Teaching Film and Media Studies for Undergraduate Ambassadors

Code

CLAS3002

School

Modern Languages and Cultures

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Full Year UK

Summary

Aim of module: The aim of this module is to provide final year students with practical experience of UK classroom teaching and some of the tools with which to make informed decisions about how to be an effective teacher. While this module is excellent preparation for those students hoping to go into teaching as a career, this is by no means a pre-requisite. Those students planning to pursue alternative paths will find the experience an enjoyable, challenging and useful one in terms of developing subject knowledge, adapting own style to meet the needs and work with others and analytical and reflective skills.  This module is part of the nationwide Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme which works with universities to provide academic modules that enable students to go into local schools to act as inspiring role-models. Students split their time between the university-based seminar and their allocated school, where they are placed in an appropriate department as a teaching assistant, whole class teacher or small group tutor. Students are required to design and deliver a teaching project aimed at improving pupil understanding of selected aspects of media studies. Students will be supported by the module convenor, the education specialist on campus, and by their contact teacher at their school. Typically there are weekly seminars and 7 half-days spent in school. Placements are in primary and secondary schools and Sixth Form or FE colleges.

A single coursework assessment will replace all failed assessment components at the reassessment stage.

Target Students

Available for final year Students in Culture, Film and Media and Students in Contemporary Chinese Studies. There are a limited number of places on this module. Students will need to demonstrate prior experience of teaching or supporting children and young people in a learning context. You will also be required to provide information for a background check with the Disclosure and Barring Service in accordance with legislation on working with young people. Students are reminded that enrolments which are not agreed by the offering school in advance may be cancelled without notice.

Classes

• One 2-hour seminar each week for 23 weeks
• One 2-hour practicum each week for 7 weeks

The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies operates an attendance policy. The details of this policy can be found in the student handbook on Workspace and in module handbooks. Students will also spend 7 half-days in school placements. Practical 6-7 weeks, 1 per week 1-2 hours

Assessment

• 25% Coursework 1: 1000 word lesson plan in preparation for the first teaching session in the placement school.
• 75% Coursework 2: A 3,000 word essay which will give a critically reflective account of the planning and delivery of the teaching project in relation to the relevant learning and educational theory. Plus Project Log (compulsory, but ungraded; if not submitted module cannot be passed)

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Based on the QAA benchmark statement for Communication, media, film and cultural studies; QAA benchmark statement for Education Studies;. The mixture of learning outcomes will vary with the requirements of the particular placement, but outcomes will normally include the following: 

A Knowledge and understanding Through their preparation and work with teachers and school pupils students will consolidate their knowledge and effective understanding of media and/or film, including the role that media forms, institutions and technologies play in society (A1), of the development of media forms, institutions and technologies (A2), of the processes and practices involved in the production of media/film (A3), of the aesthetic and formal qualities of cultural forms (A4), and of the relationship between media/film and culture and identity (A5). Students will also gain a broad understanding of key aspects of teaching in schools, including an awareness of the diversity of learners, of the role of teacher-learner interaction in the classroom and in task design and of the need to select and critique materials according to their motivation and challenge.  

B Intellectual skills Through their class preparation and assessments students will practise gathering, processing and evaluating information from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources (B2), applying techniques and concepts appropriate for the analysis of media and culture (B1), and be adaptable, creative and self-reflexive in producing output for a variety of audiences (B4) They will develop their powers of evaluation of practice (as opposed to information) and will also develop an ability to accommodate to new principles and understanding as a result of such experiential learning.  

D Transferable Skills Students will develop their ability to work in flexible, creative and independent ways, showing self-discipline, self-direction and reflexivity (D1), gather, organise and deploy ideas and information in order to formulate arguments cogently, and express them effectively in written, oral or other forms (D2), retrieve and generate information, and evaluate sources, in carrying out independent research (D3), organise and manage supervised, self-directed projects (D4), communicate effectively in interpersonal settings (D5), work productively in a group or team, showing abilities at different times to listen, contribute and lead effectively (D6), deliver work to a given length, format, brief and deadline (D7), apply entrepreneurial skills in dealing with audiences (D8), and put to use a range of ICT skills (D9).

Conveners

• Dr Tara Webster-Deakin