Teaching and Learning EnvironmentModule Details

The module is designed to support and extend the professional development of existing and aspiring middle managers. It draws on current thinking in the field of curriculum management (learning, teaching and
assessment). The majority of participants on this module will be practising teachers and lecturers. Other aspiring middle managers whose work has an educational focus will also find this module to be of benefit and staff will be pleased to discuss with them any adjustments that need to be made particularly in relation to the assessment task. Assessment tasks are designed to involve participants in taking the research forward into an analysis of their own institution’s working practices. The intention is that learning outcomes will have a positive effect on their individual professional practice and will also have a wider impact on their own institution’s performance.

Rationale

The content of this module is closely related to contemporary leadership and management issues, focusing on key strategies that are likely to bring about effective learning, teaching and assessment in institutions. The module will explore and evaluate theories of learning and individual learning needs. It will also draw on current thinking in the field of assessment and explore the notions of assessment for and of students’ learning. It will consider the manageability of assessment and attempt to draw conclusions on what is sufficient in order to take students’ learning forward. The wider aspects of assessment will also be discussed, such as accountability to stakeholders and external agencies. As an integral part of the lecture programme, examples of good practice will be used to illustrate aspects of effective leadership and management. These will be drawn from both case studies and from the experience of the teaching team and module participants. The overall aim of this module is to help aspiring and practicing school leaders build capacity to organize teaching, learning and learning environments in service of students.

On completion of the module students should be able to:
1 critically analyse the characteristics of effective learning, teaching and assessment;

2 demonstrate thorough knowledge and understanding of current research and literature concerning learning, teaching and assessment theories;

3 critically examine the respective roles and strategies employed by senior management teams and others in securing effective learning, teaching and assessment;

4 demonstrate thorough understanding of the main issues involved in managing and reporting diversity;

5 critically analyse the functions of monitoring, evaluation and review in the process of whole institution self-evaluation and understand how a culture of rigorous self-evaluation impacts on whole institution improvement