Sutherland, Helen

Impact Summary

The review and development of QI7000 Reflective Teacher module is a continuous and collaborative process working with 4 SCITT partners and seminar tutors to ensure that the changes and curriculum design are suitable across the partnership and occurrences. This collaboration involves meeting with students, SCITT partners and Seminar Tutors to ensure all stakeholders have a voice. Key areas and issues relating to being a reflective teacher were identified. Assessment amendments supported clarity with additional academic support included through effective working with the Academic Success Centre and English for Academic and Professional Development to deliver additional support sessions. Seminar sessions concentrate on the development of reflective skills through exploration of different reflective models and theory. Students fed back that the content was interesting, built knowledge over the course of the module. Secure in knowledge and clear with the method of reflection liking the opportunities to reflect on their experiences, beliefs, and values within education. (MEP, 2020). University Liaison Tutors noticed student reflections being better and meaningful as students reflected on issues pertinent to them. Changes were introduced to SCITT partners and Seminar Tutors with weekly meetings discussing session outlines. Feedback was this comprehensive approach supported confidence in delivery.

Key Achievements

1. Changes made to module and seminar sessions supporting student engagement within the reflective process. (ULT feedback, 2019)
2. Assessment formulation and pedagogical approach establishing students’ thinking around module learning outcomes (EE Report, 2021).
3. A robust moderation process consistent across the partnership (EE Report, 2020, 2021).
4. Changes made supported SCITT partnership confidence in formulating a comprehensive approach in the delivery of the module (SCITT partner feedback, 2019).
5. Changes to ensure clarity of module assessment and academic support.

Key Aims

This level 7 module aims are to introduce students to the value and purpose of reflection to become effective teachers. The use of reflection enables the students gain a better understanding of how the reflective process can aid and support their teaching practice using ‘professional thinking’ to underpin the solutions and strategies that they use. Whole cohort lectures provide a range of topics beneficial to new teachers such as Learning Theorist, Behaviour for Learning, Reflection on Professionalism and Values and Teachers as Agents of Change. Seminar sessions use a phased curriculum approach to introduce students to the reflective process, theories, and models of reflection before supporting and challenging their values, perceptions, and assumptions. Using this to identify what it is to be a teacher on the reflective journey becoming a critically reflective teacher developing the potential for reflexivity. Students explore and apply a range of reflective models first using a simple questioning model, then reflecting on how influencing factors and emotions can impact upon practice. Before putting it all together exploring mixed reflective methods and developing their critical analysis using self and peer-assessment (Moon, 2007) and a typology of reflection (Jay and Johnson, 2002) to support this.

Approach

Data Insight Dashboard and a collaborative approach was used to gather data and feedback from Student Module Evaluation Questionnaires, Module Evaluation Plan, meetings with students (and review of SSCC minutes), SCITT partners (Executive, Skype meetings and written feedback) and module team were held to discuss areas for development, content, and requirements for being a Reflective Teacher. The module structure needed to support students understanding of reflection. Changes ensured that being a reflective teacher was the main focus with a clearer and supportive structure to the assessment process. Pedagogical approaches of contextual based, integrated and inquiry learning approaches were built into the module delivery. Seminar sessions were designed to support the students through the reflective process. The seminar programme introduced the theories and models of reflection, providing opportunities to develop an in-depth knowledge, and understanding of them (Dewey, 2018, Schön, 1983, Mezirow, 2000, Pollard, 2019, Bassot, 2016, Brookfield 1995, Fook, 2015). Students carried out weekly reflective tasks on an issue pertinent to them using these models. Then reviewed and discussed them using self and peer-assessment (adapted from Moon, 2007) led by the seminar tutors. This provides students with transferable skills to support with their Early Career Framework.

Key Outcomes

Students - The new seminar sessions provide students with a phased approach to reflective models using peer and self-assessment to review depth of reflection, challenge of assumptions and consideration of differing perspectives. Feedback from University Liaison Tutors and seminar discussions has highlighted that this has been effective in developing students reflective thinking and impacting upon their teaching practice as they develop their professional thinking and teaching strategies. Clarity of the 3 assessment elements as summative assessment points addressed any previous ambiguous. Changes made through the Faculty Quality Committee (FCQ). KU documentation successfully completed going through the FQC in June 2019. The summative elements feed into each other with the first two elements being 0% weighting enabling students new to educational academic writing to gain feedback and seek further support through the Academic Success Centre without impacting upon their module results. Element 3 has 100% weighting pulling everything together as it draws upon the first elements. This has enabled students to use the feedback and targets to inform and feedforward into their element 3 ensuring “Assessments are well formulated and seek to establish students’ thinking around module learning outcomes” (EE Report, 2021). A feedforward proforma developed has also supported students supports students in demonstrating how they have used these targets to develop their academic writing skills and respond to targets set (EE Report, 2021). SCITT Partners - Listening and gathering feedback from the SCITT partners ensured that a collaborative partnership of co-production was engaged in with effective develops and changes made to the module. This ensures the quality, parity, and equity of the module across the partnership. Feedback for SCITT partner highlighted how the changes and material provided have supported in it effective delivery (SCITT partner feedback, 2019).

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