B11 - Archie Graham & Chris Munro (Aberdeen): Developing a Combined Primary & Secondary PGDE Programme at the University of Aberdeen: A View from the Programme Team

1. UCET Annual Conference
Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire
9th November 2009
Developing a Combined
Primary & Secondary PGDE Programme at
the University of Aberdeen:
A View from the Programme Team
Chris Munro – PGDE Programme Director
Archie Graham – PGDE Depute Programme Director
(Learning & Teaching & Assessment)

2. Context for Change
• Size of our institution
• Established Partnerships
• Opportunity
• Existing culture of cross-programme
working among School of Education staff
• Opportunity to reduce duplication across
existing PGDE programmes
• Development process

3. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/ipp/
Access Recognition of
for all PGDE diversity
Inclusive Practice
IP is addressed within the
core programme in order to prepare
NQTs who accept individual and collective
responsibility for improving the learning
and participation of all children.
Opportunities
Recognition of
for
wider range of
collaborative
achievement
learning
A definition of Inclusion: “… the process of increasing participation and decreasing exclusion from
the culture, curricula and community of mainstream schools…” Booth & Ainscow (2002)

4. PGDE Programme - Components and Connections
APS & CPD
Further
Professional Prof. Studies
Ways of Working Studies Combined
Combined Primary P&S
& Secondary
Learning
Through School
the Curriculum Experience
LTC – P School Exp
Assessment
LTC – S Common
P&S Report
Pastoral Support
Summative
SITE
Course Assessments
Common Primary
& Secondary
Induction Year
SITE: Standard for Initial Teacher Education
www.gtcs.org.uk/Publications/StandardsandRegulations/StandardsandRegulations.aspx

5. Professional Studies Themes and Units
Professional
The Active Studies Wider Aspects
Unit 1 Professional Combined Primary
The Active & Secondary
Professional:
Who am I?
Unit 2 Social Learning
Education, Justice & Learners
Learning &
Social
Justice
Unit 3
Unit 4 Unit 5
Learning
Emotional, Wider Aspects
&
Social & of
Learners
Educational Prof’ism
Literacies

6. PGDE Ways of Working
Collaborative
Tutor Directed Activities (TDA)
Collaborative workshops
Lectures
Self Study Tasks
Online discussions within VLE
Inclusive

7. Standardisation of PGDE Assignments
Summative Course Assessments (5000 words each)
Assessment A: Effective Teaching for Successful Learning
Effective teachers will engage with educational theory and use their understanding to
inform their professional practice.
This assignment gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your developing
understanding of how children/young people learn and the role that you play in the
planning and provision of suitable learning opportunities for all children/young people
in your care.
It is designed to provide you with an opportunity to engage critically with educational
theory in relation to successful learning.
Assessment B: Personal Development – Becoming an Inclusive Practitioner
Effective teachers take responsibility for their personal and professional development
and use reflection to improve their practice.
This assessment is designed to build on targets identified during school experience
and provide you with an opportunity to consider implications for your practice and
identify next steps for your ongoing professional development.
It also provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate the action you have taken
and the progress you have made in developing your understanding of social justice
and in developing skills towards becoming an inclusive practitioner.

8. Activity

9. Standardisation of support
& assessment during school
experience placement
Key features of CPD events for teachers supporting students
in schools:
• Opportunity to discuss student support and assessment
issues from different perspectives
• Use of collaborative case study activity - not transmission of
paperwork
• Common assessment reporting form used across sectors
based on the Standard for Initial Teacher of Education
(SITE)
• Recognition of common dilemmas across sectors
• Exploration of support mechanisms

10. Initial Successes of Combined PGDE
Students Schools University Tutors
• The opportunity for • Cross-sector • More opportunities for
Primary and collaboration & cross-sector
Secondary students dialogue at CPD collaboration.
to collaboratively events.
explore dilemmas for • Greater understanding
teaching. • Collective awareness of between sectors.
expectations and
• Students have a responsibilities of • Standardisation &
greater appreciation students, schools and moderation of common
and respect for each University. assessments.
other.
• Improved
• Students demonstrate standardisation of
confidence to start assessment and
professional support.
conversations across
sectors using a
shared language.

11. Contact Details
Chris Munro, PGDE Programme Director
christopher.munro@abdn.ac.uk
Archie Graham, PGDE Depute Programme Director
a.graham@abdn.ac.uk
School of Education
University of Aberdeen
MacRobert Building
King's College
Aberdeen
AB24 5UA