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Module

EDU8221 : Subject Pedagogy in Practice

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Mr Jon Haines
  • Lecturer: Mrs Fiona Hepton, Mrs Hayley Hands
  • Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module is a key component of all of the Secondary PGCE routes offered by Newcastle University. It creates a critical link between the student teachers’ understanding of school-based practice context and theory, research and policy related to pedagogy. Students develop knowledge and professional expertise in subject teaching through analysing the practice of other teachers and evaluating and reflecting on their own teaching as it evolves.

a) To provide a theoretical and practical grounding in approaches to teaching and learning.
b) To ensure students can demonstrate the attributes, skills, knowledge and understanding that make up the Teachers’ Standards for Qualified Teacher Status as set out by the Department of Education.
c) To enable students to develop as critical and analytical teachers through their reflective practice and engagement with research related to subject pedagogic knowledge and pedagogic practices.
d) To allow students to develop as new teachers within the context of a subject department and through engagement in observation, teaching, reflection self-evaluation and mentoring.
e) To enable students to enter the teacher profession with the capacity to continue to explore and develop pedagogic practices within changing policy frameworks and contexts.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Understanding what is meant by subject pedagogy
• The nature of knowledge and its role in developing pedagogy
• Influences on pupils’ learning and learning outcomes
• How teachers can draw on theory and research to support their own pedagogic practices
• The role of policy in creating a curricular framework for teaching and learning
• Learning from observing teaching in school contexts
• Planning lessons and understanding learning outcomes
• The use of reflective and evaluative enquiry tools to understand the efficacy of teaching practices and how they can be improved through self-study

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion125:0025:00N/A
Placement/Study AbroadEmployer-based learning128:0096:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading125:0025:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical41:004:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching103:0030:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyReflective learning activity110:0010:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study110:0010:00N/A
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

It is important that students develop a knowledge and understanding of the varied contexts and perspectives relevant to their own development as subject specialists and reflective practitioners. This requires not only an awareness and capacity to engage with various theoretical ideas and concepts, but importantly the opportunity to debate and reflect on the meaning and implications of such ideas for their own situation and practice. Integrated readings introduce key issues and contexts from research, theory and practice which form the basis for taught sessions where students are able to discuss and reflect upon these questions in an informed way. The taught sessions introduce both pedagogical theory and methods, and tools for planning and evaluating teaching and learning. These may then be used by the students during their future teaching placements. Their emerging understanding of practitioner enquiry is consistent across modules and combines professional learning with criticality and evaluative skills. It also forms a means through which student teachers access the Teachers' Standards.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Reflective log1M24Weekly reflective reviews (log) are submitted to illustrate developing knowledge and awareness of subject pedagogy theory and practice, including critical engagement with relevant literature. A total of 1000 words are submitted for review.
Written exercise1M42Literature review sees student illustrating their practical knowledge and awareness of the challenges faced by pupils in learning subject and phase-specific content, reflecting on the link between theory and observed experience. (1,750 words)
Written exercise1M34Student evaluates a formal lesson plan which they have written, making links and critically reflecting on intended learning outcomes, theory, practical experience and observations. (1,250 words)
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

See component comments

Reading Lists

Timetable