The Certificate in Education (lifelong learning), Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (Lifelong Learning), Postgraduate Certificate in Education (lifelong learning) and Post Graduate Diploma in Education (lifelong learning) are structured around modules which are based on different aspects of teachers’ work such as designing learning materials, assessing students, and evaluating learning and teaching.

Academic credit is gained by undertaking assignments and providing evidence of achievement. This allows you to explore topics that are of interest to you, relevant to your working environment, and to your career development. As part of the course, you will complete a subject specialist module. This requires attendance at the university. You will be informed of the exact dates during the course.

Research Informed Teaching Learning and Assessment

This module develops an understanding of how people learn in post-compulsory education and training and of the role of assessment. You will be assessed on an assignment in two parts (coursework together worth 100% of the module). For the first part, you will plan, prepare, deliver and reflect on a learning session contextualised within your own role in Education & Training. You will also write a critical account investigating the learning needs of specified learners and discussing how you have planned, enabled and assessed their learning.

Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher

This module is designed to help you learn how to identify and respond to learners’ needs with suitable teaching, learning and assessment strategies. You will engage in personal and professional development planning and, through two pieces of coursework, together worth 100% of the module marks, develop your practice. The first task, a teaching practitioner file, will include a personal development plan, observations of your teaching and a structured, reflective journal; and the second task, a reflective personal skills presentation, may take the form of your choice.

Being a Subject Specialist Teacher

This module builds on previous generic and subject specialist development in two ways. Firstly, it contributes to the development of more advanced strategies and methods for promoting learning and, secondly, it involves a sharper focus on specific specialist areas and the critical analysis of their pedagogy. The module achieves these purposes by enhancing the ability to reflect critically on, and to evaluate, teaching and learning; by recognising particular curriculum and professional challenges; and by developing critical responses to these concerns in sophisticated, innovative and creative ways. Key learning activities of the module are practical teaching experience and the engagement with other specialists through collaborative practice.

Policy and Professional Issues

This module will develop your understanding of the concept of policy, professionalism and the influences that shape it. Through two pieces of coursework, together worth 100% of the module marks, you will discuss theories and relate them to your own context and professional role. This module encourages critical thinking and informed discussion in relation to the education sector.

In-service trainees normally have a placement in place upon application and are already working in a teaching role; however, it is possible to join this course with a volunteer placement. This should be arranged by the applicant prior to starting the course.

Students have gone on to work as further and higher education lecturers. Others have taken the opportunity to engage in further studies such as relevant BA, MA or MSc courses at university.

Much of the course is focused on practical teaching. Through your employment or voluntary teaching, you gain experience of learning and teaching alongside other professionals, with support from tutors and your mentor, as a vehicle for your development. Practical experience allows you to gain competence in planning, teaching and learning, and in working with learners both in formal classrooms and in student centred learning situations, such as drop in study centres.

During the course you undertake project work, such as developing new course materials. Academic work includes critically examining creativity in teaching, subject specialist related studies, quality assurance and professional issues. Modules also allow you to explore particular areas of interest.

• UCO is a member of the Education and Training Consortium

The Education and Training Consortium (ETC) was formally constituted in 2001 , a pioneering collaborative partnership between FE and the University of Huddersfield focusing on teacher education awards for the ‘Lifelong Learning Sector’. Geographically, ETC members are dispersed across the north of England from Hull to Liverpool, but there are member institutions as far afield as Northumberland, Norfolk and Essex. The colleges partners are the key sites of practice and offer a huge store of knowledge and expertise. The University of Huddersfield retains responsibility for academic standards and quality assurance; Key beneficiaries are the students who, in this case, are both in-service and pre-service trainee teachers – beyond whom are the thousands of FE learners they teach.