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University College for Interdisciplinary Learning


Leadership of Learning - with Teaching Placement

Course Unit Code

UCIL20001 (10 Credits)

UCIL21001 (20 Credits)

UCIL21000 (20 Credits) unit over two semesters

Also available in Semester 2.

APPLY FOR THIS UNIT.

Course Unit Details

  • Level 2
  • School of Environment, Education and Development

This course unit gives students the opportunity to successfully complete a half-day-a-week teaching placement over 10 weeks in a Greater Manchester school, starting week beginning Mon 03 Oct 2022.

There are limited places on this unit so there is a selective application process.

Applications are now open. We invite successful applicants for interviews as we receive their applications. The link to the application form can be found below, with dates for interviews. Typically, positions are filled for Semester 1 by the end of August. For Semester 2, places are filled typically by the middle of October.

The first interview date for both Semester 1 and 2 is Wednesday 1 June 2022. More dates are given below.

Overview

Are you considering a career in teaching, or working with children and young people? Do you believe all children and young people have the right to grow and reach their full potential? Do you want to gain experience of being a professional in an educational setting acting as a member of the teaching staff?

This unit involves the opportunity to successfully complete a half-day-a-week teaching placement over 10 weeks in a Greater Manchester school, starting week beginning Mon 03 October 2022. It gives you the opportunity to assist teaching and to support and inspire children and young people to engage in learning. At the same time, you will further your own learning through keeping a weekly journal and through developing skills in analysis and reflection. This process aims to help you critically reflect on your understandings of your experiences in one written assignment for 10 credits, or two written assignments for 20 credits.

You will share and learn from other students about your differing beliefs and understandings about education, and the complexities of your experiences of working in your placement schools.

You will develop your professional skills through supporting professionals and pupils in schools, your critical reflective skills by using a provided analytical framework to guide you, and your understandings of the English education system.

To apply for this unit click here. See below under 'Eligibility' for more detail about the application process.

Please note: Attendance at 'Leadership of Learning - with Teaching Placement' seminars is mandatory. You should not enrol onto the course unit unless you are able to attend all of the seminars and at least 90% of placement visits.

Aims

  • To develop your knowledge and understanding of, and skills in, being a professional within an educational setting.
  • To give you transferable skills in professionalism, interpersonal communication, collaboration, problem solving, leadership and management, analysis, critical thinking and self-evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:

  • Act professionally, in terms of attendance, punctuality, reliability and codes of conduct set out by placement schools and the University
  • Maintain positive professional relationships with school staff and pupils
  • Work effectively with school staff to support pupils' learning
  • Apply principles of critical reflective practice to your understandings of your experiences from your placement
  • Analyse, assess and reflect on your personal learning with respect to placement experiences
  • Draw from a range of literature to enhance critical thinking and professionalism
  • Write using academic and ethical protocols

In addition to the Learning Outcomes above, for 20 credits:

  • Analyse and apply concepts and theories of leadership to enhance your reflections on professional experiences of leadership and your future professional learning.

Syllabus

10 Credits - Semester 1

  • Developing professional critically reflective skills
  • Placement in a school - 10 half-days spread over 10 weeks. The half-day is selected according to your availability and suitability for a school
  • Being a professional
  • Managing relationships and behaviour
  • Effective learning and teaching
  • Supporting learning in a context of ethnic and socio-cultural diversity
  • Planning for learning

20 Credits - Semester 1

  • 10 credit syllabus as outlined above
  • 10 credits reflecting on approaches to leadership
  • Concepts and theories of leadership
  • Developing critical thinking

20 Credits - Over two semesters

  • 10 credit syllabus as outlined above - Semester 1
  • 10 credits reflecting on approaches to leadership - Semester 2
  • Concepts and theories of leadership
  • Developing critical thinking

Assessment

Draft assignments

One draft of each of the assignments outlined below may be submitted to get feedback in order to make improvements before final submission.

