M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education M.Ed. Digital Pedagogy ...staffresources.uhi.ac.uk/MEd-Handbook/pdf/pdfVersion.pdf · Entry may be open to holders of an Ordinary degree, HND or

Student Handbook

M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education M.Ed. Digital Pedagogy PgCert Clinical Pedagogy PGCert Research methods Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education CPD award Research Supervision CPD award Applying Education to learning CPD award

2 University of the Highlands and Islands 2019

Foreword

The purpose of this handbook is to outline arrangements and regulations for the:

• Master of Education in Tertiary & Higher Education (M.Ed. THE) • The Master of Education in Digital Pedagogy (M.Ed.DP) • The Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods (PgCertRM) • The Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Pedagogy (PgCertCP) and

CPD Awards in:

• Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education • Research Supervision • Applying Psychology to Learning.

The degrees are managed by Lews Castle College UHI as the Responsible Partner within UHI.

The Programme Leader is: Dr Gareth Davies Lews Castle College UHI Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS2-OXR

Phone: 01851-770247 Fax: 01851-770001 email: [email protected]

Welcome

The programme team for the Tertiary and Higher Education Scheme offered here at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) would like to welcome you to our programme, and hope that you will enjoy your studies with us during this session.

The programme within this scheme is delivered wholly online and is managed within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business where most of the staffing for the programme is located.

For some just entering the programme, the move to a higher level of study can seem daunting, when confronted with the demands of reading and preparation advised by staff. Please realise that we will guide and advise you, particularly in the early months of your studies.

An advantage of a programme such as this is the number of opportunities it affords you for make contact with your tutors, through telephone, e-mail and later the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) discussion forum.

mailto:[email protected]



This is a very interactive programme which will introduce you to a new way of education for those not familiar with online education. For those familiar with the VLE environment it will help to hone your skills and as you progress through the programme, you will mirror some of the things you may wish to do in your own organisation, at a later date.

You are also one among a cohort of participants with similar generic needs. Regular contact with your peers, enables sharing of ideas which helps with your learning. Also sharing concerns or worries about the progress of your studies is useful and we would encourage you to use the chat facility of the VLE for this.

You will be issued with an e-mail account when you enroll on this programme and you should use this account for all correspondence relating to this programme. Your username will be your student ID and your password will be your date of birth in eight-digit format. You will use the same login for the VLE. You are encouraged to change your password as soon as possible to something that is less likely to be discovered. A mix of letters and numbers provides the best security and you should change this on a regular basis.

Your major objective will be to achieve the Master of Education award which is the culmination of the programme which you have chosen. The programme team understands the commitment which must be given to pursuing, and reaching such a goal. As you would expect, we too have a commitment to see that aspiration fulfilled.

As you progress through the programme we will expect you to make clear links between the modules which reflect your ongoing learning and the development of your professional practice in a unique and holistic way. In addition to this, the emphasis is placed on reflective practice and you are encouraged to consider what you have learned and how you might change your practice through your experience of the module. We look forward to guiding your progress in this and within the programme, and hope that you find it relevant, interesting and worthwhile as a major contribution to your continuing professional development. Your programme leader is just an email away at any time you need advice on routine programme matters or your studies within the programme.

Dr Gareth Davies Programme Leader, On behalf of the programme team.

Please note: this handbook is produced for your guidance only. Nothing in the handbook forms contract between an individual student and UHI or its academic partners.


Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Welcome ................................................................................................................................................. 2

The Tertiary & Higher Education scheme ............................................................................................... 6

The educational philosophy of the scheme ...................................................................................... 6

Entry requirements ............................................................................................................................ 7

The structure of the programmes within the scheme ...................................................................... 9

Modes of delivery ............................................................................................................................... 9

Teaching & learning methods ............................................................................................................ 9

Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Masters level criteria........................................................................................................................ 10

The Tertiary & Higher Education Scheme programmes ....................................................................... 11

Current framework and awards offered ......................................................................................... 11

The M.Ed. in Tertiary & Higher Education and the M.Ed. in Digital Pedagogy .............................. 12

The PgCert in Clinical Pedagogy ....................................................................................................... 13

The PgCert in Research Methods ..................................................................................................... 14

CPD awards ....................................................................................................................................... 15

The structure of the scheme and programmes .................................................................................... 16

Core and option modules and programme structure ..................................................................... 16

CPD Awards ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Module Information ......................................................................................................................... 18

How are the Programmes Taught? .................................................................................................. 23

UHI’s ALPINE framework and the Higher Education Academy ............................................................. 24

The Higher Education Academy ....................................................................................................... 24

The ALPINE Framework .................................................................................................................... 24

Routes to recognition ....................................................................................................................... 25

Scheme Staff ......................................................................................................................................... 27

Tertiary & Higher Education Scheme Team .................................................................................... 27

Programme Leader’s role ................................................................................................................. 29

Module Leader’s role ....................................................................................................................... 30

Admissions procedures ......................................................................................................................... 30

Online enrolment and module selection ......................................................................................... 30

Induction ........................................................................................................................................... 30

Accreditation of prior learning and experiential learning .............................................................. 31

Assessment ........................................................................................................................................... 31


General criteria for assessment ....................................................................................................... 32

Grading and marking ........................................................................................................................ 33

Submission of work .......................................................................................................................... 33

Participation component ................................................................................................................. 34

Re-use of work between modules ................................................................................................... 34

Mitigating circumstances ................................................................................................................. 34

Citations and references .................................................................................................................. 34

Plagiarism and academic misconduct .............................................................................................. 35

Design and presentation of assignments ........................................................................................ 35

Regulations ........................................................................................................................................... 36

Attendance and participation .......................................................................................................... 36

Examination Board ........................................................................................................................... 36

Period of study ................................................................................................................................. 37

Student support .................................................................................................................................... 37

MyDay – Student Portal ................................................................................................................... 37

Student information and guidance .................................................................................................. 37

Personal Academic Tutors................................................................................................................ 37

Email ................................................................................................................................................. 38

Library and learning resources ........................................................................................................ 38

IT and software ................................................................................................................................. 39

International students ..................................................................................................................... 40

Programme evaluation and monitoring ............................................................................................... 41

Module evaluation and surveys ...................................................................................................... 41

Staff and student programmes ........................................................................................................ 41

Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 43

Appendix 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 43

Appendix 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 45

Appendix 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 46

Appendix 4 ........................................................................................................................................ 47


The Tertiary & Higher Education scheme

The Tertiary & Higher Education (THE) Scheme is a grouping of programmes and awards that share Modules. The Scheme comprises:

• M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education • M.Ed. Digital Pedagogy • PgCert Clinical Pedagogy • PgCert Research Methods • Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education CPD award • Research Supervision CPD award • Applying Psychology to Learning CPD award.

The programmes within the scheme have been designed to enable you to engage in academic debate and to study key aspects of education that concern all who have a working role in any of the professions related to tertiary and higher education. From the core activities in the early stages of the Master's programmes, participants may progress their own study path in an inter-related and holistic way which best suits their own professional development and requirements.

The educational philosophy of the scheme

The educational philosophy of the scheme is based on:

• enabling participants to take responsibility for their learning and to develop the skills necessary for their continuing professional development;

• helping professionals to develop as reflective practitioners.

Together these theories identify four key elements of what it means, within the context of professional activity in education and training, to be a reflective practitioner:

• systematic self-evaluation and monitoring of your own professional practice;

• critical reflection, drawing on your own professional practice, research, theory and professional codes and policies to introduce and evaluate improvements in your day-to-day practice;

• situation analysis: relating your individual professional practice to the knowledge and understanding of the organisation you work in, your profession, your participants or clients;

• professionalisation of practice: through which you develop generalisations about professional practice and transfer your learning from one situation, problem or task to another.


Entry requirements

Normal entry requirement is an honours degree, or equivalent professional qualification.

Entry may be open to holders of an Ordinary degree, HND or DipHE if you have at least three years of relevant professional experience in education and training. Applicants with formal qualifications below the level of HND who possess substantial experience in an appropriate field, or are judged to have demonstrated exceptional abilities, may also be admitted to the programme.

This is subject to interview, appropriate academic references and evidence submitted of personal, professional and educational experience. The Programme Leader will make the final decision about acceptance onto any aspect of the scheme and where necessary, take advice from the wider programme team.

UHI follows the procedures set out in the Academic Standards and Quality Regulations (2009-10). A copy of this document is available at www.uhi.ac.uk/regulations.

Standard entry

Masters programmes

The normal entry requirement for a Masters programme is an Honours degree of a recognised UK degree-awarding body, or postgraduate diploma, or a professional qualification recognised as being equivalent to an Honours degree. Other qualifications or experiences which demonstrate that a candidate possesses appropriate knowledge and skills at Honours degree standard may be acceptable.

