The HertsCam MEd in Leading Teaching and Learning
The HertsCam MEd in Leading Teaching and Learning is a two-year, part-time masters degree programme designed to support the development of practice in schools by enabling participants to become effective agents of change and enhancing their professionality.
The concept of development work
A key part of this validation is that our MEd would be based firmly on the idea of enabling teachers to lead development work which we define as:
strategic, focused and deliberate action intended to bring about improvements in professional practice. It takes the form of collaborative processes featuring activities such as consultation, negotiation, reflection, self-evaluation and deliberation which take place in planned sequence.
This rests on the proposition that professional knowledge can be created and enriched through the leadership of development projects which not only improve practice but also have a transformative effect on the school’s organisational structures and professional culture and participants’ moral purpose and leadership capacity.
strategic, focused and deliberate action intended to bring about improvements in professional practice. It takes the form of collaborative processes featuring activities such as consultation, negotiation, reflection, self-evaluation and deliberation which take place in planned sequence.
This rests on the proposition that professional knowledge can be created and enriched through the leadership of development projects which not only improve practice but also have a transformative effect on the school’s organisational structures and professional culture and participants’ moral purpose and leadership capacity.
Programme content
The title of the HertsCam MEd is ‘Leading Teaching and Learning’. The programme has a modular structure, but the content is not neatly allocated to modules in the usual sequential and hierarchical way. Instead, our approach rests on Jerome Bruner’s notion of the spiral curriculum in which learners revisit the same concepts but in increasingly sophisticated ways, eventually achieving full understanding and mastery (Bruner, 1960). The subject matter is specified in the form of a Topic Framework which underpins the programme. Sixteen topics are organised into four topic groups which are summarised below.
Leadership and professionality: This group of topics is concerned with leadership and includes the consideration of teacher professionality and teacher leadership, the role of the teacher in leading change and building professional knowledge through the leadership of development work.
Organisations and change: This group of topics is concerned with schools as organisations especially in relation to the challenge of innovation and change. Included here is consideration of the organisational structures and processes, the idea of professional learning community and factors such as governance and accountability.
Pedagogy: This group of topics is concerned with pedagogy and includes exploration of the nature of learning and the variations that we encounter in learners. The contexts of curriculum policy and schools as learning communities are examined.
Project design: This group of topics supports the design of development projects. Here the focus is on project leadership, management and impact. There is also consideration of tools for practice development, including those which scaffold reflection and deliberation.
Leadership and professionality: This group of topics is concerned with leadership and includes the consideration of teacher professionality and teacher leadership, the role of the teacher in leading change and building professional knowledge through the leadership of development work.
Organisations and change: This group of topics is concerned with schools as organisations especially in relation to the challenge of innovation and change. Included here is consideration of the organisational structures and processes, the idea of professional learning community and factors such as governance and accountability.
Pedagogy: This group of topics is concerned with pedagogy and includes exploration of the nature of learning and the variations that we encounter in learners. The contexts of curriculum policy and schools as learning communities are examined.
Project design: This group of topics supports the design of development projects. Here the focus is on project leadership, management and impact. There is also consideration of tools for practice development, including those which scaffold reflection and deliberation.
Structure of the programme
The MEd is configured as a series of four sequential modules, each one building on the previous one so that participants experience the course as a singular and continuous process.
Module 1: The analysis of the institutional context for development work (30 credits)
Participants are asked to engage in an initial exploration of their school as an organisation by consulting colleagues, reflecting on the opportunities and challenges in the professional context and negotiating an agenda for the development of practice. The analysis is illuminated by relevant literatures and conceptual frameworks introduced in the programme sessions.
Module 2: Improving teaching and learning: exploring starting points for development (30 credits)
This module focuses on pedagogy, enabling participants to explore in depth the proposed project focus. Group sessions help participants to develop their understanding of pedagogy by drawing on relevant literatures and conceptual frameworks and using them to enrich reflection and dialogue within the MEd group.
Module 3: Planning development work: project design (60 credits)
This module enables participants to design and plan their development projects, the practical manifestations and the mechanics of leadership including strategies for securing the collaboration of colleagues to ensure that the project gains purchase in the school. Consideration of sequencing and timing is essential as is consultation with peers and colleagues to refine the project plan.
Module 4: Leading a development project (60 credits)
This module enables participants to lead their development projects. The group sessions enable participants to learn about leadership and the management of change by sharing their experience and through discussion about the techniques and strategies they are using in the flow of their projects. They also reflect on the impact and the legacy of their projects.
Module 1: The analysis of the institutional context for development work (30 credits)
Participants are asked to engage in an initial exploration of their school as an organisation by consulting colleagues, reflecting on the opportunities and challenges in the professional context and negotiating an agenda for the development of practice. The analysis is illuminated by relevant literatures and conceptual frameworks introduced in the programme sessions.
Module 2: Improving teaching and learning: exploring starting points for development (30 credits)
This module focuses on pedagogy, enabling participants to explore in depth the proposed project focus. Group sessions help participants to develop their understanding of pedagogy by drawing on relevant literatures and conceptual frameworks and using them to enrich reflection and dialogue within the MEd group.
Module 3: Planning development work: project design (60 credits)
This module enables participants to design and plan their development projects, the practical manifestations and the mechanics of leadership including strategies for securing the collaboration of colleagues to ensure that the project gains purchase in the school. Consideration of sequencing and timing is essential as is consultation with peers and colleagues to refine the project plan.
Module 4: Leading a development project (60 credits)
This module enables participants to lead their development projects. The group sessions enable participants to learn about leadership and the management of change by sharing their experience and through discussion about the techniques and strategies they are using in the flow of their projects. They also reflect on the impact and the legacy of their projects.
Participation and commitment
The award of the degree depends on successful completion of all assignments. Attendance is required at the events described below.
The programme:
This extends over a period of 2 academic years or 6 terms.
During each term participants are required to take part in:
Assignments:
In Year 1 participants must submit two assignments for assessment. There will also be non-assessed formative assignments.
At the beginning of Year 2 participants must submit a portfolio of papers which are evidence adequate of project design and at the end of the year a substantial report which accounts for the leadership of a development project.
The award of the degree depends on successful completion of all assignments. Attendance is required at the events described below.
The programme:
This extends over a period of 2 academic years or 6 terms.
During each term participants are required to take part in:
- a Residential Conference (9.00am Friday – 2.00pm Saturday)
- four ‘twilight sessions’ (4.30-7.30pm) on Tuesdays at a Hertfordshire school
- one HertsCam Network Event held at various schools in the region
Assignments:
In Year 1 participants must submit two assignments for assessment. There will also be non-assessed formative assignments.
At the beginning of Year 2 participants must submit a portfolio of papers which are evidence adequate of project design and at the end of the year a substantial report which accounts for the leadership of a development project.
The application process
Applications are welcome from education professionals including teachers, senior leaders, teaching assistants, local authority advisers, consultants, school librarians, governors and others working in educational settings. Applicants are advised to secure the support of senior leaders in their settings before beginning the application process. Although most participants have a good first degree we welcome applications from educators with non-standard or different qualifications and/or professional experience.
Contact us now to organise an informal conversation with the MEd Programme Leader, Val Hill.
Applications are welcome from education professionals including teachers, senior leaders, teaching assistants, local authority advisers, consultants, school librarians, governors and others working in educational settings. Applicants are advised to secure the support of senior leaders in their settings before beginning the application process. Although most participants have a good first degree we welcome applications from educators with non-standard or different qualifications and/or professional experience.
Contact us now to organise an informal conversation with the MEd Programme Leader, Val Hill.