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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Professional Placement 5
Module Code ED3904 (ITS) / EDP1027 (Banner)
Faculty DCU Institute of Education School Policy & Professional Practice
Module Co-ordinatorGeraldine O'Connor
Module TeachersJohn White
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
Repeat the module
Repeat the module at the next available opportunity for re-sit
Description

This module will enable students to further develop their knowledge and understanding of the professional role of the teacher through observing teaching, experiencing teaching and undertaking structured planning, teaching and reflection within school settings. During this placement, students will develop skills in curriculum planning, teaching and assessment in a middle/senior class in a primary setting and will prepare, teach and evaluate lessons which demonstrate a range of appropriate and inclusive pedagogical approaches. Placement planning will incorporate both long-term (progressional schemes) and short-term planning (lesson planning). Students will select, prepare and use appropriate curriculum resources and related active methodologies for teaching and learning. The module will enable students to gain practice in lesson transitions, managing children’s behaviour, promoting positive behaviour, assessing and recording children’s progress and organising an effective classroom environment. Students will have opportunities to work collaboratively with Treoraithe in the school community and to learn from dialogic interactions with children and HEI tutors. Such dialogue combined with regular reflection and lesson evaluations will further develop the student's identify and adaptive expertise. Reflective tasks will include a consideration of the role of parents in the child's education as evidenced in school policies and in everyday school practices. The module will also ask students to reflect on their inclusive practices, with a specific focus on provision for individual differences, responding to the needs, interests and strengths of all children; to include gifted learners, newcomer pupils and cultural diversity.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identity, record and use key components required for short-term planning and long-term planning through the use of planning tools and integrated and cross-curricular approaches.
2. Employ a range of appropriate teaching resources, including digital, to facilitate teaching and learning and create a stimulating learning environment through incorporating displays supporting ongoing work.
3. Demonstrate effective communication skills in the classroom which facilitate effective teaching and learning with individuals, whole class and groups.
4. Organise and maintain a positive learning environment through the use of appropriate approaches to classroom management and organisation.
5. Provide for individual differences and respond to the needs of all children through planned and informed differentiated provision.
6. Undertake self-evaluation and implement goals to generate change and improvement. Through such actions, develop a keener insight on their identity, adaptive expertise and creativity in delivering the curriculum.
7. Engage with Treoraithe to identify strengths and weaknesses as a teacher.
8. Identify features of school and teachers' practices which are evidence of parental involvement in the life of the school.
9. Identify procedures, policies and contexts which provide for individual differences and responding to the needs of all learners within an inclusive learning environment.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Assessment Feedback250School-based assessed practicum in a recognised Irish primary school. Students are assessed and evaluated in preparation and planning, teaching and learning , and professionalism.
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Long-term and short-term planning
Exploration of a variety of ways to undertake long-term planning (progressional schemes) using integrated, differentiated and thematic approaches. Further development of students' understanding of short-term planning to include lesson planning.

Self-Evaluation
Exploration of a variety of ways to undertake long-term planning (progressional schemes) using integrated, differentiated and thematic approaches. Further development of students' understanding of short-term planning to include lesson planning.

Monitoring Children's Learning
Further developing the student teacher’s ability to evaluate the process of children’s learning through assessing learning, monitoring individual and group learning and celebrating the children’s efforts and achievements. Planning towards enabling pupil self-assessment using elements such as sharing learning outcomes, and guided practice with self-assessment tool

Differentiation
Scaffolding students' conceptualisation of differentiated provision through examples of approaches which differentiate teaching and learning for a diversity of learners and learning contexts.

Teacher Resilience
Exploring ways of building resilience and personal resources to cope with unanticipated problems and interpersonal issues when teaching or planning for placement. Approaches to time management, time pressures and workload target setting. Examining approaches to developing student identity, adaptive expertise and creativity in delivering the curriculum.

Curriculum Delivery
Students will deliver the full Irish curriculum. Students will select, prepare and use appropriate curriculum resources and related active methodologies for teaching and learning. The module will enable students to gain practice in lesson transitions, managing children’s behaviour, promoting positive behaviour, assessing and recording children’s progress and organising an effective classroom environment.

Dialogue with Treoraí
Students will have opportunities to work collaboratively with Treoraithe in the school community and to learn from dialogic interactions with children and HEI tutors.

Inclusive Learning Environments
The module will also ask students to reflect on their inclusive practices, with a specific focus on provision for individual differences, responding to the needs, interests and strengths of all children; to include gifted learners, newcomer pupils and cultural diversity.

Parents in Education
Reflective tasks will include a consideration of the role of parents in the child's education as evidenced in school policies and in everyday school practices.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentSchool-based Work including Preparation and Teaching100%n/a
Indicative Reading List

  • Louis Cohen,Lawrence Manion,Keith Morrison,Dominic Wyse: 2010, A Guide to Teaching Practice, Routledge, 9781136949654
  • David Midwinter,Tracy Whatmore: 2011, Positive Placements, A&C Black, 9781441138316
  • Ian Rushton,Martin Suter: 2012, EBOOK: Reflective Practice for Teaching in Lifelong Learning, McGraw-Hill Education (UK), 9780335244027
  • Tony Bonfield,Kathleen Horgan: 2016, Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn, Gill Education, 9780717162444
Other Resources

None

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