Module: Professional Learning Pedagogies of Practice

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Professional Learning Pedagogies of Practice
Module Code	EDU1018 (ITS: ED9022)
Faculty	DCU Institute of Education	School	Policy & Professional Practice
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	15

Description

This module will introduce the learner to models of professional learning (PL) and to conceptualisations of the PL educator in a range of settings from school to state agencies and higher education institutes. The learner will explore issues, trends and dilemmas in PL internationally and in the process will examine conceptual and philosophical constructs and paradigms. This interrogative process will move iteratively between the learner’s own professional context/setting, the research literature and critical self-reflection and in scaffolded dialogue with other learners undertaking the module. There will be opportunities for the learner to critically explore the situated and complex nature of the pedagogy of professional learning, with particular emphasis on emerging pedagogies such as lesson study, online learning, co-teaching, critical pedagogies and partnerships. Emergent pedagogies will be critiqued in terms of the nature of professional learning and research.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1E02DE03-546D-0001-3A36-398E13A0BD10
2. Critically reflect on their own experience of and understanding of professional learning, identifying key influences, tensions, dilemmas and discourses.
5. 1
6. 1E02DE03-5C00-0001-749A-D33F127B15EF
7. Articulate and synthesise their understandings of key concepts, paradigms and constructs in professional learning through participation in discussion, reflection and engagement with readings
10. 2
11. 1E02DE03-61DD-0001-2D97-D3CAC7B612A1
12. Explore key theoretical frameworks to articulate an emerging understanding of current paradigms in professional learning internationally, identifying the questions and issues which they raise for PL educators and learners.
15. 3
16. 1E02DE03-6B03-0001-C04B-15DB18A01FD9
17. Critically engage with emerging pedagogies of teacher education through drawing on the literature to examine the constructs of professional learning and development that underpin them and engaging with empirical evidence of their effectiveness.
20. 4

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Formal input by the module coordinator to student group in lecture/seminar format.
Online activity	46	Participant engagement in synchronous and/or asynchronous online discussion fora hosted on the DCU LOOP system .
Assignment Completion	130	Completion of research paper
Independent Study	175	Independent pursuit of relevant issues and ideas raised during the module. Participants will be expected to engage in reading and critical review of literature relevant to the module
Total Workload: 375

Section Breakdown
CRN	10023	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	PASS/FAIL	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Alan Gorman	Module Teacher	Nicola Broderick

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	The learner (based on their prior experiences and interests) situates their written assignment along a particular dimension of professional learning (e.g. initial teacher education, induction, continuing professional development). In the assignment, the learner identifies key concepts, questions, issues and dilemmas that they have encountered over the course of the module that are relevant to the dimension chosen. In doing so, the learner is asked to keep to the fore two key questions: How do they inform your understanding of professional learning and your position within it? How will they influence your future research and/or practice as a PL educator/facilitator? c.5000 words	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

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

Indicative Content
The context of professional learning: • Ideological landscape of PL Issues and dilemmas in PL as a ‘learning problem’: • The apprenticeship of observation; the problems of enactment and complexity. • Issues of identity and identity construction. • Questions of impact, culture and resistance. • Teaching as a complex activity: implications for PL. • Values, purposes and goals in PL; education for social justice. Approaches to PL • Underpinning concepts in PL across the continuum. • Models of PL. • The theory/practice binary: Who is the PL educator? • Teacher educators and identity. • University partnerships. • The pedagogy of PL: • Situated learning and communities of practice. • Teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. • Models of PL t in theory, and in practice. • Research-informed PL: what does research tell us about professional learning? • Signature pedagogies: mentoring; co-teaching; the pedagogy of discomfort; lesson study. • Online pedagogies The research agenda in PL: • Key emerging issues in PL as a contested space.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None