PGCert Handbook - Staff and Departmental Development Unit

Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Handbook Route 1: 2005-2006If you plan to complete the assignments in a particular academic year you must submit at least one assignment by the endof April of that year. You cannot submit a second assignment until you have received feedback on the first. Normally,comments on marked assignments will be returned to you for retention in your portfolios within four weeks of submission.All marked assignments and professional development plans will be returned to you after the meeting with the ExternalExaminer in the year that you are awarded the Certificate.Assignments should be submitted with the appropriate front sheet. These will be circulated during the course and are alsoavailable at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/pgcert/assessment.htmIt is important that all sections of the sheet are completed, especially the check boxes at the bottom of the page, as theseremind you of some essential aspects of the assignment. Assignments submitted without completed front sheets will beautomatically returned to you.Assignments will be graded as pass with merit, pass or refer according to the following grade descriptors:Pass with MeritPassReferIn addition to satisfying the major specification and criteria, the extent and scope of the workdemonstrates added insight into the process and context of teaching, learning andassessment. In particular, the assignment should demonstrate at least one of the followingaspects:1. in-depth evaluation of the appropriate educational literature or that the literature hashad a major influence on the teaching/learning/assessment practice adopted in the casestudy2. that critical self-reflection and action plans increased the appreciation of theeducational issues and how these should influence future practice for the individual,programme, or department3. an understanding that the teaching, learning and assessment process is an iterativecycle focusing on the student learning experience. This should be apparent from casestudydiscussions, the approach adopted and self-reflections/action plans4. the case study describes the implementation of a justified and appropriately evaluatedinnovation that will improve the learning experience of the studentsSatisfies the major specification and criteria including critical self reflection. Evaluates andintegrates educational theory using references to appropriate generic and/or disciplinespecific educational literature.Assignment does not yet satisfy the major specifications & criteria.The programme is designed to develop and measure your progress towards professional practice in the areas of teaching,learning, assessment and course design & evaluation. Consequently a minimum of a pass will be required in all fourmodules to obtain the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. If an assignment is referredyou will be allowed only one resubmission per module in accordance with standard University policy. If you attend theprogramme but do not complete all of the assignments, you will not be awarded the Certificate.To gain a merit grade on your certificate you will normally be required to achieve a pass with merit on three of the fourassignments.Submission of assignmentsYou should submit a single copy, word processed and with the pages numbered (as this assists us to give specificfeedback). In addition to the specific references, a contents page and bibliography are essential. Whilst recommending theHarvard system (and advice is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/leeds/harvard.doc) we recognise that practicevaries across the disciplines. If you do not use the Harvard system we require you to use a recognised alternativereferencing convention. A useful guide to referencing (Fisher, D & Hanstock, T, 1998. Citing references, 1998.Nottingham: Nottingham Trent University/Blackwell’s Bookshops) is available from Blackwell’s University Bookshop onBlenheim Terrace. Appendices should be clearly labelled and referenced in the text of your case study. All assignmentsshould be submitted to Jo Siddons (by mail or in person) and she will issue a receipt.Staff and Departmental Development Unit Page 10 University of Leeds