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Module Specifications

Archived Version 2018 - 2019

Module Title
Module Code
School

Online Module Resources

NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description

This module prepares student teachers to teach the subjects of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education. It examines a range of dimensions of teaching and learning in these subjects and helps student teachers to understand the nature and significance of the subjects to children’s learning, well-being and agency. Underpinning concepts such as inclusion, participation, self-esteem, democratic practice, equality, intercultural education, human rights, citizenship, critical reflection and dialogue inform process and content choices all subjects within the module. The subjects also explore key concepts such as development, difference, globalisation and sustainability through the seminars. Student teachers are enabled to use a range of pedagogical approaches which support the development of particular life skills, such as enquiry, critical and creative thinking skills. The module draws on exemplar curricula and programmes in the subjects education from national and international contexts.

Learning Outcomes

1. Promote the rights of the child as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and respect children’s right to voice, agency, equity, participation and diversity through SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education.
2. Account for the unique nature of and key synergies between the subjects of SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education.
3. Select appropriate pedagogic approaches for the teaching of SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education in all primary schools.
4. Select effective, high quality and appropriate resources for the teaching of SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education in all primary schools.
5. Plan appropriate lessons that display an understanding of key underpinning concepts, key ideas, relevant content and skills of SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History Education.
6. Reflect on a range of reading in SPHE, Ethics Education, Geography Education and History and apply key concepts and ideas in written form.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture18SPHE: Lecture (one hour) x 6 Ethics Education: Lecture (one hour) x 12
Seminars48SPHE: Double seminar (2 hours) x 6 Ethics Education: Seminar (one hour) x 12 Geography Education: Seminar (2 hour) X 6 History Education: Seminar (2 hour) X 6
Independent Study6SPHE: Structured Independent learning tasks (6 hours over semester)
Total Workload: 72

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 and Learning Activities
Indicative Content for SPHE Structure and aims of the SPHE Curriculum; Inclusion and self-esteem; developing children’s skills (e.g. dealing with feelings, decision-making; self-confidence; self-awareness); relationships (family life and friendships); relating to others (e.g. communicating; resolving conflict); developing ground rules and class contracts; child protection, bullying and personal safety (fire, road, water and online); relationships and sexuality education; LGBT issues in the primary school; media education; health and well-being (e.g. taking care of my body; food and nutrition); substance misuse and education; teaching methods in SPHE; integration, planning and assessment; resource exploration and evaluation. Indicative Content for Ethics and Education Through Ethics lectures and seminars, students will be provided with opportunities to experience, explore and critically reflect on a range of themes, including: Ethical dimensions of teaching and learning; the ethical teacher; values frameworks; patronage models in Irish primary schools (ethos & ethical/religious curricula); ethics and the environment (treatment/exploitation of plants & animals); equality and social justice (gender stereotyping, discrimination/racism, migrants/refugees/asylum seekers, human rights); perceptions of children and childhood; understandings of reality and knowledge. Indicative Content for Geography Education In Geography Education, students will critically explore key pedagogical principles through collaborative seminar-based activities based on a number of themes which include geography through local and global issues, children’s rights and citizenship, sustainability and natural resources (particularly Trees and Forests), big ideas and concepts such as weather and climate, examining places and ‘People and other lands’ by critically engaging with a variety of resources and texbooks and debating what is deemed important ‘knowledge’ pertaining to children’s understanding of place. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in and collaboratively plan for enquiry-based primary geography lessons; engaging with the curriculum and enquiry-based and critically reviewing a broad range of resources for geography education. Indicative Content for History Education Students reflect upon their learning from last year and are reintroduced to the use of primary sources and enquiry-based learning approaches with children. Drawing upon visual, documentary, oral and physical evidence, students develop an understanding of the nature of history and how history teachers can use effective questions to focus on concepts such as change and continuity, perspective and cause and effect. A range of activities which will enable children to engage with evidence will be explored. Issues and possibilities for creative, enquiry led planning for primary classrooms will be exemplified and explored in each of the seminars with the students.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment% Examination Weight%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable
Indicative Reading List

  • NCCA: 1999, SPHE Curriculum, DES, Dublin,
  • NCCA: 1999, SPHE Guidelines, DES, Dublin,
  • NEPS: 2015, Well-being in Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion, DES, Dublin,
  • Roffey, S.: 2009, Circle Time for Emotional Literacy, Sage,
  • Campbell, E.: 2003, The Ethical Teacher, Open University Press, Maidenhead,
  • Fisher, R.: 2008, Teaching Thinking (3rd Ed.) Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom, 3rd, Bloomsbury, London,
  • Theis, J.: 2010, Children as active citizens: an agenda for children's civil rights and civic engagement, in Percy-Smith, B. & Thomas, N. (Editors). A handbook of children, young people’s participation., Routledge, UK,
  • Catling, S. and Willy, T.: 2009, Achieving QTS Teaching Primary Geography, Learning Matters, Exeter,
  • Holloway, S., Rice, S. and Valentine, G. (Eds.): 2003, Key Concepts in Geography, Sage, London,
  • Leat, D.: 2000, The Importance of 'Big' Concepts and Skills in Learning Geography, in C. Fisher and T. Binns, Issues in Geography Teaching, Routledge Falmer, London,
  • Pickford, T., Garner, W., and Jackson, E.: 2013, Primary Humanities: Learning through Enquiry, Sage, London,
  • Pike, S.: 2016, Learning Primary Geography: Ideas and Inspirations from Classrooms, Routledge, London,
  • Barton, K. C.: 2015, Doing History: Investigating with children in elementary and middle schools, LEA, Mahwah, N. J.,
  • Cooper, H.: 2013, Teaching history creatively: Learning to teach in the primary school series, Routledge, London,
  • Donovan, S. M. & Bransford, J. D. (Eds.): 2005, How Students Learn History in the Classroom, National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.,
  • NCCA: 1999, Primary School Curriculum: History - Teacher's Guidelines, The Stationery Office, Dublin,
  • NCCA: 1999, Primary School Curriculum: History, The Stationery Office, Dublin,
Other Resources

27885, Teacher's Manual, 2016, Walk Tall Programme, Dublin, DES, 27886, Teacher's Manual, 2016, Stay Safe Programme, Dublin, DES, 27887, Teacher's Manual, 1998, Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), Dublin, DES, 27891, Research Report, Neary, A., Irwin-Gowran, S. and McEvoy, E., 2016, Exploring Homophobia and Transphobia in Primary Schools in Ireland, Limerick, University of Limerick and Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, 27892, School Policy, 2013, Anti-bullying Guidelines and Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools, DES, 0, Website, Community National Schools, 0, Website, : http://www.cns.ie/, 27926, Information Sheet, Educate Together, 2005, What is an Educate Together School?, http://www.educatetogether.ie/sites/default/files/wiaets_2006_en_small-copy.pdf, 27927, Teacher's Manual, Educate Together, 2004, Learn Together: An Ethical Education Curriculum for Educate Together Schools, Dublin, Educate Together, 27928, Website, 0, Goodness Me Goodness You!, http://www.gmgy.ie/, 27929, Report, Irish Human Rights Commission, 2011, Human Rights Education in Ireland: An Overview., Dublin, Irish Human Rights Commission, 27930, Resource Book, 0, Bronze Age Handling Box,
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