Any participant enrolling for a module will be required to meet the admissions criteria for the programme.

Those participants who are uncertain about the standards of academic writing are strongly advised to undertake the module, Preparing for Masters Level Study, as an introduction to Masters level work.

Non-standard entry

Entry to the M.Ed. may be open to holders of an Ordinary Degree, HND or DipHE award, or other professional qualification which is accepted as being of equivalent status, in an appropriate discipline or professional area. Such candidates will, in addition, normally have at least three years of relevant professional experience, i.e. in relation to education and training.

This could include, for example:

• candidates with Ordinary Degrees who have been delivering degree level and HNC/HND programmes;

https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/about-uhi/governance/policies-and-regulations/regulations


• candidates who have an HND (or equivalent Scottish Credit Qualification Framework (SCQF Level 8) in such areas as Library and Information Science or Information and Library Services and are currently employed as library assistant in HE, FE or other educational institutions;

• candidates who have an HND in Training and Development (or other programmes related to vocational education and training) who are also currently working in a vocational training unit or centre;

• candidates who are laboratory technicians with an HND in Engineering, Science and Technology, Graphic Design or Computer Technology who are also assisting directly in the delivery of education and training programmes.

This is not an exhaustive list; it includes those professional areas from where it is likely that some candidates could emerge.

If you have formal qualifications below the level of HND but possess substantial experience in an appropriate field, and can demonstrate exceptional abilities, you may also be admitted to the programme.

It is anticipated that some potential candidates are likely to apply for entry to the M.Ed. who have HNCs or other vocational qualifications in relevant areas. These may include technical assistants, library assistants and computer technicians, who have extended their skills to develop learning resources or to provide some additional teaching and learning support to participants on HND and degree level programmes. It is also possible that a small number of candidates will be eligible for the programme who do not have HNC or equivalent professional and vocational qualifications but have extended their skills experientially in order to provide direct teaching and learning support to participants.

In all of these cases a key pre-requisite for admission to the programme is that you will continue your professional involvement in education and training for the duration of the module, or set of modules for which you wish to enrol. This is because each module involves some element of enquiry, evaluation or action research which necessitates you being currently engaged in an appropriate professional activity related to education and training.

Admission to the programme will also be on the understanding that you have a reasonable expectation that you can fulfil the objectives of the programme and achieve the standard required for the award. You will need to provide evidence of personal, professional and educational experience that indicates ability to meet the demands of the programme. This will normally include a written statement indicating how your professional experience has prepared you for postgraduate study, plus two academic references.

International student entry

The entry requirements for international students are the same as for domestically-based students. However, international students will need to be able to demonstrate their English language ability.


International students will also need to be able to demonstrate that their qualifications are equivalent to UK standards (see section 9.6).

The structure of the programmes within the scheme

Each element of the scheme is designed around a series of core and option modules, with the exception of the CPD awards which are a single module.

Each module is worth 20 SCQF level 11 credits and gain credits will enable you to achieve the following:

Modules Credits Award 1 x module 20 Credits CPD Award (where applicable) 3 x modules 60 Credits Postgraduate Certificate 6 x modules 120 Credits Postgraduate Diploma 6 x modules plus dissertation (60 Credits) 180 Credits M.Ed.

Modes of delivery

UHI is committed to moving from knowledge transmission towards a greater emphasis on the facilitation of learning, and to the facilitation of critical reflection. This, in turn, challenges underlying assumptions about professional practice. The programmes within the scheme are delivered wholly online and facilitated through a range of technologies.

The programmes are VLE based. This means that the learning materials are accessible online within a virtual learning environment (VLE) called Blackboard. You will receive guidance on accessing Blackboard and your login details at the induction weekend which takes place in Inverness, usually at the end of August or early September (see Induction).

Teaching & learning methods

The programmes within this scheme are learner centred where participants learn collaboratively online from one another and where they construct their own learning as they progress through the programme.

Participants are expected to make links between the modules in a critically reflective manner which challenges existing assumptions that we make about learning and teaching and which attempts to stand back and view our practice through the 'four lenses' proposed by Brookfield (1995).

Firstly the autobiographical lens where we probe our own experiences as learners and teachers and bring this to bear on our practice. Secondly, we consider the experience of our students as we attempt to determine how they perceive our actions and question what they find affirming or inhibiting. Thirdly, there is the lens of our colleagues as we ask them to act as critical friends in a process of peer review to reflect greater understanding back to our


practice. Finally there is the lens of literature which helps us to locate the theoretical frameworks and help us understand our practice in a wider sense.

Assessment

Performance on each module is graded according to UHI’s Post Graduate assessment scale (See Appendix 1) and is based on achievement of all of the stated learning outcomes for that module.

You will receive detailed written feedback and feed forward on your work.

If your work does not satisfactorily meet the learning outcomes of the module, you will be given written feedback and an opportunity to re-submit. Only one re-submission will be accepted.

A minimum pass mark of 50% must be achieved on all modules.

Masters level criteria

All the modules within this programme conform to the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 11 for Masters level. A copy of level 11 is attached as an appendix at the end of this handbook (See Appendix 1).

In order to pass each module and to gain awards at Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters, you must:

• assume responsibility for your own learning, and apply this learning to your professional context, and present your reflections with rigour, coherence and originality;

• demonstrate a critical awareness and understanding of current research and relevant theoretical literature; and demonstrate an ability to synthesise this awareness and understanding with your own professional experience in order to identify the implications for your own professional practice;

• demonstrate a critical awareness of current national, UK and international debates on issues which are relevant to your profession;

• apply appropriate research paradigms, methods and techniques to systematically investigate issues and problems relating to your own professional practice and that of your profession as a whole;

• justify the approach you have adopted for examining and critically evaluating aspects of your professional practice by reference to appropriate theoretical literature and literature on research methods and paradigms;

• formulate innovative proposals for developing or changing some aspect of professional practice, based on informed ideas and research;


• demonstrate how the critical understanding and skills you have developed through this Programme now inform your professional practice.

The Tertiary & Higher Education Scheme programmes

This section explains the different programmes that make up the scheme.

You will have been accepted onto one of these programmes but you may well be doing modules taken by students from other programmes, both from within the scheme and from other programmes out with it.

Current framework and awards offered

Programme 1st Exit Point (Award) 2nd Exit Point (Award)

3rd Exit Point (Award)

M.Ed. in Tertiary & Higher Education

Postgraduate Certificate in Tertiary & Higher Education

Postgraduate Diploma in Tertiary & Higher Education

Master of Education in Tertiary & Higher Education

M.Ed. in Digital Pedagogy

Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Pedagogy

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Pedagogy

Master of Education in Digital Pedagogy

PgCert Clinical Pedagogy

Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Pedagogy

N/A N/A

PgCert Research Methods

Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods

N/A N/A

Teaching & Learning in Higher Education CPD Award

Level 11 CPD Award N/A N/A

Research Supervision CPD Award


Applying Psychology to Learning CPD Award



The M.Ed. in Tertiary & Higher Education and the M.Ed. in Digital Pedagogy

If you successfully complete the required credits you will qualify for an M.Ed. in Tertiary & Higher Education, or an M.Ed. in Digital Pedagogy, validated by UHI.

There are two intermediate exit points in both these awards: PgCert (60 SCQF Credits); PgDip (120 SCQF Credits). All modules are weighted at 20 credits, with the exception of the dissertation, which is weighted 60 credits.

Educational aims

• Provide highly-motivated graduates with the academic skills, knowledge and abilities to enhance their professional practice.

• Enable participants to integrate and apply knowledge and understanding of contrasting and contested perspectives within the study of pedagogy.

• Provide equal opportunities of access to those potential participants restricted by employment, geography or personal circumstances within Scotland and internationally.

• Provide opportunities to develop transferable skills relevant to the wide-ranging demands of professional life.

• Enable participant to pursue their interests in specialist areas within their field of study.

• Enable participants to develop skills in reflective practice, and encourage lifelong learning.

• Encourage Continuing Professional Development within professional practice or further study.

• Encourage successful participants to engage in appropriate pedagogical research and scholarship.

While these aims pertain to the full M.Ed. THE and M.Ed. DP, they also apply to the earlier exit points in the programme (PgCert, PgDip). Clearly, those intending to complete the full M.Ed. THE will need to engage in greater depth with these aims.

Specific learning outcomes

On completion of the requisite modules for the award of M.Ed. THE and M.Ed. DP, or either of the intermediate wards of Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma, you will be able to:

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the theoretical and research-based literature related to your professional practice;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of current developments, issues and policies relevant to your professional practice;


• synthesise knowledge of theory and policy initiatives and transform it into personal knowledge by contextualising it and apply it to your practice;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the range of opportunities for using new technologies effectively to support teaching and learning, and demonstrate expertise in your application;

• develop and apply appropriate self-evaluation and enquiry methods which support critical reflection on your professional practice;

• appraise the scope for change in your own professional practice, in the institution in which you work, and within your profession;

• initiate some small-scale changes and improvements in your professional practice;

• demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles in higher education;

• demonstrate engagement with and application of research methods and approaches, applying them appropriately within the programme and in your professional context.

