Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Higher Education - Postgraduate Certificate

Course Details

Course Code(s):

GCLTASTPAD

Available:

Part-Time

Intake:

Autumn/Fall

Course Start Date:

September

Duration:

1 Year, Part-Time

Award:

Postgraduate Certificate

Qualification:

NFQ Level 9 Minor Award

Faculty: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Course Type: Taught, Professional/Flexible

Fees: For Information on Fees, see section below.

Contact(s):

Name: Dr. Michael Wride
Email: Michael.Wride@ul.ie

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Brief Description

The Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Teaching, Learning & Assessment in Higher Education is a 30 ECTS one-year, part-time programme. It aims to enhance the professional practice of those who teach in higher education by providing high-level, scholarly, and practice-based professional development to develop expertise in teaching, learning and assessment. It will equip participants with a range of skills, competencies, insights and capacities to bring the highest quality teaching, learning and assessment experiences to their students, while also managing and progressing their own scholarly careers.

The programme has a focus on engagement in best practice in teaching, learning and assessment and application of theory. The UL graduate attributes are fully incorporated and weaved into the programme. Throughout the programme, participants have lectures incorporating interactivity to promote a high level of acquisition and collaboration as well as a significant level of engagement with the material outside scheduled sessions, including working on activities on Brightspace. In addition, participants will engage in reflective practice and develop their own views, strategies, innovations and enhancements for their teaching, learning and assessment and be able to articulate these clearly. Participants will be required to be proactive and self-directed in their use of time and approaches.

The programme includes exploration of teaching identity, teaching philosophy, learning theories and their application to inclusive curriculum design in online, blended and in-person/face-to-face learning environments. It also supports critical reflection on practice as part of a community of scholars to encourage a lifelong commitment to continuing professional development.

The PGCert in Teaching, Learning & Assessment is recognised at UL as a continuing professional development (CPD) activity enabling participants to evidence teaching excellence. See Appendices I & II of the Academic Role Profiles.

Programme Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this programme, the graduate will be able to:

• demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the principles of curriculum design to inform planning for learning, teaching and assessment;

• demonstrate an awareness of contemporary learning theories and the scholarship of learning, teaching and assessment to enhance their academic practice.

• critically reflect on and evaluate their practice drawing on multiple sources of evidence including the scholarship of learning, teaching and assessment and reflective models of enquiry;

• support diverse student cohorts through intentional application of the principles of inclusivity.

• integrate their knowledge of pedagogy with their teaching philosophy to intentionally, authentically and with initiative inform and develop their academic practice;

• act effectively, responsibly, sustainably and autonomously within their disciplinary context to enable a better experience for their colleagues and students.

• self-evaluate through evaluating feedback received from both peers and students and take responsibility for continuing professional development of their academic practice;

• apply metacognition on their own learning processes and through critical reflection on their experiences of learning, teaching and assessment.

• develop self-understanding through articulating previously implicit knowledge by engaging effectively with their peers in a collaborative community of learners to gain new insights and perspectives on their academic practice;

• Engage with open pedagogical practice to articulate, share, and contribute to building pedagogical patterns.

This programme is structured over two semesters and uses a blended approach to learning combining scheduled face-to-face sessions and online sessions, coupled with independent work on the Brightspace VLE. There is an introduction and initial sessions prior to teaching week 1 of each semester before participants begin their own teaching. However, assessment will not be completed until the end of the Autumn semester for module 1 and at the end of the Spring semester for module 2.

Upon completion, those who have achieved at least a 2.2, who wish to continue, can take up the offer of progressing to a PGDip in Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Higher Education*, which comprises an additional 30 ECTS in Year 2 for the 60-credit award.

*This programme is currently under development (Spring 2024) and is subject to approval by APRC and AC.

