Unit 4. Wider Professional Practice and Development in Education and Training
The aim of this unit is to enable you to demonstrate understanding and application of the concept of professionalism, and dual professionalism, relating to the promotion of wider professional practice in education and training. The unit also gives you the opportunity to develop an understanding of the social, political and economic factors that influence policy and the impact it has on your curriculum and practice.
Furthermore, the unit encourages you to explore the impact of organisational processes and procedures and the understanding of the need for the quality assurance and quality improvement arrangements of an organisation.
TASK 1 (AC 1.1 and 1.2):
Drawing on the research in your specialist are, produce a reflective account to compare your concept of professionalism and dual professionalism with that of your peers in other areas of education and training. Use your research finding to explain ways in which your professional values influence your practice in an area of specialism.
You need to include code of conduct, national bodies, professional recognition, membership of professional bodies, Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) etc.
Word count approximately 1500 words. Include Harvard referencing and bibliography.
TASK 2 (AC 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2):
Carry out research to prepare for peer discussion on the impact of national, local and institutional policies of your organisation and practice.
Your research and discussion should include:
Current educational policies
• Social, political and economic factors
• Organisational policies, codes of practice and guidelines
Social factors to consider are, raising standards, promoting widening participation, not in education, employment or training (NEETS), engaging under-represented groups, addressing differences in performance between minority groups, engaging and identifying community composition and needs, responding to impact of migration and immigration, supporting local initiatives. Political factors to consider are economic growth and prosperity agenda, community regeneration; analysis of educational policies in terms of ideological underpinning, influence of national events on educational policy; national and devolved government responsibility for economic, business and skills
development; European union, government legislation. Economic factors to consider are, for example, reflecting local employment needs, identifying and addressing local and regional skills gaps, establishing links with commercial and business activity, responding to and promoting employment opportunities, partnerships and collaboration, impact of globalisation on business needs, responding to evolving and priority sectors, changing workforce demographics, encouraging investment.
You need to analyse the impact of current educational policies on curriculum e.g. creating curriculum framework, programmes of study, raising school age, promoting literacy and numeracy, promoting vocational qualifications, learning for employment, wider skills, and the impact of policy on practice, e.g. assessment of learning through standardisation of qualifications, setting inspection standards and targets, addressing target and performance indicators, benchmarking in line with national sampling strategies requirement for quality assurance and improvement. In order to explain key aspects of policies, codes of practice and guidelines of an organisation, you
need to explain Polices, e.g. accessibility, equality and diversity, health and safety, confidentiality, transparency of management, organisational responses to new Common Inspection Framework, identified roles and responsibilities, observation of teaching, assessment policies, learner support provision, sharing and support for best practice, integrated approaches, staff satisfaction. In analysing the impact of organisational requirements such as addressing individual and collective responsibilities, meeting health and safety requirements, promoting diversity and equality of opportunity, integration of minimum core, contribute to verification processes, maintaining planning documentation, secure maintenance of student records, approved workplace practices, and expectations such as personal and professional updating, evaluation of practice, review currency of personal skills, working with others, identifying areas for improvement (TNA), researching own curriculum areas, use of new and developing technologies. Three students in a group with each of them given one aspect to prepare, present and take part in the
discussion. Submit the notes prepared for the peer discussion along with a reflective journal summarising learning from the discussion. Include bibliography and Harvard referencing for the sources used.
TASK3 (AC 3.1, 3.2. 3.3 and 3.4):
Drawing on examples from your own area of practice produce a case study to identify:
• the role of stakeholders and external bodies in education and training
• how being accountable to stakeholders and external bodies impacts on your organisation in education and training
• why it is important to work in partnership with employers and other stakeholders in education and training.
As a part of your study analyse the impact of being accountable to stakeholders and external bodies on curriculum design, delivery and assessment in your area of specialism. You need to include a broad spectrum of stakeholders e.g. external customers, senior management, awarding organisation, training providers, and demonstrate awareness of stakeholder roles such as building expertise, specialist staff, physical and human resources, customer support, IT support, marketing, sponsorship or grants, work experience, progression etc. You need to explain the impact of accountability, e.g. meeting targets, qualified and experienced staff, policies and procedures, clarity of reporting, national vocational standards, offering nationally recognised qualifications, awarding organisation requirements, responsive to stakeholders, building reputations, offering tailor-made qualifications, building links with industry, work based learning, staff development for professional or vocational updating.
Partnerships with employers, e.g. ensuring currency and validity of qualifications, workplace assessment opportunities, sharing resources, liaising to meet student needs and assessment requirements, minimising risks associated with placements, quality assuring programmes, progression opportunities, and partnerships with other stakeholders, e.g. schools, collaborative programmes, vocational courses, progression routes, alternative learning routes; parents, e.g. reporting on learner progress, community learning projects; awarding bodies, e.g. meeting assessment and verification requirements, qualification and resource development, staff development are to be explained. Furthermore, the impact on curriculum design, e.g. meeting needs of stakeholders, tailor made programmes, qualifications reflecting occupational needs, opportunities for progression, national standards, integrating wider skills, use of new and developing technologies, and impact on delivery and assessment, e.g. flexible and blended learning, integrated learning opportunities, work-based learning and assessment, meeting awarding organisation standards, alternative approaches to assessment, rigorous management of assessment and quality assurance procedures.
TASK4 AC 5.1, 5.2. 5.3 and 5.4):
Prepare a presentation for your peers demonstrating your ability to contribute to the quality assurance and quality improvement arrangements of your organisation to include:
• completed session evaluation
• completed course/programme evaluation
• completed self-evaluation e.g. Self Evaluation Review (SAR)
• completed internal verification pro forma – of assignments and assessments You need to consider:
Quality assurance e.g. standardised pro forma and course files, verification of documentation and assessment, course review, observation scheme, achievement prediction and tracking, self assessment review, annual staff review. Quality improvement, e.g. quality improvement plan, sharing best practice peer observations, staff mentoring, in-service training, creating opportunities for promotion and personal development. Self-assessment, e.g. informal session and course evaluation, formal self assessment review, using feedback from others to inform practice. Quality cycle, e.g. respond to student feedback, identify opportunities for change, implement change and evaluate, identify modification of future delivery, measure impact of change, quality cycle, student surveys and feedback. Evaluate a learning programme, e.g. learner surveys, focus groups, formal and informal learner feedback, team review, early review to check meeting expectations, on-programme to ensure satisfaction, reactive in response to concerns, meeting targets, learner achievement records, value-added rates, opportunities for action planning. Evaluation outcomes, e.g. outcomes of course evaluations, student survey data, benchmarked retention, achievement and success data, value-added achievement, student progression data, self assessment report (SAR), teaching team feedback, feedback from stakeholders, feedback from internal and external verification, discuss findings with line manager to implement change, share need for change with those responsible for quality assurance. Produce a diagram to show lines of responsibility within your organisations quality assurance model and use the diagram to explain how lines of responsibility contributes to your organisation’s quality cycle. Following your presentation, use the evidence to produce a written analysis of the quality improvement and quality assurance arrangements of your organisation. These should include quality Improvement Plan, best practice, observation scheme, self-assessment report, swot analysis, IQA model with hierarchy of responsibility and training/learning needs analysis.
