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Programme Specification for Teaching in Higher Education by Distance Learning Postgraduate Certificate

Final award

Postgraduate Certificate Teaching in Higher Education

Intermediate awards available

N/A

Mode of delivery

Distance learning

UCAS code

N/A 

Details of professional body accreditation

N/A

Relevant QAA Benchmark statements

N/A 

Date specification last up-dated

May 2012

Programme content

The Postgraduate Certificate Teaching in Higher Education programme aims to:

  • provide a programme which supports participants to develop their professional skills with academic and practical rigour
  • provide opportunities for participants to develop their professional knowledge and understanding in relation to their experience and developing roles in the workplace
  • engage participants in key educational processes underpinning development and action, such as critical reflection, action research and collaborative learning;
  • provide access to current knowledge, thinking and practice in the field of education

Postgraduate Certificate Teaching in Higher Education at UEL

  • A flexible credit based programme leading towards a higher degree.
  • Relevance to the workplace and work embedded assessment
  • A distance programme that allows working professionals the freedom to continue in employment whilst pursuing their studies.
  • The flexibility to pay for modules on an individual basis.

Entry requirements

A first degree in any discipline at 2.2 or above (or equivalent qualification). 

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 7 in reading, IELTS 7 in writing and an overall IELTS score of 7 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes.

Show that 50 hours or more per year is spent teaching learning in higher education

Participants that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.

Technical Requirements

To participate in the programme you need:

  • Regular access to a PC or Mac capable of running standard MS Office software (or
  • Equivalent) for producing word-processed documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Your PC must also be capable of running the required plugins for the Virtual Learning Environment (Adobe Flash player, Adobe PDF viewer, Apple Quicktime).
  • Reliable Internet access; at least a 56K modem connection, but broadband is highly recommended. For each module that you take, you will be expected to spend approximately 3-6 hours online per week, participating in discussions and accessing resources.
  • The latest version of your chosen Internet browser.
  • Access to a printer is recommended.

Programme structure

This 60 credit M level programme consists of two modules:

  • Pedagogies in Higher Education
  • Developing Practice through Scholarship and Action Research

There will be 2 participant intakes: October and  January

Both modules will be offered at each intake. 

Learning environment

The programme is delivered exclusively by distance learning, so it is essential that participants have easy and regular access to the Internet and reliable email. Each module consists of online reading material accessible through UEL’s Moodle VLE, which includes a series of self-check and interactive tasks in which participants discuss the issues raised in each module in the light of their own teaching context and educational background. In addition to online discussions, which involve the module tutor on a weekly basis, participants also have access to the module tutor directly via UEL Direct.

Assessment

All M level modules are assessed by the submission of a single portfolio of 5,000 words or equivalent.

Relevance to work/profession

The programme supports the development of teaching and teaching related practice in higher education.

Added value

The integration of theory and practice provides opportunities for participants to personalise their learning and address areas of interest and challenge in the context of their work. The pedagogy of the programme includes a focus upon collaborative learning that supports participants to address current issues and problems through the strength of collective knowledge, experience and expertise. Participation provides opportunities to share knowledge and expertise in relation to learning and teaching across disciplines.

Your future career

The programme will provide participants with the capacity to meet local and national targets for higher education and to meet specific and general needs of learners. The programme supports the development of teaching and support roles.

How we support you

On enrolment, you will be provided with introductory materials on the use of UEL’s Moodle VLE and UEL Direct.

During your studies, you will be supported by our team of Distance Learning Participant Advisors in UELconnect. These advisors act as a first point of contact for you, addressing the majority of participant queries and referring only those that relate to academic matters to the module tutor. The Participant Advisors will also contact participants who seem to be falling behind and will offer advice and encouragement to them. Participants will receive academic support from their individual module leader. The role of the module leader is to monitor the effectiveness of the participant’s learning during the module for which they are responsible, providing feedback, encouragement and support, and any necessary remedial action.

We also provide useful advice and information in our online Participant Handbook.

Programme aims and learning outcomes

What is this programme designed to achieve?

The Postgraduate Certificate Teaching in Higher Education programme aims to:

  • provide a programme which supports participants to develop their professional skills with academic and practical rigour
  • provide opportunities for participants to develop their professional knowledge and understanding in relation to their experience and developing roles in the workplace
  • engage participants in key educational processes underpinning development and action, such as critical reflection, action research and collaborative learning;
  • provide access to current knowledge, thinking and practice in the field of education

What will you learn?