The PgCert in Clinical Pedagogy

If you successfully complete the required credits you will qualify for a PgCert in Clinical Pedagogy, validated by UHI. There are no intermediate exit points from this award.

Main aims

• Provide highly-motivated graduates with the academic skills, knowledge and abilities to enhance their professional teaching practice in clinical environments.

• Enable participants to integrate and apply knowledge and understanding of contrasting and contested perspectives within the study of pedagogy.



• Enable participants to pursue their interests in specialist areas within their field of study.



• Encourage successful participants to engage in appropriate pedagogical research and scholarship.



On completion of the requisite modules for the award of PGCert in Clinical Pedagogy you will be able to:

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the theoretical and research-based literature related to your professional teaching practice;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of current developments, issues and policies relevant to your professional teaching practice;

• synthesise knowledge of theory and policy initiatives, transform it into personal knowledge by contextualising it and applying it to your professional teaching practice;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the range of opportunities for using new technologies effectively to support teaching, learning and assessment, and demonstrate expertise in your application;

• develop and apply appropriate self-evaluation and enquiry methods which support critical reflection on your professional teaching practice;

• appraise the scope for change in your own professional teaching practice, in the institution in which you work, and within your profession;

• initiate some small-scale changes and improvements in your professional teaching practice;

• demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles in higher education.

The PgCert in Research Methods

If you successfully complete the required credits you will qualify for a PgCert in Research Methods, validated by UHI. There are no intermediate exit points from this award.

Main aims

The programme team has adhered to the QAA standards and guidance when articulating the aims and learning outcomes of the programme.

Upon successful completion of this programme, the individual will be able to enhance their own professional competence in research in a range of research contexts through a learning programme based on good practice, systematic and critical reflection of practice and the development of enquiry, analysis, research and evaluation abilities.



On completion of the requisite number of modules for the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods, you will be able to:

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of different methodological approaches used in a variety of research environments;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the range of different research designs;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the range of different methods of data collection and analysis;

• synthesise the theory and practice of research to produce reports of research to a professional standard.

CPD awards

If you successfully complete the required credits you will qualify for a CPD award in either: Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education; Research Supervision; or Applying Psychology to Learning, according to the module you have completed, validated by UHI. There are no intermediate exit points from this award.

Main aims

The main aims of the CPD awards are the same across all three awards:

• Provide highly-motivated graduates with the academic skills, knowledge and abilities to enhance their professional practice in clinical environments.

• Enable participants to integrate and apply knowledge and understanding of contrasting and contested perspectives within the study of pedagogy or psychology.



• Enable participants to pursue their interests in specialist areas within their field of study.



• Encourage successful participants to engage in appropriate areas of scholarship.



On completion of the requisite modules for a CPD award you will be able to:

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of the theoretical and research-based literature related to your professional practice;

• demonstrate awareness and critical understanding of current developments, issues and policies relevant to your professional practice;

• synthesise knowledge of theory and policy initiatives and transform it into personal knowledge by contextualising it and applying it to your professional practice;

• develop and apply appropriate self-evaluation and enquiry methods which support critical reflection on your professional practice;

• appraise the scope for change in your own professional practice, in the institution in which you work, and within your profession;

• initiate some small-scale changes and improvements in your professional practice;

• demonstrate knowledge of appropriate ethical principles.

The structure of the scheme and programmes

Core and option modules and programme structure

Tertiary & Higher Education

Digital Pedagogy

Clinical Pedagogy

Research Methods

Postgraduate Certificate (core)

Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education

Research Methods & Techniques

Core Theory & Practice of eLearning

Teaching & Learning in the Clinical Environment

One Research Methods module from the following:

• Research Methods & Techniques

• Qualitative Inquiry • Quantitative Research &

Data Analysis (Core) One Research

Methods module from the following:


• Qualitative Inquiry • Quantitative

Research & Data Analysis

Digital Literacy & Open Education

Assessment in the Clinical Environment

One Research Methods module from the following not previously taken:



Data Analysis


Postgraduate Diploma (core)

Mixed Methods & Action Research

Option 1 Creating Digital Educational Resources

Option 2 One Research Methods module from the following:



Data Analysis Options Includes any core module not previously taken:

• Research Supervision • Applying Psychology to Learning • Developing Potential Through Placement • Preparing for Master’s Level Study • 2 x Modules from Management School

Master of Education

Dissertation (60 credits)

For the PgCert Research Methods, it is recommended that Research Methods & Techniques be taken first and option modules taken after that.

CPD Awards

The following CPD awards are single modules that can be taken as CPD awards.

• Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education CPD award • Research Supervision CPD award • Applying Psychology to Learning CPD award.

Module Title Assessment 1 and weighting

Assessment 2 and weighting

Online participation

Research Supervision Essay: Critical Account 70%

Essay: Reflective Account 20%

10%


Report: Reflective Peer-related Study 90%

Online Participation 10%

10%

Applying Psychology to Learning

Essay 100%

N/A N/A


Module Information

Applying Psychology to Learning

Tutor: Hereward Proops

This module focuses on four main areas crucial to learning and teaching from an educational psychology perspective particularly when supporting children with additional support needs. In the first section, Role and Responsibilities, students will examine Scottish legislation underpinning ASN and consider the competencies and skills they need to be confident in applying. The module then moves on to key areas for learning and teaching including Cognition; what helps children learn; Assessment and Intervention; how do we assess progress and which theories are most useful in underpinning practice. Students then study Emotions and Learning; which considers risk and resilience factors and the possible hidden barriers to learning many of our children face. Completion of this module will give students a greater understanding of the psychological theories involved in learning and teaching and will help inform evidence based practice.

Assessment in the Clinical & Practical Environment

Tutor: Linda Gunn

This module is intended to provide the qualified clinician/technician/practitioner with the skills to engage in assessment of students in their own professional remit.

This post graduate course provides a medical approach to teaching with a clinical component at its base. Assessment of clinical skills and theory performance will be undertaken and evaluated in this module resulting in fair, appropriate and evidence-based assessment techniques which participants could apply knowledge to their own clinical or practical setting.

Having completed the first module in this clinical/practical course this second module gives the student the ability to assess students in this setting. Students will be expected to re-engage with the reading they have done for the Teaching & Learning in the Clinical Environment module, successful completion of which is a pre-requisite for beginning this module. Students must also re-engage with the reading done for the Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education module.

Both modules enhance employability prospects for the students; they encourage career development in professions.

The student should demonstrate:

• self-critical awareness; • original and imaginative thinking; • excellent use of references and command of the literature; • in-depth critical and independent thinking;


• mastery of concepts and theories; • concisely balanced arguments; • ideas which are very well linked to concepts, theories and literature.

Collaborative Leadership

Tutor: TBD Subject to validation

This module explores a key feature of contemporary working relationships – that of collaboration. It seeks to identify the necessary skills required for leaders to collaborate successfully, and apply these in the organisational context. The module will analyse the role of the various organisational stakeholders and how to collaborate with each of them to achieve competitive advantage. A fundamental feature of successful collaboration is to do so within a framework of ethical decision making, and the module will evaluate the role of Corporate Social Responsibility within contemporary leadership behaviour.

Creating Digital Educational Resources

Tutor: Prof Frank Rennie

This module is designed to encourage students to blend theory with practice in the creation of educational digital resources. By combining digital resources into an educational mini-course, students will design a real-life short course that demonstrates their competence. In so doing they will have the opportunity to reflect on existing practices as well as learning new ones. This module does not teach or require advanced computing skills.

Students on this module will:

• propose a design structure and rationale for a short example of digital resources being used in educational practice;

• create a short course utilising digital resources and present/deliver this; • reflect upon the advantages and disadvantages of digital resources; • reflect on the meaning of pedagogy in the context of the module.

Developing Potential through Placement

Tutor: Issy Grieve

This module requires participants to identify a topic which is relevant to their own professional development and seek a solution by undertaking a placement in another organisation. It is designed to develop the skills of investigation, analysis and reflection by asking participants to undertake a comparative and analytical examination of an appropriate topic which is relevant and valuable and which has been identified by them, in negotiation with the tutor. Participants are required to self-identify and contact their chosen placement.


Digital Literacy & Open Education

Tutor: Prof Frank Rennie

This module is designed to raise awareness of new opportunities to integrate digital resources into work and learning practices. In so doing they will have the opportunity to reflect on existing practices as well as learning new ones. Digital technologies are becoming a pervasive aspect of our employment and social environment, and an understanding of the skills/potentials involved is becoming essential in the job market. This module does not teach or require advanced computing skills.

