Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

None

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

The module creates a focused opportunity for students to develop and enhance their graduate attributes and skills. The core attribute to be developed is the student’s ability to evaluate critically the quality and impact of their own work. This shall be achieved through either undertaking a significant volunteer role in Combined Honours, the wider university, or beyond; or leading an appropriate developmental project. Examples of such roles are peer mentor, peer assisted support, student course representative, officer of a society, or volunteer for a non-profit organisation. None of these roles, or project leads, are formal employment positions or are directly rewarded by financial remuneration, but the student is expected to treat the role as if it was an employment position in terms of attendance, diligence and performance. Through carrying out this role or project the student should demonstrate how they have developed and enhanced their graduate attributes and skills. The student will receive guidance and support on how to do so from the module team.

Outline Of Syllabus

No previous experience or specific knowledge is required.

The module offers students the opportunity to undertake work-related learning through carrying out their role. Supported by the staff and peers, students will reflect on and manage their own learning and development. Students will enhance their graduate attributes and capabilities, employability and personal enterprise skills as well as contributing towards meeting the aims of enhancing the student experience in Combined Honours, or the wider University.

In order to complete this module, students must have a role or be taking a lead on a developmental project. Students will join the module at the start of semester one and will be able to some extent to balance their work for the module across both semesters. As the roles may vary in workload and challenge, students will also undertake a project related to enhancing the student experience in order to meet the minimum work requirements of the module (in the region of 70 hours of direct work on the role itself), those leading projects from the outset will ensure their project is of sufficient scope to meet this workload.

Students will be required to enhance their contribution to the role or project undertaken through reflective practice and personal research conducted with academic rigour. They will be supported and advised through in person workshops, online activities and supervision.

A similar degree of academic rigour will be required in undertaking the project. However these projects should be focused on achieving practical rather than theoretical outcomes and seek to make a direct contribution to practice and policy. Students can choose to complete the project either individually or in a group. The students will have responsibility to devise a suitable project with advice from the module team, and subject to approval by the module leader.

Students will be inducted into the module and the activities and responsibilities required of them. Throughout the module students will keep an activity log of the time and activities undertaken on the role and related module work, which will support their development, and contribute to assessment 1 and 3.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical awareness of graduate attributes and good practice in personal and professional development;
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the appropriate issues required in order to successfully deliver the aims of the role.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate critical reflection of planned purposeful experiences that will benefit their own learning and development both in their practice and future aspirations;
2. Evaluate progression towards graduate attributes and demonstrate applied knowledge enhancing their area of personal and professional practice;
3. Evaluate the impact of the project undertaken and synthesise their personal contribution to it;
4. Communicate about their own experience and attributes in appropriate professional language.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Training is provided (outside the module, and if needed / appropriate) to enable students to carry out their role safely (for themselves and others) and effectively. Seminars will be conducted in a workshop format in order to induct students into the requirements and activities of the module. Online resources will introduce students to theories and practices of graduate development and enhancing graduate skills. Practical activity in the form of a role or project provides students with a context within which they are expected to practice experiential learning through reflection, critical analysis and continuous improvement. Seminars are used to facilitate discussion of the assessment criteria in relation to students’ individual experiences within their role and to help them to prepare for assessment. Tutorials, supervision and self-directed learning resources are provided throughout the module that enable students to create links between their role experience and the knowledge and skills they have acquired through attending training (where appropriate), conducting personal research and workshops. Tutorials will also be used to provide supervisory advice to guide and facilitate student project work, and give formative feedback.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The module assess all intended knowledge and skills outcomes through three summative pieces of assessments, supported by some formative work.

1. Students will first complete a formative piece of work to identify their chosen development goals and articulate their plan for progressing against these. Students will then complete a summative portfolio of recorded activities.

2. The project will deliver a lasting impact and the summative output is likely to be a written report, but scope will be left for some negotiation about presentations based on the nature of the project. Formative work will include delivering peer feedback on others’ projects.

3. The final element of summative assessment is an overview of the individual’s development and achievement against all the learning outcomes. This will require the student to reflect and apply self-assessment on how well they achieved the module aims (and their personal goals in doing so.)

The written equivalent of this work will not exceed 4000 words.

A key part of the ethos of this module is working in partnership with the students taking it. Therefore insofar as practicable, elements and parameters are negotiated between the module team and the students. With regard to assessment this includes the assessment criteria for the first 2 components, format of output, and weighting. The description and figures presented above are the normal parameters of the module which are then collectively agreed each year, with the any changes applying to all students.

General Notes

n/a