It is expected that by the end of the programme participants will have the ability to:

Knowledge

  • demonstrate a conceptual understanding of theories of learning and a critical awareness of their use in informing approaches to learning and teaching in higher education.
  • demonstrate a conceptual understanding of action research and its role in developing and informing professional practice

Thinking skills

  • critically reflect on their professional values and actions and to understand them in the context of their own development and the enhancement of participant learning experiences;
  • evaluate, select, justify and use a range of teaching strategies that are appropriate to the teaching context
  • evaluate, select and use an increasing range of strategies used in formative and summative assessment, participant feedback and guidance to support participant learning

Subject based practical skills / skills for work

  • demonstrate an ability to use action research to develop practice and enhance participant learning
  • engage with and learn from others within the subject and from within the wider higher education community

The programme structure

Introduction

At the University of East London all programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.

One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).

Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:

0

equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme

1

equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

2

equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

3

equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

M

equivalent in standard to a Masters degree

Credit rating

The overall rating of this programme is 60 credits at level M.

Typical duration

We expect that you will take at least 9 months to complete this programme. However, you may vary from this, by taking breaks between periods of study to accommodate any external factors such as domestic commitments. We offer two assessment points per year and your Distance Learning Participant Advisor will help you decide which assessment points you should aim for.

The maximum duration for this programme is 6 years, and the maximum time for any one module is 3 years. Your Module Tutor can help you to decide on and plan for an amount of study that suits you. 

How the teaching year is divided

The teaching year is divided into two semesters of roughly equal length, starting in September and January / February.

What you will study when

Level

Module code

Module title

Credit

Status

M

ETM

Pedagogies in Higher Education

30

Core

M

ETM

Developing Practice Through Scholarship and Action Research

30

Core

 

Semester A

Semester B

Pedagogies in Higher Education

OR

Developing Practice Through Scholarship and Action Research

 

Pedagogies in Higher Education

OR

Developing Practice Through Scholarship and Action Research

 

Requirements for gaining an award

In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits at Level M.


Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and learning

Participants will be taught in a virtual learning environment where they will be encouraged to develop teaching plans through peer collaboration and targeted tutor feedback. Participants will be expected to apply their critically developed pieces in real classroom situations.

Knowledge is developed through

  • guided reading
  • knowledge-based activities with feedback
  • online discussions and activities
  • formative feedback.

Thinking skills are developed through

  • critical reflection
  • collaborative learning with critical friend groups
  • online discussions and activities
  • formative feedback.

Practical skills are developed through

  • IT activities with feedback
  • research skills-based activities
  • formative feedback.

Skills for life and work (general skills) are developed through

  • the demands of the study medium (i.e. distance learning)
  • planning activities with feedback
  • project work
  • formative feedback.

Assessment

Due to the practical nature of the programme there are no examinations. The PG Cert Teaching in HE programme is assessed by coursework. Each module assessment will typically be a single submission portfolio of 5,000 words or equivalent. Assessment tasks will engage participants in:

  • critical engagement with research and current thinking in education
  • critical engagement in professional work-based tasks
  • critical reflection
  • research and action planning

How we assure the quality of this programme

Before the start

Before this programme started we checked that:

  • there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme
  • adequate resources would be in place
  • the overall aims and objectives were appropriate
  • the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements
  • the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements
  • the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning and assessment strategy and participant support mechanisms.

This is done through a process of programme approval which involves convening a panel of academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions. Each panel member scrutinises key documents and talks to the staff who will deliver the programme before deciding whether it should be approved.

How we monitor the quality of this programme

The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:

  • external examiner reports (considering quality and standards)
  • statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate)
  • participant feedback.

Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes participant participation.  The process is monitored by our Quality and Standards Committee.

Once every six years we undertake an in-depth review of the whole field. This is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists.  The panel considers documents, looks at participant work, speaks to current and former participants and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions.  The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.

The role of the programme committee

This programme has a programme committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, participant representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff).  The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality.  The programme committee plays a critical role in the University's quality assurance procedures.

The role of external examiners

The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner.  External examiners have two primary responsibilities:

  • to ensure the standard of the programme
  • to ensure that justice is done to individual participants.

External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:

  • approving exam papers/assignments
  • attending assessment boards
  • reviewing samples of participant work and moderating marks
  • ensuring that regulations are followed
  • providing feedback to the university through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.

Listening to the views of participants

The following methods for gaining participant feedback are used on this programme:

  • module evaluations.

Participants are notified of the action taken through:

  • individual responses to participants as required
  • postings on our online discussion forums.

Listening to the views of others 

The following methods are used for gaining the views of other interested parties:

  • Telephone interviews
  • Questionnaires to former participants

Where you can find further information

Further information about this programme is available from:

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