Students on this module will:

• explore the key features of digital resources and applications; • examine the potential of digital resources for new ways of learning and working; • reflect upon advantages and disadvantages of digital access; • critically reflect and present a personal analysis of digital resources; • reflect on the meaning of pedagogy in the context of the module.

Dissertation

Tutor: Dr Philomena de Lima

This module aims to provide participants with an opportunity to undertake a sustained, rigorous and independent investigation of some aspect of professional practice in relation to their own teaching and or research in educational practice. The dissertation will consist of original work. It will be informed by the theoretical and practical knowledge and expertise which the participant has developed through other modules and/or in previously accredited learning related to appropriate educational / pedagogical themes. It will focus on a theme, topic or problem which is relevant to appropriate educational development concerns of the participant. The resulting dissertation will not only present and interpret the research findings but also critically evaluate the research design, methodology employed and identify the outcomes of the research in terms of actual or planned developments and changes.

NOTE: There is a separate Dissertation Handbook and you should refer to this before embarking on your dissertation.

Managing in the Global Network

Tutor: TBD Subject to validation

This module explores the global context in which contemporary organisations function. Regardless of the type of industry, the global economy has some impact upon it, and this module will analyse those impacts and how they can be managed and utilised to achieve competitive advantage. It will evaluate the importance of understanding the local environment in which international and multinational businesses function. Students will be encouraged to explore cultural and geographical challenges and opportunities, through a


detailed analysis of effective and appropriate communication methods. The module will evaluate the role of Information Technologies within the global environment, and how to use these successfully.

Mixed Methods & Action Research

Tutor: Dr Eddy Graham

This module will provide participants with the skills to approach and develop their practice in a systematic and reflexive manner. Participants will be introduced to recent and classical literature on action research with a particular focus on professional practice in the educational context. The module will provide opportunities for participants to explore and critically reflect on both the complexities of professional practice and research methodologies. They will be required to plan an action research project in an area of their professional practice whilst simultaneously enhancing understanding of their own practice and the underpinning assumptions.

PLEASE NOTE: This module has a pre-requisite that students have successfully completed either Qualitative Inquiry or Research Methods and Techniques.

Preparing for Master’s Level Study

Tutor: Dr Ann Murray

This module is a preparatory module which is designed to support participants in developing their academic writing to a level which will help them succeed in acquiring a higher degree qualification. It will also benefit those who have experience in Further Education or of other professional roles in the public or private sectors and who would like to engage in Master’s level study with UHI, but whose current qualification has not yet reached honours degree level. The module will assist those who may feel uncertain about their readiness to meet the requirements of Master’s level study. It is offered as a SCQF level 10 module (equivalent to year 4 of a Scottish Honours level degree).

Participants who successful complete this module will gain credit which can be used later in part-fulfilment for the postgraduate diploma.

Qualitative Inquiry

Tutor: Dr Gareth Davies

This module is intended to provide students with the skills necessary to engage in a practical research project of a high standard. It will include an examination of the role of ethics in qualitative research. In addition to a grounding in qualitative research techniques, students will be introduced to quantitative methods including the design and use of questionnaires.


Quantitative Research & Data Analysis

Tutor: Dr Eddy Graham

The module will provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of quantitative and statistical techniques for the successful design and methodology of research studies, including data collection, data analysis and results, to a publishable standard. Included in this will be the examination of how to administer survey data, software skills and experimental techniques.

Research Methods & Techniques

Tutor: Dr Jayne Glass

The module is designed to develop participants’ awareness, knowledge and skills in formulating research questions, developing effective research design, selecting and implementing appropriate research methods. It covers both quantitative and qualitative approaches relevant to science and social research areas. Emphasis is placed on developing the participants’ ability to apply the most appropriate method to address research questions and understand how to analyse, interpret and present results. Research case studies are used throughout the module as methodology demonstration tools.

Research Supervision

Tutor: Dr Mei-Li Roberts

This module seeks to establish the essential benchmarks of high quality supervision to advance the interests of undergraduate, postgraduate and research participants, sponsoring body and parent institution alike.

As indicated in the QAA Code of Practice for supervising research participants in higher education, institutions are being encouraged to develop their own models of good practice in research degree supervision. This module seeks to describe and test such models and introduce them into the work of the present and next generation of supervisors.


Tutor: Dr Ann Murray

This module will develop participants’ knowledge with regard to teaching and learning in higher education and provide them with an opportunity to reflect on their own professional practice in relation to contemporary themes as it relates to teaching and learning practice in HE. In addition, it will provide participants with a chance to contextualise their own educational practice against current research initiatives and challenge them to further reflect on how they can improve their own professional practice.


Teaching & Learning in the Clinical & Practical Environment

Tutor: Linda Gunn

This module is conceived as the first of two modules that are intended to be taken sequentially and will provide the qualified clinician, technician or practitioner with the skills necessary to teach students in the clinical environment of their own professional remit. This post graduate course provides a medical approach to pedagogy with a clinical component at its base. Students must re-engage with the reading done for the Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education module.

The focus of this module is teaching in the clinical environment. Its focus is the practical application of pedagogical theory in the clinical environment. Delivered as the first of two modules, it aims to provide successful students with the skills necessary to teach in the clinical environment. The second of the two modules focuses on assessment activity in the clinical environment.

The student should demonstrate:

• self-critical awareness;

• original and imaginative thinking;

• excellent use of references and command of the literature;

• in-depth critical and independent thinking;

• mastery of concepts and theories;

• concisely balanced arguments;

• ideas which are very well linked to concepts, theories and literature.

Theory & Practice of eLearning

Tutor: Helen Coker

This module is designed to help current HE and FE Lecturers reflect on their current practice and learn how to make the effective transition to an online learning environment. In so doing they will have the opportunity to reflect on existing practices as well as learning new ones. Although they are learning to operate in an entirely digital environment, the emphasis is on good practice in content design and facilitation. This module does not teach or require advanced computing skills.

How are the Programmes Taught?

All the programmes are delivered wholly online with tutor support. See section 9.5 (IT and Software). As a participant on the programme you will have a series of clearly defined tasks for each module. These will normally include examining an aspect of your work or organisation in some detail. You will be required to read research and theoretical texts


associated with this. You will be involved in on-line group discussions and group assignments with other participants. Your tutor will guide the discussion and provide guidance, normally using a blended mixture of e-mail, web-based discussion boards and telephone support.

An induction programme at the start of each academic session is the only time you will be required to attend ‘in person’. An online version of the induction programme will be offered but it is strongly advised that, if at all possible, you attend the face-to-face induction.

Participants are required to access the UHI Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), for at least 3 hours per week for the 20 credits modules. Participants will need to access the VLE to review the learning materials, participate in online discussions and make use of the chat room facilities.

UHI’s ALPINE framework and the Higher Education Academy

The Higher Education Academy

The HEA is a national organisation that aims to improve teaching and learning in the HE sector. If you are an HE practitioner, you will be able to use success in some of the modules within the M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education programme as evidence toward being recognised as an Associate Fellow or Fellow of the HEA.

Visit the HEA website at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/recognition-accreditation

The ALPINE Framework

The ALPINE framework provides an important, visible means to underline our commitment to providing a high quality learning and teaching experience at UHI, and ensuring that our staff are professionally recognised against the national standard of the UKPSF for the nature of their practice.

However we view the ALPINE framework as having a pivotal role to play at UHI beyond the recognition of our staff against the UKPSF. The broader purpose of ALPINE, and one which is central to how we intend the framework to operate, is as an enabler for the development of effective learning and teaching, educational scholarship and research, and educational leadership in ways that meet the challenges and opportunities of implementing and sharing good practice in our distributed University.

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/recognition-accreditation#_blank

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/recognition-accreditation/uk-professional-standards-framework-ukpsf


The eight guiding principles for the ALPINE framework are to:

1 Provide a standard means at UHI for the professional recognition of good practice in HE learning and teaching, learning and teaching support, and leadership.

2 Ensure that colleagues with a HE responsibility with respect to learning and teaching, learning and teaching support, and leadership are appropriately recognised through achieving a nationally recognised professional credential (Associate/Fellow/Senior Fellow/Principal Fellow of the HEA) that is valued across and beyond the UK sector.

3 Provide a means to recognise how individual colleagues are developing their learning and teaching practices, and educational leadership, through subsequent recognition against different categories of Fellowship of the HEA within the UKPSF.

4 Support engagement in UHI's Learning and Teaching Academy as a means of evidencing and sharing good practice, and engaging in leadership activities in learning and teaching development and educational scholarship and research.

