Review and Planning ( 20 credits at level HE6)
20 credits at level HE6
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE OF MODULE
Having reviewed where you are currently at in terms of the intended learning outcomes for the Batchelors degree and the expectations of your work context, you will then identify a focus for an action inquiry and create a research proposal with indicative literature review which sets out the key concepts, texts and authors. Transferable employment skills developed in this module include planning a complex project, negotiating permissions for the implementation of plans.
INDICATIVE SYLLABUS CONTENT
Content will be largely determined by the student researcher when relating their focus for inquiry in the work-context to the intended learning outcomes for the module. It is expected that this content will be inter-disciplinary in nature and draw on academic and professional sources including work-colleagues and online community experience and know-how. In addition, specific topics common to the professional theme of the course and other topics relating to the knowledge about action inquiry will be identified and supported by experts participating in hot-seat discussions, where student researchers ask questions and experts respond.
All resources required for the delivery of the module will be available online. In addition, learners will identify resources in the workplace, in libraries, and online that is relevant to their own inquiry.
Topics that may be encountered include:
- Action Inquiry methodology
- Personal Development Planning
- Graduate competencies
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
Learning will be supported through an online community of inquiry where student researchers, course staff and invited ‘experts’ will engage in discussions, debates and group activities to explore key concepts, ideas, relevant topics and offer moral support.
Student researchers are expected to develop study habits which enable learning and contribute to assessment through:
- personal reflection in a learning log;
- regular participation in the online community and
- creative reporting to form a 'patchwork' for assessment.
Student researchers will:
- identify a focus for their inquiry around issues or opportunities to take action for improvement that they have identified in their work practice; • plan an inquiry with learning activities that address each of the intended learning outcomes of the module;
- undertake their inquiry and share selected parts with student researchers for critical feedback;
- for each learning activity, create a product for assessment in the student researcher' choice of genre and media;
- evaluate the inquiry;
Learning facilitators will:
- promote community discussion on potential focii for inquiry;
- privately agree student researcher commitment to inquiry proposals;
- draw out issues arising in inquiries for community discussion;
- model critical feedback in the online community;
- make summative assessment of student researchers' work, noting strong points and points to consider with targets for improvement.
Assessment will be through an e-portfolio of work which will address each of the learning outcomes. It will include a summative commentary identifying the individual student researchers learning in relation to the intended learning outcomes for the module in a coherent account of their learning journey.
LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
| Learning Outcomes when you have successfully completed this module you will: |
Assessment Criteria to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcome you will: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Analyse gaps in your prior learning related to the intended learning outcomes for the award of Batchelors degree and your work context expectations | Update your Personal Development Plan to note opportunities for enhancing coherence and consolidation |
| 2. | Plan to tackle complex issues in your work context based on your Personal Development Plan | Develop an action inquiry proposal that addresses a complex issue in your work context including an indicative literature review |
| 3. | Offer critical support to others in relation to their action inquiry proposals | Advise others responsively in self-organising learning sets in the online learning community |
| 4. | Demonstrate your achievement (so far) of the intended learning outcomes for the award of Batchelors degree | Produce a portfolio of all relevant evidence from prior learning, with indication of material to be developed to complete the set |
ASSESSMENT
Your achievement of the learning outcomes for this module will be tested as follows:
Patchwork media: an assessment e-portfolio of learning activities with a summative commentary identifying learning achieved related to intended learning outcomes.
INDICATIVE READING
- Robson C, (1993) Real World Research, Oxford: Blackwell
- Bell J. (1999) Doing Your Research Project, Buckingham: Open University Press Bryman A, (2004) Social Research Methods, Oxford University press