Course Resources Archive

PGS401a focuses upon the child as a learner by posing the question, ‘How do children learn? The focus explores the complexity of learning theories with particular reference to the developing child and their experiences in compulsory secondary education.

Consideration is given to behaviourist, cognitivist and social learning theory with a particular emphasis upon analysing and critiquing their practical application. Trainees will be required to observe teaching and learning and to critically reflect upon the ways in which teachers address the specific learning needs of their pupils.

The focus of PGS401b moves to a concern for the development of the trainee as a practitioner. Drawing upon PGS401a, trainees are required to reflect upon the ways in which the knowledge and understanding of how pupils' learn informs and enriches their professional development as teachers. The focus of PGS401b coincides with their initial experiences of classroom practice. 

Throughout PGS401, trainees are required to locate their knowledge and understanding within national educational policies and the specific demands of good practice as expressed by the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

The content for this module draws on University and School-Based professional preparation and subject pathway sessions.

• Twentieth century theories of learning to include the work of Skinner, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Woods, Donaldson.
• Contemporary theories of learning will, for example, include the work of Gardner on multiple intelligence theory. 
• An overview of trends and developments in education in general and their subject specialism in particular.
•  An introduction to curriculum developments within subject specialisms
• Every Child Matters
• The impact on effective teaching and learning of the National Strategies for teaching and learning with and across individual subject areas and phases including, for example;
• The ‘inclusive classroom’.
• Assessment for Learning.
• Behaviour for Learning.
• Developing a curriculum for ethnic diversity.
• The impact of academic target setting on pupil progress.
• A focus on the professional attributes of teachers.
• An introduction to research methods in education including an understanding of the nature and ethics of classroom based observation

On passing this module all students should be able to:

1.   demonstrate an understanding of a range of theories of learning and a conceptual framework of the way in which they relate to each other;

2.   evaluate the impact of their understanding of theories of learning on their own teaching and the promotion of effective learning in their professional development;

3.   demonstrate an understanding of the nature and ethics of classroom based observation;

4.   research and evaluate a range of significant issues about learning e.g. assessment and behaviour;

5.   plan, implement and critically evaluate a small-scale project exploring the variety of ways in which children learn;

6.   analyse a series of their own lessons as a means of promoting effective teaching and learning within their own professional development as teachers.

Students assessed at Masters level will also be able to demonstrate that they have:

1.   Been able to evaluate and critically reflect upon, using appropriate researched literature, the impact of their understanding of theories of learning on their own teaching and the promotion of effective learning;

2.   Gained an enhanced and critical awareness of a range of theories of learning and undertaken extensive reading to inform a conceptual framework of the way in which they relate to each other;

3.  A critical awareness of the issues around the nature and ethics of classroom based observation having undertaken relevant research;

4.  Researched and critically analysed  a range of significant issues about learning e.g assessment and behaviour;

5.   Investigated research methodology and adopted appropriate research methods  to plan, implement and critically analyse a small-scale project exploring the variety of ways in which children learn;

6.   Critically analysed a series of lessons within their own subject specialism in relation to specific pedagogical approaches and in the context of their own professional development as teachers.

University based Professional Preparation and central Subject Pathway lectures and seminars supported by school-based seminars and tutorials.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.