5 Engage new and less experienced colleagues with predominantly HE teaching responsibilities in the PgCert Teaching & Learning in Tertiary & Higher Education, to ensure they have the opportunity to obtain both their teaching qualification and professional recognition.

6 Provide visibility and structure to our continued professional development (CPD) activities for colleagues to engage in and which link to recognition against UKPSF.

7 Harness peer support and mentoring in the recognition process as a means to increase awareness of and share good practice within and across Academic Partners.

8 Support engagement with learning technologies and digital practice through their use in the recognition process and creation of digital artefacts for sharing and repurposing.

Routes to recognition

Completion of Learning & Teaching in Higher Education Module

Members of staff with specific but narrowly-defined HE teaching responsibilities (e.g. postgraduate students, specialist tutors) or who are in learning support roles (e.g. library staff, educational technologists) may opt to pursue Recognition Route 1 through completing the Learning & Teaching in Higher Education module as stand-alone CPD (continued professional development).

This will involve completing the assessments for the module, and a Reflective Narrative to capture their engagement with the relevant dimensions of the UKPSF.


Completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education

New members of staff with a HE teaching role, and who have yet to complete a relevant teaching qualification, are expected to pursue Recognition Route 2 through completing the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. The two core modules of the PG Cert, and key aspects of the two research-based option modules, are mapped against the UKPSF.

Students on the PG Cert will be engaged directly with the UKPSF within key activities on the PG Cert. This will include the ‘Professional Recognition Dialogue’ they will have with their Personal Academic Tutor at the outset of their studies, and through producing a written reflection to evidence their engagement with the UKPSF during their studies which will be included in their final e-portfolio of coursework. Successful completion of the PG Cert HE including portfolio and reflection will result in recognition as Fellow of the HEA.

ALPINE for Non-UHI Staff

Non-UHI-based practitioners will still be able to submit evidence to UHI’s ALPINE recognition panel and take full advantage of the mentoring arrangements for PgCert candidates that are offered through ALPINE. To do this, your home [own] institution must be an HEA subscribing institution.

If you are unsure about whether your institution subscribes to the HEA you can either get in touch with the HEA directly or speak to your institution directly. If your institution is not subscribing to the HEA, you may be asked to pay a recognition fee to the HEA directly before Fellowship can be conferred.


Scheme Staff

This section tells you a little about the staff who run the various programmes that make up the THE Scheme.

Scheme Staff

Dr. Ann Murray, Lews Castle College UHI Dr. Gareth Davies, Lews Castle College UHI Prof Frank Rennie, Lews Castle College UHI Dr Ruth MacAlpine, Lews Castle College UHI Helen Coker, Inverness College UHI Dr. Philomena deLima, Inverness College UHI Dr Edward Graham, Lews Castle College UHI Issy Grieve Orkney, College UHI Dr. Mei-Li Roberts, Perth College UHI Linda Gunn, Inverness College UHI

Tertiary & Higher Education Scheme Team

Dr Gareth Davies, Lews Castle College UHI

I completed my Ph.D. in Health Psychology in 2009. The focus of my research was on the effectiveness of patient consultation behaviour with a view to helping patients make better help-seeking decisions.

My M.Sc. is in Rural Resources Management and I have worked on different aid projects in Africa. This was a departure from my undergraduate degree in Psychology. My qualifications are primarily from Bangor University, Wales. I am still involved in health services research but my time is mainly spent running the THE Scheme.

Prof Frank Rennie, Lews Castle College UHI

Frank Rennie is Professor of Sustainable Rural Development at the University of the Highlands and Islands and is Assistant Principal at Lews Castle College UHI. He is the Programme Leader for the online MSc in Sustainable Rural Development, and tutors mainly postgraduate and research students. His research interests lie in new approaches to online education and the benefits of networking for sustainable rural development. He has been an advisor to several government bodies and is a Fellow of a number of learned societies.

Frank has been involved in developing and delivering various combinations of distributed learning (particularly networked digital solutions for rural areas) with a wide range of international partners. He has published a diverse range of resources related to rural issues, including over 29 books, most recently the 'E-learning and Social Networking Handbook' and 'How to write a research dissertation'. Further details at http://www.lews.uhi.ac.uk/frennie or contact [email protected]

http://www.lews.uhi.ac.uk/frennie



Dr Edward Graham, Lews Castle College UHI

Dr. Edward Graham (“Eddie”) is lecturer at Lews Castle College UHI (Stornoway), teaching weather, climate and related environmental / science subjects. Eddie is a qualified meteorologist, having worked in a former life as an operational weather forecaster. He is also an active researcher, most recently using high resolution climate data in a study to find candidate mountain summits for a future astronomical observatory in Kenya.

Eddie holds a BA(Mod) in Natural Sciences (Trinity College Dublin), an MSc in Applied Meteorology (University of Reading), and a PhD (University of Bern, Switzerland). Over the years, Eddie has lived in Ireland, UK, Canada and Switzerland and he strongly encourages his students to travel widely, learn foreign languages and broaden their life experiences.

Dr Mei-Li Roberts, Perth College UHI

My disciplinary background is Social Anthropology, I completed my PhD at the University of St Andrews, entitled Translating Identities: ‘Being a missionary’ in Papua New Guinea. I had a particular interest in the children of missionaries and following on from this had a research fellowship at the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews, Changing Lifestyle in Children - All Change: Can This Reduce Cardiovascular Risk? (CSO CZB/4/96) and a research fellowship at the University of Edinburgh: Parents’ & teenagers’ conceptions of diet, weight & health: Does class matter? (ESRC RES-000-23-1504) before joining the UHI Centre for Rural Childhood as a research fellow and programme leader for the BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies in 2008.

My research interests include conceptions of diet, weight, health and physical activity amongst children, young people and their families in Scotland and Christianity, missionaries, translation and identity in Melanesia.

Linda Gunn, Inverness College UHI

Linda Gunn’s academic interests include: the development and delivery of innovative undergraduate education for Dental Care Professionals across dispersed areas of Scotland including Inverness, Dumfries and Stornoway; the development of post graduate qualifications for Dental Care Professionals and a career structure in teaching in dental courses with focus on clinical teaching.

Research interests are in Education and Leadership and Management in order to meet the main domains of importance to the General Dental Council (GDC).

Professor Keith Smyth, UHI

Dr Alice Montello, Inverness College UHI


Katrina Macintyre, Perth College UHI

Hereward Proops, Lews Castle College UHI

I am module leader for Applying Psychology to Learning. I have a background in teaching and support work, with a particular focus on pupils with additional support needs and associated behavioural difficulties. My previous job with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar provided me with significant experience working with young people with attachment disorders and those on the autistic spectrum.

I have a MSc in Counselling Psychology and am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I teach Higher Psychology at Lews Castle College and also work part-time as a counsellor / psychotherapist. I live on the Isle of Lewis with my family and dabble in creative writing in my spare time.

Dr June Graham, Lews Castle College UH

Programme Leader’s role

The role of the programme leader is to:

• ensure that appropriate timetabling and staffing arrangements are identified for the delivery of the programme;

• monitor and evaluate the programme, and produce an annual report in conjunction with the Programme team;

• ensure that Programme Committee meets the relevant UHI quality assurance procedures;

• liaise with external agencies as appropriate on matters relating to the programme;

• ensure that evaluation findings are discussed and evaluated within the Programme Committee and appropriate action as necessary.

The current programme leader is:

Dr Gareth Davies, Lews Castle College UHI, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS2-OXR telephone 01851-770247 email: [email protected]




Module Leader’s role

The role of the module leader is to:

• oversee the development and delivery of the module(s) for which they are responsible;

• monitor the delivery of the modules and report to the Programme Committee;

• ensure that participants receive feedback on their work promptly;

• be responsible to the Programme Committee for the assessment of participant work and for liaison with external examiners;

• propose new modules and the significant modification of existing modules to the appropriate bodies;

• make minor module modifications, as indicated in section 7 of the UHI Academic Regulations.

Admissions procedures

This section explains what you need to do once you have received a firm acceptance of a place on one of the programmes from the THE Scheme.

Online enrolment and module selection

Once you have been offered a place on a programme, you will be required to online enrol. You can do this by going to https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/ and clicking on Online Enrolment.

Follow the instructions. You will also need to select your modules for the academic year. You can speak with your Personal Academic Tutor or the Programme Leader for some guidance about this if you like.

Induction

Induction is an important part of your learning journey and UHI have a dedicated site for this. It can be found at: http://induction.uhi.ac.uk/ All programmes and CPD modules covered in this handbook have an induction element to them.

