Module EDUC31440: Understanding Primary Classrooms

Department: Education

EDUC31440: Understanding Primary Classrooms

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• All six year 1 modules for the primary pathway, as outlined in the Programme Specification are co-requisites.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• All modules identified in the Programme Specification are compulsory.

Aims

• The module aims to meet two distinct but closely linked student needs: firstly, the need to develop a critical understanding of a full range of educational philosophies and theories, relating these to research and to the possibilities and realities of practice; secondly, to acquire the practical skills, knowledge and understanding to become effective, reflective and fully qualified teachers.

Content

• The course will be structured around intensive study of the following topics:
• The professional responsibilities of the primary teacher;
• the National Curriculum and other relevant educational directives such as the Primary National Strategy and the PNS Frameworks for Literacy and Numeracy;
• the nature and practice of classroom organisation and management;
• planning for effective teaching and learning;
• planning for monitoring and assessment in the primary curriculum.

Learning Outcomes

• On completion, students will be able to:
• critically understand a range of primary curriculum subject-based and generic educational issues and their relationship to primary children and primary classrooms.

• On completion, students will be able to:
• critically apply the ideas to classroom practice.

• On completion students will be able to:
• communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively in a variety of ways;
• work effectively, both independently and as part of a team, on given tasks and activities;
• use Information and Communications Technology in a variety of ways;
• manage time and work to deadlines.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• 150 hours contact time distributed across:
• the core areas of English, mathematics and science (30 hours each = 90 hours);
• the foundation curriculum (8 areas: 40 hours total);
• pedagogical issues (20 hours total).
• Summative Assessment: essay 2000 words.
• Formative Assessment: Directed tasks carried out during seminar/workshop sessions or while in schools to support the compilation of evidence for meeting the TDA standards for the award of QTS; verbal or written feedback, as appropriate.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Directed tasks carried out during seminar/workshop sessions or while in schools to support the compilation of evidence for meeting the TDA standards for the award of QTS; verbal or written feedback, as appropriate.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University