Unit information: Engaging Higher Education Students in their Learning in 2028/29

Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops. We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.

Unit name Engaging Higher Education Students in their Learning
Unit code AFACM0021
Credit points 30
Level of study M/7
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director Mr. Julian Kendell
Open unit status Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)

Not applicable.

Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)

Not applicable.

Units you may not take alongside this one

Not applicable.

School/department Arts Faculty Office
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?

This unit has been designed to engage you in developing your academic practice, with a particular focus on the design of and critical reflection on teaching and supporting learning.

The unit is the first unit of two, that comprise the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. You will need to pass both units to be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate.

Your learning on this unit

Your learning on this unit

This unit has been designed to engage participants in developing their academic practice, with a particular focus on the design of and critical reflection on teaching and supporting learning practice.

The unit aims are to: 

  • Enable participants to develop a critical and systematic understanding of the scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education  
  • Develop participants’ abilities to collaborative with others to design inclusive, engaging and research-rich teaching in digital and face-to-face contexts  
  • Enable participants to apply flexible and creative strategies in their teaching  
  • Develop participants’ abilities to critically reflect upon and develop their academic practice in line with Descriptor 2 of the PSF 2023

Unit intended learning outcomes

The intended learning outcomes for the unit are to:

  1. Critically engage with a range of current research into teaching, learning and assessment
  2. Apply an evidence informed and collaborative approach to developing inclusive, engaging and research-rich learning and teaching in digital and face-to-face contexts
  3. Apply flexible and creative strategies and skills to engage students in their learning in your discipline
  4. Critically reflect on how learning and development during the unit has enabled engagement with PSF 2023 dimensions at Descriptor 2 and identify areas for development

How you will learn

How you will learn

At the heart of the programme’s learning, teaching and assessment strategy is the aim of supporting participants in being effective, creative and reflective, evidence-based teachers and supporters of learning in Higher Education.

In order to do this the programme models a range of active, innovative and research-rich approaches to teaching in Higher Education. It also includes observations of teaching, and opportunities to reflect on and develop your teaching.

How you will be assessed

How you will assessed

Formative and summative assessment is focused on engaging you in undertaking/drawing on research relevant to your own teaching context, and critically reflecting upon, developing and innovating in your teaching practice. Assessment will involve:

Summative assessment

Reflective portfolio:

a. 2 teaching observations. Pass/Fail and Must Pass.

b. Critical reflection drawing on your developing approach to teaching and providing an appropriate learning environment. Pass/Fail and Must Pass.

Option 1: Essay (4500 words) or Option 2: Poster & audio commentary (1000 - 1500-word poster, 10–15-minute audio commentary)

When assessment does not go to plan

You will have the opportunity to resubmit either or both elements of the summative assessment task (the same brief).

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. AFACM0021).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.

The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.