There is a Face-to-Face induction in Inverness, Scotland each year, just before the start of semester 1, usually at the very end of August or the beginning of September. The induction event is designed to allow you to meet other students on a range of postgraduate programmes run by UHI and some of the staff that tutor on them. While the induction event is not compulsory, we do encourage you to attend if at all possible.

https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/

http://induction.uhi.ac.uk/


The event will cover things like study skills at postgraduate level, use of the Blackboard VLE, the importance of UHI email systems, and the use of other embedded UHI learning technology.

The induction event is also attended by students who are about to undertake their Master’s dissertation and workshops on data gathering and analysis are held along with sessions on undertaking a Master’s level dissertation. The event is held over a weekend starting on the Friday and finishing on the Saturday afternoon. The induction event itself is free and there will be some refreshments provided but students will need to cover travel and accommodation costs themselves.

We understand that not everyone can take advantage of this induction event so we will provide an alternative, such as a telephone induction, or an induction using one of the core communication technologies such as Skype.

Accreditation of prior learning and experiential learning

Appropriate learning, wherever acquired, provided that it can be assessed, may be accepted for the purpose of gaining academic credit by an applicant towards the M.Ed. award.

Two forms of prior learning will be accredited; Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL); and Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

This may be granted within the following limits:

• Pg Cert - a maximum of 30 credits in total may be allowed.

• Pg Dip - a maximum of 60 credits in total may be allowed.

APL refers to certificated learning such as Higher National Certificates (HNCs) Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), Open University (OU) programmes, other degree programmes, postgraduate qualifications and certain professional qualifications, and may also be given for parts of academic qualifications completed successfully.

APEL is defined as learning, which has its source in experience, for example at work, or in the community. The assessment of APEL will normally be undertaken by the programme team. Any member(s) of the programme team involved in assisting an applicant in preparing a claim will not be concerned with the assessment. Final approval of credit will rest with the Exam Board. Recommendations by the programme team about APL and APEL are considered by the Exam Board on the same basis as module assessments.

Assessment

The assessment strategy of this programme has been designed to recognise the learning of professional and mature participants. It provides transparent guidance to both tutors and participants on the standards which will be applied to assessment, and on the procedures


adopted to ensure, through careful monitoring, that assessment is seen to be both fair and reliable.

Modules are subject to two kinds of assessment criteria:

• specific criteria which are indicated in the module descriptors;

• general criteria, which apply to all work submitted.

In order to pass a module you will be required to demonstrate that the work submitted has met all the stated learning outcomes of the module. Outstanding performance in meeting one outcome does not compensate for a failure to meet other stated learning outcomes. The work must also meet the general criteria set out in the following page.

General criteria for assessment

All assessed work is required to demonstrate that the standard achieved is at Masters Level, as defined in the Masters level criteria section of this handbook.

To achieve a satisfactory standard, work must display:

• an ability to integrate theoretical understanding with practical experience when reflecting on professional practice;

• reflection on, and application of ethical standards appropriate to the professional context;

• a critical grasp of the concepts and principles related to the module through appropriate use of language, analysis of situations, response to problems and, where appropriate, choice of research methodology;

• an ability to find, comprehend and critically analyse relevant information from published literature;

• an ability to locate, interpret and critically evaluate data.


In addition, the following criteria must be met:

• material for assessment must be presented in a clear, structured and coherent form;

• sources of evidence must be cited in a form which facilitates easy access by others of original sources (normally by using the Harvard referencing system);

• work must display clarity and accuracy in the use of language.

Grading and marking

A grading system is in operation. A copy of the standard module feedback sheet can be found in Appendix 3 and can a copy of the UHI Taught Postgraduate Assessment Scale can be found in Appendix 4.

Module tutors will provide a full commentary on how you have performed, and where performance has exceeded or failed to meet the standard required for the programme.

Submitted work is marked in the first instance by the module tutor. All modules operate a second marking system where a proportion of submissions are marked again by a second marker to ensure quality and consistency.

If a submission has been selected for double marking, the two markers will discuss the submission and agree on a mark. The first marker will offer feedback and feedforward and the second marker will be invited to comment as well. Where student numbers on a module are small (less than 12), all submissions will be second marked. Where a submission is deemed to be below the threshold for a pass, the submission will be second marked.

All assignments are moderated by External Examiners at the end of each session.

Normally you should expect to have feedback within 15 working days from submission. You will receive comments on the assignment and be awarded a provisional grade, subject to the decision of the examination board.

Submission of work

Submission dates for assessments will be communicated to you by module tutors. Different modules will have different submission dates.

The method of submission will vary from module to module but will usually be electronic in nature, either via the Grade Centre facility on Blackboard or via email directly to your tutor.

It is always prudent to keep a record of your submission date and time.

You should make sure that your student number appears as a footnote on all pages of your submission.


Participation component

Some of the modules you will study have a participation component. This means that a percentage of the marks for the module are awarded on the basis of participation in module discussion boards.

This is treated like any other assessment and in order to pass the module, you will need to pass the participation component. Your module tutor will be able to offer guidance on what is expected, but generally speaking, this means posting and replying to posts from other participants and the module tutor.

Re-use of work between modules

Whilst you are encouraged to make links between modules, you must avoid making use of identical blocks of work in more than one module. Where this cannot be avoided, e.g. because the work has wider reference, it should be clearly stated that you have included the piece in another module and why you think it necessary to repeat.

Mitigating circumstances

We recognise that sometimes students experience difficulties in their day-to-day lives that can affect their ability to study.

If you experience such circumstances, you should contact your Personal Academic Tutor at the earliest possible time. You may, after discussions with your Personal Academic Tutor, submit a claim for Mitigating Circumstances.

Your claim will be treated confidentially and will be considered by the Mitigating Circumstances panel. The panel will make a decision about whether to uphold your claim or not. A successful claim for Mitigating Circumstances will mean that you will be able to submit your assessments late or a second time without a capped mark.

By their nature, personal circumstances will vary from student to student so if you are experiencing difficulties, we would encourage you to speak with your Personal Academic Tutor at the earliest possible time.

Citations and references

Citations and references are integral and essential parts of academic essays at university level. In presenting a statement in academic work, it is necessary to cite the source of your information or facts, and to give the academic backing for your statement. These sources are then referenced - identified in greater detail and in a particular format, at the end of your essay, in a bibliography - an alphabetical listing of all your sources.


Poor referencing will be penalised by examiners, so it is vital to know how to do it properly. There are a number of reasons for the importance of citations and references:

• in acknowledging the work of others, you avoid being accused of plagiarism - passing off other people's work as your own;

• it allows your reader to identify the currency of your information as s/he reads your text;

• it enables your reader to find the source of your information;

• it shows the academic backing for your arguments.

For these reasons it is very important that you record the information you need as you use material, e.g. build up a sheet of references as you prepare your essay so you are creating a bibliography as you go. If you don't do this as you use a book or web page, you might not be able to find them at a later date.

It is important, in ensuring that everyone reading your work can understand your citations and references, that you are consistent and that you follow the UHI referencing protocol which can be found at: http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/libraries/how-to

Plagiarism and academic misconduct

Plagiarism under no circumstances is allowed. Any participant found guilty of plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary procedures. Refer to the Post-graduate Quality regulations (UHI Academic Standards and Quality Regulations) available on the UHI Website.

Design and presentation of assignments

At Masters level you are expected to be able to write fluently, spell correctly and present your work in a professional manner. Examiners pay particular attention to spelling, grammar, sentence construction and layout. If you are uncertain about any of this, make sure you submit an early draft to your tutor. Do not wait until the final submission to discover your problems! You are encouraged, if you are in any doubt, to look at these before you start writing your assignments. Your tutor will encourage you to submit an early draft and will provide helpful comment. You should make good use of this facility.

Unless using the Blackboard online submission process, all assignments must have a completed front cover sheet, a copy of which is in the appendices. This is very important and your assignment will not be accepted unless this front cover sheet is attached.

You should use A4 paper and all work must be word-processed with at least 1” margins and double line spacing. The font size should be no smaller than font 11 and should be presented with a 1.5 line space. We recommend that you use Calibri (Body) as a font.

You will be advised of a word count for each assessment. You should adhere to this word count as closely as you can. It is always best to be as close as possible to the actual stated

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/libraries/how-to



word count, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule. 10% either over or under the word count is acceptable. If your word count is more than 10% below the stated word limit, your tutor may well assume that you have not gone into enough depth. Please do not write more than 10% over the word limit. Anything beyond this could be ignored by your tutor. Word counts should be added at the end of your work, before the reference section. Word counts do not include front sheets, references or appendices. If you are in any doubt, seek guidance from your tutor.

You should write your assessments in the third person but there will be times when this is not appropriate. Seek advice from your tutor about whether to write in the first or third person.

If you feel that you need some support with study skills, your personal academic tutor will be able to advise you about where such support can be found. All academic partner colleges have study support facilities that can offer advice regarding academic writing etc.

