PGCE (Further Education and Skills Sector)

Key Features & Benefits

• Take part in placements and build up classroom and teaching skills

• A full-time and part-time option is available

• Full-time students can undertake placements at Blackburn College

An enormous number of teaching opportunities exist across the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector, in organisations including further education colleges, alternative provision (PRU), sixth forms, adult and community learning, the National Health Service, the prison service, the police force and in private sector training organisations. You can study this course full-time for one year, or part-time over two years and will start in September.

Overview

If you study the course full-time, you will be in College for 2 full days a week and will also undertake 2 days a week of work placements.

This a 6 module University award and each module carries 20 credits.

If you choose to study the course part-time you will study over two years.

What will I study?

The programme is delivered through a variety of methods, which encourage those on the course to link theory and practice. Learners are encouraged to become reflective practitioners and you will be required to keep a journal which records your own development. You will explore educational theories, learn how to plan, deliver, assess and evaluate and consider teaching & learning for a range of groups and individuals.

If you study the programme full-time a minimum of 150 hours of teaching practice is integral to the programme. Your placement will be over 3 days per week and through this you demonstrate how your own understanding of the principles of teaching and learning is developing.

If you study the programme part-time you will need to undertake a minimum of 75 hours of teaching practice per year of the course - ensuring the minimum of 150 hours is achieved over the course of both years.

This course, as such, requires a teaching commitment and teaching placement throughout the course of the year. During the programme you will also undertake observations of experienced teachers and evaluate their lessons – highlighting areas for improvement as well as best practice examples. Throughout the programme you will be assigned a mentor who will be there to guide you, offering their experience and support to enable you to achieve the qualification.

Modules include: This a 6 module University award and each module carries 20 credits.

Please note all modules run parallel to teaching practice and the teaching practice is undertaken in addition to the taught modules.

Your teaching placement is a central feature of the programme. Your placement will be for 150 hours (in one year if you study full and 75 hours for each year of part-time programme).

Teaching practice is supported by the programme Tutors and by a Subject Specialist Mentor, both of whom will observe you teaching and work closely with you to develop your practice and skills.

• Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Further Education and Skills Sector

• Developing Subject Specialist Practice

• Designing and Developing an Inclusive Curriculum

• Advancing Subject Specialist Practice

• Research Informed Practice

• Policy and Professionalism in the Further Education and Skills Sector

How will I be assessed?

Throughout the course you’ll be assessed by Essays, Presentations including Group Presentations, Portfolio Building as well as Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment methods. You will also undertake assessments of your teaching practice during your placements. The assessments are designed to showcase the opportunities within the sector and help prepare you for teaching roles.

Formative and summative assessments enable lecturers or tutors to monitor the learning that has/is taking place. Formative assessment is not always noticeable by the student as it is a continuous process; lecturers or assessors may observe participation and responses to class discussions and group work, a student’s response to question and answer sessions, participation in workshop practical and engagement with demonstrations.

Each module is formally assessed through, for example, individual and group presentation, essay, observation of practice, assessment of course work e.g. written report, reflective practice and portfolios of evidence.

Students receive both formal and informal feedback. Formal feedback is through assessments, is usually in writing and given within 3 weeks following the submission date. However, some lecturers will provide group feedback, for example, following an assessment they may choose to work through this in a tutorial.

It should be noted that feedback is part of the ongoing learning cycle which is not limited to written feedback. Other forms of feedback include one-to-one meetings with a personal tutor, dissertation and project supervision meetings, a lecturer responding to learner questions or responses during topic or situation discussions.

Teaching and Learning

The learning environment and facilities include lecture theatres, classrooms, technology suites, laboratories and workshops, library and skills labs, art and photography studios, small group and quiet zones. Learning methods will vary according to the programme of study but will include lectures and group tutorials.

In addition, seminars, field trips, work placements, role play or scenario activities, laboratory and workshop practical, demonstrations, guest lectures, discussions and debates all contribute to the learning experience to support the acquisition of subject specific skills and knowledge and the development of transferable and employment related skills.

What can I do next?

After completing this qualification, you will be ready to embark upon your teaching career. Some students receive offers to work at the institution where they have conducted their teaching placements, following an application process.

If you have gained the PGCE (Education and Training) you may wish to progress to a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (PGDip) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). 

QTLS is a professional status achieved after completing a six-month period of professional formation process in a Further Education and Skills setting. In order to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) you would need to undertake the Professional Formation Programme.