Leading Learning & Transformative Practice in Colleges (with TQFE)

Program Overview

This research-informed program prepares students for a transformative journey in college teaching, empowering them with the skills and knowledge to lead and transform learning practices. It employs authentic assessment approaches and flipped learning strategies, ensuring that students engage in collaborative and work-based activities to meet the Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program aims to provide a student-centered, socially-progressive, and research-informed journey to enable students to lead learning and transformative practice in colleges. It allows students to demonstrate achievement of the Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland’s Colleges and subsequently register as a College Lecturer with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The program models a transformative learning pedagogical approach for and with students. Students will have significant opportunities to collaborate with others from their own college, other colleges, and in subject groups. Students will engage in directed online activities on a weekly basis and every 2 weeks, will attend a 90-minute seminar with their tutors and peers. Authentic and work-based assessment approaches are employed and uniquely, includes written assignment, two observations of practice, digital presentation, and a professional viva (verbal examination) at the end of the programme. Students need to be employed within a college to be able to undertake 120 hours of teaching practice required by the Scottish Government to be awarded the TQFE. Uniquely, we offer students the option of undertaking this programme over 9 months to suit their personal and work commitments.

Outline:

The program is designed to be undertaken over 9 months. All students will undertake a comprehensive induction at the beginning of the programme. Induction will include attendance at an online event and directed study on professionalism, the professional standards, study skills, critical reading, and writing. Early in the programme, students will also undertake a comprehensive self-evaluation and audit against the professional standards to identify areas for development. Depending on the student’s prior experience, qualifications, and background, the audit and action plan will be a very personalized task to ensure the individual needs of each student are met. This research-informed programme has been designed in conjunction with colleges and other relevant stakeholders. Module 1 is assessed by a case study constructed as a series of ‘patches’ over the duration of the module. Module 3 is assessed by a portfolio of evidence presented and discussed at a professional viva. There will be significant opportunities for formative, peer, and self-assessment.

Teaching:

The programme is delivered online and a flipped learning approach is used. There is directed study to complete each week comprising of video clips, tasks, quizzes, reading, blogs, discussions, and collaborative work. Every second week, students will attend a 90-minute seminar with their tutor(s) and peers. In 2024/25, seminars will take place on a Monday. Seminars will allow students to engage in discussion, collaborative work, peer instruction, presentations, Q+A, debates, problem solving, and quizzes. We will invite guests to engage with students. The Graduate Certificate is subject to University approval.

Other:

The program is available at undergraduate level as a Graduate Certificate (level 9) or at postgraduate level as a Postgraduate Certificate (level 11).