Regulations

Attendance and participation

All the lectures and seminars for the M.Ed. form an integral part of the programme. Whilst delivery of this programme is flexible and attendance is not tied down to time or place, nevertheless, if you cannot fulfil the attendance requirements for the module, you must notify your module tutor as soon as possible. If you are ill for more than 7 days, or if illness prevents the submission of an assignment, a medical certificate is required.

The guidance provided by module tutors in seminars is important. Please let your module tutor know if unusual circumstances occur so that you can agree how to proceed. If you do not contribute regularly to the discussion board and to the set activities, a deferred decision is likely and you may be required to retake the module.

UHI follows the procedures set out in the Academic Standards and Quality Regulations which can be found here:

UHI Regulations

Examination Board

There are two examination boards at the end of semesters one and two. The programme team provide recommendations to the examination board – chaired by the Subject Network Leader at UHI Executive Office - and to the team of two external examiners.



Period of study

The normal period of study for one module is one semester; this is part time.

Typically, period of study for a full Masters degree is between three and six years with a Postgraduate Certificate taking between one and two years (typically three academic semesters) and the Postgraduate Diploma taking between three and five years (typically six academic semesters).

Student support

MyDay – Student Portal

MyDay is our university student portal. It is packed with fantastic features to keep you up to date with what’s going on in and around the university and local college campus, plus all the student information you require in one handy online portal. As well as your everyday essentials such as pass through access to the VLE, UHI Records and email (no need to login again!), you will also find links to many other useful things such as a software downloads, IT help, local support, news and more. You can find MyDay at https://uhi.mydaycloud.com, login in with your full details, i.e., [email protected], and your usual password. You can also download the app from the Apple or Android store (search for MyDay).

Student information and guidance

If you have a non-academic issue which you would like to discuss, each UHI college has a Guidance Service. This provides a safe and confidential environment where you can talk though your concerns with someone in a non-judgmental manner.

The Guidance staff at Lews Castle College UHI (telephone 01851-770000) will be pleased to help you directly, or put you in touch with guidance colleagues in a college closer to you.

Personal Academic Tutors

In addition to module tutors, each participant on the programme has a Personal Academic Tutor, most of whom are based in Lews Castle College UHI.

Their role is to:

• support you in understanding the requirements of the programme;

• provide you with personal, professional and academic guidance as and when appropriate;

• maintain regular contact and encourage you to make progress on schedule;

• provide ongoing advice and guidance about your pathway through the programme and to assist you with issues affecting registration;


• to support you should you need to make a claim for mitigating circumstances.

We understand that as professional tutors, you will have a significant workload especially when it comes to the end of a semester.

We will, where ever possible, try to make allowances for this, but you must recognise that following the Master of Education is a significant undertaking and you are expected to engage fully with the modules that you are undertaking.

If you do experience difficulties finding time to study, contact your PAT as soon as you can.

Email

As a participant on the programme, you will be allocated a UHI username and password (if you do not already have one) for you to access UHI’s email system. If you are not employed by a UHI academic partner college and you experience problems you should contact the programme leader in the first instance. It is essential that you communicate with your tutors using your student email address.

You should be able to set up a ‘forwarding rule’ from your student email account to another email address so that you will be alerted about any incoming mail to your student account if you don’t check it regularly. Your module tutors may well send out module announcements which will be automatically forwarded to your student email account. These announcements often contain important information and it is important that you get this information in a timely manner. UHI student email is the best way to ensure this.

Your UHI user name is simply your student number and your default password is you date of birth: DDMMYYYY. You are advised to change this to something memorable.

Library and learning resources

UHI operates a distributed library service to participants of the M.Ed., offering support and access to a range of paper-based and electronic information and learning resources. These are designed to complement and support the curriculum, and to meet information needs for research work.

The service is delivered online and through the individual libraries of partner colleges. Participants can access it through the college or learning centre most convenient to them, and an inter-site loan system ensures they can borrow books from any library in the network.

The UHI Library Service also participates in the national inter-library loan scheme, and in the SCONUL Access scheme, which enables participants to access the university library most convenient to them. Information on this scheme, and a list of member university libraries, are available at http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sconul-access

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sconul-access


As well as print material – books and journals – the UHI Library Service provides access to a wide range of electronic information – e-books, databases, journals, and digitised extracts from specific texts. These are available through the UHI Library website http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/libraries. They include EBSCO Academic Premier, Science Direct, Cambridge University Press and JSTOR, all of which offer full-text access to a wide range of titles relevant to education studies. Details of how to access them are available from library staff at Lews Castle College UHI or the most convenient partner college or learning centre.

An integrated library management system allows users to search the combined holdings of all UHI partner college libraries from any location through the UHI Library catalogue http://medon.uhi.ac.uk/. The catalogue includes hyperlinks to digitised extracts, and to e-books.

UHI aspires to offer seamless access to all resources, or sources for materials not held, required by staff or participants, irrespective of location, attendance or any special requirements of the user. For further information or for assistance in accessing resources, participants should contact [email protected].

IT and software

The programmes within the THE Scheme are all online and you will need to have access to an internet enabled computer. Recommended specifications are:

PC Apple

Processor 500 MHz Intel® Pentium III processor or equivalent

400 MHz PowerPC G3

RAM 256 MB 256 MB

Hard drive 1GB or more free hard disk space 1GB or more free hard disk space

Video card 64MB 64MB

Monitor Colour monitor 256 colours 800 x 600 minimum, 1024 x 768 recommended

Colour monitor 256 colours 800 x 600 minimum, 1024 x 768 recommended

Internet connection

Broadband is recommended. A 56k Modem is the absolute minimum.

Broadband is recommended. A 56k Modem is the absolute minimum.

The following are compatible systems and browsers:

Operating system Browser

Windows 2000 Internet Explorer 6 or Firefox 1.5 or 2.0

https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/libraries/library-home

http://medon.uhi.ac.uk/



Windows XP Internet Explorer 6 or 7 or Firefox 1.5 or 2.0

MacOS 10.3 (Panther) Macintosh

Safari 1.3 or later Firefox 1.5 or 2.0 Please note that Firefox is recommended

MacOS 10.4 (Tiger) Macintosh

Safari 2.0 or later or Firefox 1.5 or 2.0 Please note that Firefox is recommended

Linux Firefox 1.5 or 2.0

Participants’ computers must enable pop-ups, Cookies, Java Script and Java, in order to make full use of the VLE. Participants must also have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat to download files and electronic resources which are available through the learning resources.

You will need to use internet browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari etc. These browsers will be updated regularly, as will Blackboard (VLE). Consequently, browsers will become more or less compatible with Blackboard and you may need to switch to a different one from time to time.

UHI offers a comprehensive help service, including IT help. This can be accessed by emailing [email protected]. This service can be used for any technical issues that you may encounter. The UHI home page has links via the Current Students section to IT Help. Clicking on this will give you access to software downloads including Sofos anti-virus software and Microsoft Office which are free for students and staff.

You are advised to ensure that all your work is regularly backed up as IT and computer problems and IT issues are not legitimate reasons for failure to submit work in on time.

International students

We welcome applications from international students. International students will need to demonstrate that they have the necessary equivalent entry qualifications and they will also need to demonstrate that they have English language communications skills. It must be stressed that admission to our courses depends on a proven level of competence in English.

If English is not your first language, evidence of competence may be provided by taking an International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) test. Many British Council offices overseas administer this. You should have a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 to gain entry to our programmes.

If you have passed a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) you should have a minimum score of 550 for a paper-based test or 213 for a computer based test in order to be accepted onto the course.

All students, whether from overseas or from within Scotland will be encouraged to reflect on the contexts in which they find themselves. For example, if you are following the M.Ed.



Tertiary & Higher Education programme, you will be encouraged to reflect upon your teaching practice in your own country. Similarly, if you are following the PgCert Research Methods, you will need to consider the research environment that you are likely to be practicing in.

Programme evaluation and monitoring

UHI and its Academic Partners are committed to making available to you the most appropriate channels for your comments about the programme.

Should you wish to use it the procedure for academic complaints and appeals is set out in UHI's Academic Standards and Quality Regulations, available at: www.uhi.ac.uk/regulations

Module evaluation and surveys

A module evaluation questionnaire should be completed at the end of each module. Please take time to complete these as they help us to ensure the quality of the programme.

Module Evaluations are available via the Student Hub https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/ > UHI Records.

Log in and go to the surveys at Student Hub > Modules > Module surveys tab.

Staff and student programmes

A programme committee is held once each semester and comprises:

• Programme Leader (Chair);

• all staff teaching on the programme that academic year;

• at least one student representative;

• Programme Learning Resource Co-ordinator.