This PGCert in Learning Teaching and Assessment in Higher Education is a 30 credit programme and is comprised of two 15 credit modules:

Semester	Module Code*	Module Title	ECTS
Sem 1: Autumn	TL6011	Curriculum Design and Development: Planning for Learning, Teaching & Assessment	15
		This module seeks to inspire and empower teachers in higher education to engage in considered curriculum planning in order to construct a learning environment that fosters a positive and inclusive learning experience for students. This module first introduces learning theory and critical reflection as key under-pinning principles for effective learning, teaching and assessment practices. It then focuses on the diverse theoretical and practical considerations and processes implicated in pedagogical planning for curriculum design and delivery and highlights the importance of integrated design approaches. It seeks to establish and share best practice in curriculum design that embraces the affordances of all modes of delivery (face to face, blended and online), by empowering higher education teachers to reflect on and develop their practice, including digital literacy, through the curriculum design process. Participants will draw on various lenses to reflect on their practice, including an introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to inform their practice.
Sem 2:	TL6012	Professional Development: Reflecting on and Evaluating Practice	ECTS
		This module builds on contemporary learning theory in higher education and its practical applicability in the learning environment. It elaborates on the use of professional digital capacity and practice, inclusive and ethical teaching practices, and evaluation of impact. The role of critical reflective practice, its rationale, and benefits, will be explored in depth. The principles of teaching in higher education will be examined with a view to introducing the participants to the concept of teaching philosophy. Participants will articulate and share their teaching design and practice while engaging in reflective practice. They will collect and triangulate evidence of their teaching impact (including peer observation, learning analytics, student evaluation, etc.) to understand further the impact of their practice and gain insights to inform their practice. As a result, they will start working on a reflective teaching portfolio that aligns to a suitable professional development framework.	15

This programme is underpinned by and explores the concepts of curriculum design and professional development through critically reflecting on and evaluating practice (Graduate Attribute: Curious). Participants engage by articulating learning, teaching and assessment decisions and beliefs and objectively critique and rationalise these through developing their teaching philosophy and by starting to develop a teaching portfolio (Graduate Attribute: Articulate). By exploring and discussing a diverse range of issues collaboratively, participants share practices, and develop their knowledge of the scholarship of teaching and learning in relation to their individual disciplines and develop their ability to be adaptive, responsible and flexible, e.g. in curriculum design (Graduate Attribute: Agile). Delivery of the programme relies on the application of open educational practice principles along with sharing and critical evaluation of participant outputs with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion (Graduate Attribute: Responsible). Finally, participants will be enterprising and innovative in their practice (Graduate Attribute: Courageous).

Applicants must hold at least a second class honours primary degree (2.2) (Level 8 - National Qualifications Authority of Ireland). Applicants must be engaged in teaching in the higher or further education sector for the duration of the programme. Note: subject to the discretion of the course director an interview may form part of the selection process.

In the case of international students, the overseas equivalent as determined by the Course Team in consultation with UL Graduate School Admissions. Where candidates are non-native English language speakers, certified demonstrable achievement in a Standard English Language Competency Test will be required.

WHAT TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR APPLICATION:

Qualification transcripts and certificates
A copy of your birth certificate or passport
A copy of your CV
If funded by an organisation external to UL provide confirmation of funding approval.
Approval for dual registration, if currently registered on another programme in UL.
A brief (300 words max) personal statement outlining: 1. Personal introduction and Motivations for taking the course. 2. Confirmation of engagement in teaching in the higher or further education sector for the duration of the programme (should be uploaded under Supporting Documents for this Programme).
If your qualifications have been obtained in a country where English is an official language this will suffice.
If this is not available, the following additional documents must be provided:
English translation of your qualification(s)/transcripts AND
English language competency certificate
Please click here for Further Information on English Language Requirements

Any requests for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) exemptions should be discussed with the Course Director at the point of entry. Clear justification of prior accredited/non-accredited qualifications should be provided, including an outline of how relevant learning outcomes have previously been achieved in the module(s) in question.

*Employees at UL have the opportunity to avail of a fee waiver and should complete the CTL Further Study Application Form here and submit to Alison O’Regan (alison.oregan@ul.ie) in HR. Please also include it in your application*

EU - €2,198 per annum

Non- EU - €4,350 per annum

Further information on fees and payment of fees is available from the Student Fees Office website. All fee related queries should be directed to the Student Fees Office (Phone: +353 61 213 007 or email student.fees.office@ul.ie.)

*Employees at UL have the opportunity to avail of a fee waiver. Please complete the CTL Further Study Application Form here . External applicants and UL PhD Students are liable for full fees.

Please click here for information on funding and scholarships.

Graduates from the programme will have competence in the areas of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education, i.e. within their professional contexts. It will equip them with a range of skills, competencies, insights and capacities, which will ensure that they will bring the highest quality learning and teaching experiences to the students that they teach, while also managing and progressing their own scholarly careers.