Course Catalogue

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Critical Reflection in Professional Learning and Practice explores theoretical understandings of reflection, interrogates the construct of the reflective practitioner and associated ideas of knowledge as mediated by values and contexts, and examines ways to develop critical research literacy skills that enhance professional knowledge, understandings and practice.

Supported distance e-learning with one compulsory Weekend Study School (Friday evening to Sunday) in Glasgow during the 20 week course. Students are normally expected to be online at least once a week during the course. Ordinarily the course commences in September and finishes in February.

Normally a master's degree in Education or a cognate area.

The summative assessment activity is designed to afford participants a degree of flexibility in order that their work can be tailored to individual professional needs and contexts. This course is summatively assessed by a written assignment equivalent to 5000 words in which participants demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, skills and application of the course. The focus of the assignment is for students to use their own experiences as educational practitioners as a case study to explore the place of critical reflection in professional learning and practice.
This course is assessed following the University's assessment Schedule A with grades A to D as Pass grades. In order to ensure flexibility for candidates to progress from M to D (doctoral) level, and following the University regulations on progression for Masters level students candidates will be permitted to progress to the D (doctoral) level taught courses of the EdD only if they have obtained a Grade C for this (and the subsequent) Masters level course.

To cultivate independent and critical thinkers, who are prepared to exercise critical judgement in how they engage with course resources and with others in online interaction. Students will be presented with diverse views and competing theories in this field of scholarship, in which they need to position and defend their own arguments.

To explore the concept of reflection in professional development and practice.
To interrogate notions of the reflective practitioner, practice, praxis and professional learning.
To review and develop approaches to critical reflection.

* outline the theoretical debates relating to the concepts of reflection and critical reflection
* analyse the relationship between critical reflection and professional practice
* detail the issues surrounding the relationship between professional knowledges and practice
* consider critically the role of experience, values, context, research and theory in the development of professionals in educational contexts.

This course is assessed at M (Masters) level following the University's assessment Schedule A (see http://senate.gla.ac.uk/academic/assessment/scheda.html). Following Schedule A, grades A to D are Pass grades.

In order to ensure flexibility for candidates to progress from M to D (doctoral) level, and following the University regulations on progression for Masters level students (see the University Calendar at http://senate.gla.ac.uk/calendar/current/13-graduatestudies.pdf , GR17 and http://senate.gla.ac.uk/calendar/current/02-feesandgeneral.pdf), then:
* candidates will be permitted to progress to the D (doctoral) level taught courses of the EdD only if they have obtained a Grade C for each of the two taught Masters level courses
* candidates will be permitted reassessment in either or both of the taught M level courses for which they have obtained a grade D or below
* candidates who have failed to attain the threshold grade C shall normally be permitted not more than one further attempt at the assessment in which a grade lower than the threshold grade has been awarded
* a second further attempt shall not be available as a matter of right but may be permitted at the discretion of the Faculty responsible for the programme in accordance with its policies and procedures which shall be published in the relevant course documentation
* the maximum grade awarded for candidates re-submitting assignments will be grade C
* the timing and nature of the reassessment will be as specified by the Course Team and Programme Director
* where a second or permitted subsequent attempt at an assessment is not available to candidates until a subsequent academic session, the candidate shall not be entitled to assume that the content of the course will be unchanged, and it shall be the responsibility of the candidate, in conjunction with the Department responsible for the course, to make appropriate preparation for that assessment.