The Programme Committee:

• ensures that all aspects of the programme meet with the requirements agreed at validation/approval;

• considers regular monitoring reports from module teams;

• considers the reports of external examiners and ensures that any recommendations are implemented;

• considers forward planning in terms of vocational, industrial and academic requirements;

• advises on the promotion and marketing of the programme;

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/regulations

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/


• identifies resource needs and considers feedback from participants;

• makes recommendations on participant progression to the Board of Examiners;

• considers any professional development issues that may be appropriate;

• conducts a periodic review of the programme as required;

• recommends any significant modifications to the programme to the QA committee of Lews Castle College UHI, and to the Academic Standards and Quality Committee of UHI.

The Programme Committee reports directly to UHI Academic Standards and Quality Committee and to the Quality Assurance Committee of the Responsible Partner, Lews Castle College UHI.


Appendices

Appendix 1 SCQF Level 11 - (SHE level 5, PG 1, PG Dip, PG Cert, MA, MSc, SVQ 5)

NB: The descriptors set out the characteristic generic outcomes of each level. They are intended to provide a general, shared understanding of each level and to allow broad comparisons to be made between qualifications and learning at different levels.

They are not intended to give precise nor comprehensive statements and there is no expectation that every qualification or programme should have all of the characteristics. The descriptors have been developed through a series of consultations and are offered as a first working guide and will be revised in the light of feedback on their use.

Characteristic outcomes of learning at each level include the ability to:

Knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate and/or work with:

• knowledge that covers and integrates most, if not all, of the main areas of a subject/discipline – including their features, boundaries, terminology and conventions;

• a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles and concepts;

• a critical understanding of a range of specialised theories, principals and concepts;

• extensive, detailed and critical knowledge and understanding in one or more specialisms, much of which is at or informed by developments at the forefront;

• critical awareness of current issues in a subject/discipline and one or more specialisms.

Practice: Applied knowledge and understanding

• use a significant range of the principal skills, techniques, practices and/or materials which are associated with a subject/discipline;

• use a range of specialised skills, techniques, practices and/or materials which are at the forefront or informed by forefront developments;

• apply a range of standard and specialised research or equivalent instruments and techniques of enquiry;

• plan and execute a significant project of research, investigation or development;

• demonstrate originality or creativity in the application of knowledge, understanding and/or practices;

• practise in a wide and often unpredictable variety of professional level contexts.


Generic cognitive skills

• apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to issues which are at the forefront or informed by developments at the forefront of a subject/discipline;

• identify, conceptualise and define new and abstract problems and issues;

• develop original and creative responses to problems and issues;

• critically review, consolidate and extend knowledge, skills, practices and thinking in a subject/discipline;

• deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.

Communication, ICT and numeracy skills

Use a range of advanced and specialised skills as appropriate to a subject/discipline – for example:

• communicate, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise;

• communicate with peers, more senior colleagues and specialists;

• use a wide range of software to support and enhance work at this level and specify new software or refinements/improvements to existing software to increase effectiveness;

• undertake critical evaluations of a wide range of numerical and graphical data.

Autonomy, accountability and working with others

• exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities;

• take responsibility for own work and/or significant responsibility for the work of others;

• take responsibility for a significant range of resources; • demonstrate leadership and/or initiative and make an

identifiable contribution to change and development; • practice in ways which draw on critical reflection on own and

others’ roles and responsibilities; • deal with complex ethical and professional issues and make

informed judgements on issues not addressed by current professional and/or ethical codes or practices.


Appendix 2

M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education, M.Ed. Digital Pedagogy, PgCert Research Methods, CPD Modules

MODULE COMPLETION FRONT SHEET

This sheet should be completed when work is finally submitted for examination

The attached work is presented as evidence of my achievement of the learning outcomes and assessment of the following M.Ed module:

Name of Module:

The work presented consists of the following items (Add or remove lines as appropriate): 1.

2.

3.

4.

This work is all my own. Where other sources have been referred to or quoted, these have been clearly identified and referenced.

Participants Name:

Signature:

Date:


Appendix 3


Appendix 4 Extract from UHI Postgraduate Taught Regulations (2014-2016) regarding grading for postgraduate assessments

80+ Distinction: outstanding

An answer close to all that is expected of a student. The answer will combine structure, organisation, a high level of critical thinking and argument, convincingly and in a co-ordinated way. It will demonstrate exemplary grasp of the topic. Full and critical use of relevant literature will be demonstrated. Presentation will match the substantive quality. All the criteria for 70-79 fulfilled to a high degree, plus:

• Exceptionally well presented, laid out and illustrated

• Self-critical awareness • Many examples of original and

imaginative thinking • Excellent use of references and

command of the literature • In-depth critical and independent

thinking

• Displays mastery of concepts and theories • Precisely focused discussion • Extremely rigorous handling of data and

evidence • Comprehensive, concisely balanced

argument • Own ideas are very well linked to concepts,

theories and literature

70-79% Distinction: excellent

This work displays excellent and comprehensive understanding of the topic; critical awareness of issues and source material and use of appropriate empirical and/or theoretical material. It provides a well-structured argument, and the mark recognises learning at a high level. There is originality in the answer, and an effective grasp of literature.

• An attractive presented piece of work

• Rigorous handling of evidence • Examples of creativity, originality,

imagination, insight • Own ideas developed and justified

from theoretical frameworks which have been thoroughly analysed, applied and tested

• Offers analytical comment, critical evaluation and independent discussion

• Comprehensive coverage of content/theory • Realistic evaluation of own work, with

appropriate rationale

60-69% Pass: merit

A very good answer that is well presented, coherent and demonstrates critical judgement. It displays good coverage of the material and issues, and it is well laid out and argued. It may


lack originality, or draw upon limited sources; however, referencing will be good.

• Well presented • Referencing relevant and accurate • Logical, coherent and lucid, and

with good style • Clear evidence of understanding • Grammar and spelling accurate • Conclusions well argued and

substantiated • Appropriate selection of

content/theory/style in key areas and themes

• Clear identification of the issues • Demonstration of reading of relevant

literature from a variety of sources • Evidence of wide reading • Appropriate application of theory • Ability to be critical and appraise the

literature retrospectively to further knowledge and thinking

• Evidence of evaluation/justification/critical thought

50-59% Pass: adequate

A satisfactory answer indicating a grasp of the question and a reasonably structured answer. It offers fair coverage, picking most of the key issues, but lacks any real development. Some evidence of reading or wider appreciation of subject.

• Logical, coherent and reasonably presented

• Evidence of evaluation/justification/critical thought

• Grammar and spelling largely accurate

• Mostly accurate referencing • Thought given to selection of

content/theory in key areas • Good level of understanding of

topic area

• Identification of the main issues to the subject

• Conclusions largely well-argued and substantiated

• Evidence of reading relevant literature round the subject

• Focus on module's aims and themes • Some application of theory

40-49% Marginal Failure: incomplete

This indicates a very basic understanding of the issues. Failure to highlight some of the key points, and the overall structure of the answer is weak and lacking in critical thinking. An understanding of the issues can be identified but there is a failure to elaborate or communicate them beyond description. Presentation is also likely to be poor quality and referencing poor and limited in scope.


• Meaning apparent, but language not fluent, grammar and spelling poor

• Superficial/limited evaluation • Limited evidence of reflection • Shows an attempt to be logical and

organised • Referencing present but mostly

inaccurate • Some key aspects of theory may be

missed and application limited

• Critical thought and rationale for work presented is inadequately demonstrated

• Evidence of general understanding of concepts, but inaccuracy/confusion

• Conclusions weak or unclear • Some of the writing is focused on module

aims and themes • Evidence of some reading

30-39% Fail: deficient

A weak attempt not adequate for a pass because of basic errors and misconceptions. The argument is confused and the material thin, though there may be some limited evidence of understanding, but evidence is inadequate and/or highly descriptive. Presentation is probably poor with many inaccuracies in style, spelling etc.

• Failure to address the question asked/task set

• Lack of critical thought/analysis/theory

• Confused/illogical thinking • No evidence of reflection • Inaccurate or inappropriate

content/theory • Unsupported value

judgements/generalisations • Disorganised content/style • Insubstantial/invalid conclusions

• Unclear meaning • Little or no evidence of reading round the

subject • Significantly under/over required specified

length • No attempt to address modules' focus, aims

or themes • Referencing absent • Possible evidence of plagiarism

0-29% Fail: very deficient

A failure to grasp the question and/or provide any evidence of learning/understanding of the issues. Disorganised ideas/comments. Very poor structure and rambling answer which is extremely descriptive and grossly lacking in content. Presentation is very inadequate.

M.Ed. Tertiary & Higher Education M.Ed. Digital Pedagogy ...staffresources.uhi.ac.uk/MEd-Handbook/pdf/pdfVersion.pdf · Entry may be open to holders of an Ordinary degree, HND or

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