Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 46: INDEPENDENT LEARNING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREEssential guidance for tutorsDeliveryThis unit may not be combined in a programme with Unit 47: Academic Literacy inthe Health and Social Care Sectors.This unit links closely to the learning of all other units within the programme, andwith other studies being undertaken by learners. However, the focus of learningwithin this unit is on the learners themselves and how they approach the learningprocess.The unit could be introduced by encouraging learners to consider as wide a range ofavailable resources as possible. The intention is for learners to develop a criticalapproach to resources, and they should therefore be exposed to an extensive range.Individual or small group activities, in which learners actively seek out a range ofrelevant resources for a particular topic and then share and discuss their findingswith the rest of the group, could be used as a means of achieving this. This shouldideally be linked to learners’ work within other units of the programme, and ifresources for different topics are considered this will potentially widen the range andadd value to the activity. Learners need to consider the value of the differentresources, how information is presented within them, and the validity of theinformation thus presented. The group presentations could be used as a means ofinitiating class discussion and debate around the topic of resources, the presentationof information within them, and how they can be effectively used by learners as anaid to study.Learners should also discuss the different styles of writing that are evident in thehealth and social care sectors, and relate this to the fusion of disciplines within thesectors. They need to consider examples of different styles and be encouraged tocompare them, using the validity criteria. Assignments that learners are currentlyworking on can then be used as a tool for them to apply their understanding ofwriting style and presentation to their own work.Learners need to consider the management of their own studies. This could beintroduced through a case study/s, with class discussion, followed by individualactivities whereby learners consider all aspects of their studies, andpersonal/professional lives, and any conflicts and tensions they may be experiencing.Learners should be encouraged to examine the value of planning for their studies andpersonal/professional lives, and also different environments for study. Aids to studyshould be considered, such as different methods of taking notes, reading styles,preparation for examinations if appropriate, and assignment work, including themanagement of deadlines.This can then lead on to discussion around different learning styles. Learners need toconsider the different learning styles, participate in activities to identify their ownstyles, including self-reflection, and then also consider the holistic approach tolearning. They should be encouraged to reflect on past learning, and also considerthe future and potential learning needs they may have.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007565