to tutors. There is also a presentation
requirement as part of the assessment.
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9.
Ability to carry out inquiry-based
learning and critical analysis
10.
Skills of problem solving and
creation of opportunities
All modules. In particular Small Scale
Independent Research module
All modules.
Small scale practitioner led research at level 6. All
other modules focus on critically informed
reflection and evaluation of own practice.
Practitioner led research
Curriculum design
Application of evaluation of learner feedback to
improve own practice
11.
Technologically, digitally and
information literate
12.
Able to apply Staffordshire Graduate
attributes to a range of life
experiences to facilitate life-long
learning
All modules.
The expectation and requirement is that all
students will complete all assessments on-line. In
addition students will be required to reflect on their
own emerging and developing practice through
the use of blogs and wikis.
All modules plus self-evaluations
through needs analysis and personal
learning plans in Modules 1, 6, 10
Candidates practice in diverse contexts to
facilitate the differentiated needs of their learners.
They also work with and alongside other
professionals and practitioners from a wide and
varied range of services.
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