10 Credits

  1. 2000 word written assignment on reflective practice (100%)
  2. Submission of weekly reflective journal entries (Pass/Fail)

20 Credits

  1. 2000 word written assignment on reflective practice (50%)
  2. Submission of weekly reflective journal entries (Pass/Fail)
  3. 2000 word written assignment on leadership (50%)

UCIL21000 - 20 Credits over 2 semesters

  1. 2000 word written assignment on reflective practice (50%) (Semester 1)
  2. Submission of weekly reflective journal entries (Pass/Fail) (Semester 1)
  3. 2000 word written assignment on leadership (50%) (Semester 2)

Eligibility

Eligibility and Applications Process

1. Students must apply for a place on this unit.

2. To apply for this unit click here.

3. Applications for Semester 1 (UCIL20001, UCIL2100, UCIL21000) are required.

4. You will be invited to a short interview to discuss your reasons for wanting to undertake the unit and your suitability for this unit.

a. Interview dates are as follows: 01 June 2022, 09 June 2022, 13 July 2022, 25 August 2022

b. You must have a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check overseen by the University of Manchester to be accepted on this unit. A DBS check takes about four weeks and this needs to be successfully completed before being accepted on the unit.

5. In early September, school placements are arranged. It is vital that we have your timetable availability details to enable us to do this.

6. Attendance at 'Leadership of Learning - with Teaching Placement' seminars is mandatory. You should not enrol onto the course unit unless you are able to attend all of the seminars and at least 90% of placement visits.

a. The 2022-2023 timetable is given below

b. The 10 week placement begins in the week commencing 03 October 2022

You may opt for a primary or secondary placement depending on availability of places in schools.

a. For a primary school placement, you will support teaching and pupils' learning in a year group between the ages of 3-11.

b. For a secondary school placement, you will support teaching and pupils' learning of a curriculum subject that is closest to your degree discipline. If there is not a suitable match, your A level subjects may be considered depending on your A Level subjects and grades. For example, high A Level grades in Science subjects, Maths, English or History would be considered if you are studying Engineering, Law, Psychology or PPE.

c. If there is no match for a secondary school subject, it is likely you will be offered a primary school placement.

d. You may be able to arrange your own placement in Greater Manchester in consultation with the Unit Director and a proposed school.

UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.

UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.

If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.

You can also contact the UCIL office if you have any questions.

Teaching Staff

Sue Goldrick, Colin Mills, Pauline Prevett, UoM Widening Participation representative, and guest speakers from local schools.

Administrator: Jane Mortimer

Teaching and Learning Methods

10 Credits

  • 10 half-days over 10 weeks on placement in a school + travel time
  • 10 hours recording evidence and reflections in reflective journal
  • 12 hours (6 x 2 hour) seminars - 5 seminars on campus, 1 online
  • 30 minute tutorial
  • 1 x draft assignment feedback
  • 25 hours reading
  • 22 hours assignment preparation

20 Credits

In addition to the hours outlined above for 10 credits, the 20 credit unit comprises

  • 10 hours recording evidence and reflections in reflective journal
  • 06 hours (3 x 2 hour) seminars - on campus
  • 30 minute tutorial
  • 1 x draft assignment feedback
  • 50 hours reading
  • 33 hours assignment preparation

Timetable

The 2 hour seminars in Semester 1 for the 10 credit and 20 credit units commence Tuesday 27 September 2022.
SessionDayTime
1Tuesday 27 September 202216.30 - 18:30
2Wednesday 28 September 202213.00 - 15:00
3Thursday 29 September 202216:30 - 18:30
4Monday 03 October 202216:30 - 18:30
5Tuesday 04 October 202216:30 - 18:30
9Wednesday 16 November 202216:30 - 18:30
In addition, for the 20 credit unit, there are a further three seminars.
SessionDayTime
6Monday 10 October 202216:30 - 18:30
7Wednesday 19 October 202216:30 - 18:30
8Thursday 27 October 202216.30 - 18:30
Note: Both 10 & 20 credit students attend a final seminar (Seminar 9) together on Wednesday 16 November 2022 (16:30-18:30). The 10 week placement commences in the week beginning Monday 03 October 2022. For UCIL 21000 (20 Credits over 2 semesters), the dates for the first 10 credits are as above. The dates for the second 10 credits are as follows:
SessionDayTime
6Monday 13 February 202316:30 - 18:30
7Wednesday 23 February 202316:30 - 18:30
8Thursday 02 March 202316.30 - 18:30
I enjoyed my placement so much and built such an effective relationship with the school that I have extended it and I'm still there! This course has built my confidence and I have gained some excellent leadership skills.Linda Anderson - Ancient History and Archaeology

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