Blended and Online Education MSc / PgDip / PgCert

Program Overview

The Blended and Online Education (BOE) program is a part-time, fully online program designed for education professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and practice in digital teaching and learning. Offered as an MSc, PgDip, or PgCert, it provides practical opportunities to develop and evaluate the use of technology for open and inclusive learning. The program prepares students for careers in learning technology, teaching online, and student support.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Blended and Online Education (BOE) program is a part-time, fully online program designed for education professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and practice in digital teaching and learning. It is offered as a MSc, PgDip, or PgCert, allowing students to exit with the qualification that best suits their needs.

Objectives:

The program aims to provide participants with:

• Practical opportunities to develop, implement, and critically evaluate the use of technology for open and inclusive learning and teaching practices.
• A personal, evidence-based approach to the use of digital technologies for teaching and learning.
• An understanding of the implications of digital technologies for educators, students, colleagues, training departments, and educational institutions.

Program Description:

The BOE program is suitable for lecturers, course developers, and other professionals working in teaching or teaching and learning-related roles in FE, HE, or staff development. It caters to both those new to using digital technologies for teaching and those seeking to expand their digital education skills.

Outline:

Year 1:

• EDU11100 Introduction to Blended and Online Education: This keystone module is compulsory for all students.
• EDU11111 Supporting the Blended and Online Student Experience: This keystone module is compulsory for all students.
• EDU11119 Academic Skills for Digital Education: This module is part of the new academic skills and scholarship in digital education strand.
• EDU11120 Scholarship in Digital Education: This module is part of the new academic skills and scholarship in digital education strand.

Year 2:

• EDU11108 Curriculum Design and Development for Blended and Online Learning: This keystone module is compulsory for all students.
• Introduction to Coding and Software: This module is subject to approval.
• Researching a Digital Education (10 credit): This module is subject to approval.
• Being a Digital Scholar (10 credit): This module is subject to approval.

Year 3:

• EDU11115 Dissertation - Research in Blended and Online Education: This module is compulsory for all students.

Note:

Keystone modules are compulsory and are required for exiting with a PgCert in Blended and Online Education.

Assessment:

The program utilizes a variety of assessment methods to demonstrate learning, including:

• Reflective practice: Students are encouraged to draw upon their professional context and critically engage with the concepts and theories underpinning teaching and learning, and digital technologies.
• Exploration of digital tools: Students are supported to explore a variety of digital tools as a medium for demonstrating their learning.

Teaching:

• The academic team, consisting of subject area specialists, guides students through the course topics while recognizing the unique experiences and perspectives each student brings.
• Students are encouraged to work collaboratively with their peers and draw on their own professional contexts.
• The course is fully online and utilizes a variety of digital tools and media to provide spaces for communication and collaboration between tutors and students.
• Each student is assigned a personal development tutor who helps them settle into life as an online learner at the university and serves as their first point of contact for any academic or personal issues.

Careers:

The program prepares students for careers in:

• Learning technology
• Teaching online
• Student support

Other:

• The program is designed to complement a work-based role in education.
• Students can choose to exit with a PgCert (60 credits), PgDip (120 credits), or MSc (180 credits) in Blended and Online Education.
• Typical entry points to this course are in January and September.
• The program is delivered within a highly supportive online environment, utilizing the university's virtual learning environment, online webinars, online assessment and feedback tools, ePortfolio, digital voting system, classroom recording, and digital networking spaces.

• £780