FDA4063 - Reflective Practitioners

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 - Utilise theories of reflection to review current role and approaches to early years practice, including the remit of Ofsted, considering the influence of life-long learning to increase career opportunities and priorities for continual professional development. (K18, S16, B1, B2, B3, B4, B6)

2 - Analyse current and relevant national policy, statutory guidance and legal requirements shaping early years practice, connecting to global influences where relevant, and considering the actions taken to support diversity, equality and inclusion within daily routines or deployment of colleagues. (K20, S2, S20)

3 - Reflect on ethical and rights-based approaches to listening to children’s authentic voices within daily practice, cultivating professional partnerships with parents/carers and other professionals to holistically support learning and development. (K21, B9)

Content:

Through using the principle of reflection, this module examines the role of early years practitioners, considering the influences from local, national and international practice. The modules begins with a reflection on your own work-based context and approaches to continual professional development, including a skills scan supporting assessment of current knowledge, skills and behaviours. Your current role will be reflected upon, including how you may be expected to supervise staff or lead a setting. This leads on to the exploration of relevant policy, statutory guidance, legal requirements, and theory to analyse the role of practitioners in supporting the lives of children and their families, this includes reflecting on daily practices such as care routines, creating secure attachments, the deployment of practitioners across enabling learning environments and supporting the safety and wellbeing of all children, including those with SEND. Current statutory requirements are also analysed for targeted practice, such as knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children and how to effectively challenge and question. This module challenges you to consider the ethical and rights-based approaches to supporting children, listening to their authentic voices within individual social and cultural contexts. This involves promoting the importance of equality, diversity and inclusive practice, as well as shaping the influence of parents, families and carers within the home learning environment and developing equitable relationships with a wide range of professionals.

Discussions will include the potential effects of transitions within and across children's lives and the need to enable respectful, nurturing relationships that support personal care. Ultimately you will consider your career plans and options for lifelong learning by creating a personal-professional development plan, setting measurable goals that can interconnect with work-based supervisions, observed-assessed setting visits and strategies to enhance collaborative working in your chosen areas of specialism over the next 2 years.

Progress towards KSBs: K1, K4, K5, K8, K14, K16, K18, K20, K21, S2, S10, S11, S12, S15, S16, S17, S20, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The teaching and learning methods for this module are underpinned by programme strategy that aligns with Leeds Trinity University Learning, Teaching and Academic Experience Strategy (LTAE 2022-2026) in that it aims to transform the way we work co-creatively with you, the student, how we connect you and our learning and teaching with the outside world and societal issues. Through this approach we support you on a personalised, values-based and career-led journey through your studies. You will be taught in a variety of methods including problem-based learning using case studies, reflective practice workshops, flipped classrooms; traditional lectures; including participatory workshops which utilise co-creative exercises that will also influence learning and teaching methods. Additional online material will be supplemented using a variety of media and resources, ranging from videos and selected textbooks and articles. The teaching will be face to face and online tutorials may be used to support student progression. Guest speakers and employers will be engaged with to develop an understanding of current professional practice. The practice of relational pedagogy and person-centred planning will be showcased by staff in their delivery style. Further detail on the specific teaching and learning including how these have been developed in response to student feedback, can be found in the module handbook.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities
Hours: 42
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Guided independent study
Hours: 258



Further Details Relating to Assessment

Students are referred to Module Handbook for full details.

The e-portfolio will be simple in technical structure whilst students commence their first module of study and learn wider LTU electronic systems. Key sections will involve reflecting on current personal professional self (also informal early assessment as formative draft), evaluating approaches in practices, reflective models to consider impact of daily routines, staff deployment, supporting the home learning environments; and career planning, use of supervision and self-care plans.

All students will have an opportunity within the modules for formative assessment support, to incrementally aid the completion of summative assessment tasks. Formative assessments may take the form of peer review, guided self-reflection, tutorial, draft feedback, and where relevant employer feedback.

Assessment:

001 Reflective Portfolio; 3000 words; Sem 1 Block 1 100%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 4
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4FD1

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