BA Hons Primary Education

This class is designed to be stimulating with a key aim of introducing Education as a discipline; one that goes beyond schools and children.  

For example, you consider adults’ learning and begin to explore the different contexts in which Education is situated.  Furthermore, you'll examine Education from different perspectives including: history; politics; philosophy; psychology and sociology.  

By undertaking this class , you're able to discuss relevant topics and ideas; explain why the idea of the curriculum is a difficult one; develop their skills in managing their own learning; develop their skills in working effectively in group and class situations and show that they are beginning to read and write critically.  This class provides a good introduction to the study of Education that will support students in their potential future roles, whether that is as a teacher, parent, community educator, lawyer, psychologist, journalist, civil servant or human resources manager.

Placement learning is one of the most powerful learning experiences for you on initial teacher education programmes at the University of Strathclyde.   The seventy-hour first year placement allows you to work with children 0 – 14 years in a setting out-with a mainstream primary classroom.  This class allows for real diversity and student choice in selecting a placement.  In the past students have worked in prisons, with families, in community projects and in a whole range of settings that have helped them understand more about the development of children.

The on-campus programme for this class offers students from across disciplines the opportunity to work together to learn about children and the communities in which they live; children's health and wellbeing; child protection; children's voice; children's play and play places.  The notion that the health and wellbeing of children and young people is central to the advancement of society is a seminal theme in this class . 

In this class we introduce you to the key knowledge and key understandings that you will need to become a successful teacher of language, literacy and literature in the primary school. It will help you to understand the role of the teacher of language in three ways: 

The class is taught by means of lectures and tutorials. You will be expected to attend all of these, to read in order to extend your thinking and to take part in study groups.

You will be asked to complete a number of tasks in school to help consolidate your understanding of the complexities of teaching language, literature and literacy. 

This class is designed to provide students taking the BA Hons Education degree with an essential understanding of human learning processes and the needs of learners.

Learning involves fundamental psychological processes, such as cognitive, emotional, interpersonal and linguistic processes. Learning starts before birth and is continuous as learners develop and experience the world. Contextual influences also impact on learners, learning processes, and learning outcomes. In any educational setting, it's essential that fundamental human learning processes are understood and supported, and that learners can grow in conceptual understanding and experience emotional wellbeing.

This module will examine the processes involved in human learning, individual learners’ needs, and contextual influences upon learners and learning.

The following key themes will build the class content:

• Fundamentals of learning
• Making meaning together
• Theories of learning & learning processes
• Memory
• Language & learning
• Emotion in learning
• Motivation
• Self-regulation
• Development of scientific & mathematical knowledge
• Collaborative learning

You'll look at developing rationales for planning and sequence planning format. You'll also be expected to relate your learning to Curriculum for Excellence and to discuss the issues arising from each lecture.

Lectures and tutorials will involve preparing reading, undertaking independent and collaborative study and leading tutorial discussions and activities.  You'll be expected to work both independently and collaboratively with peers.  Comments and questions in addition to dialogue will be encouraged during tutorial sessions. 

This class will encourage you to self-regulate your learning. This is an active process where  knowledge about topics is researched by individuals or in  groups. You'll monitor and self regulate your ability to use this knowledge.  The class views learning as a proactive activity rather than something that happens in response to teaching by the tutor. 

In addition to the overarching theme of effective learning and teaching, the following key themes will build the class content:

• interaction and presentation
• classroom organisation
• task design
• developing positive classroom relationships
• inclusion and differentiation
• assessment and evaluation
• principles of planning
• issues of professionalism

This class will provide opportunities for student teachers to consider how children learn about mathematics and numeracy as well as helping student teachers to develop their own understanding of key mathematical processes.

You'll explore a variety of approaches to teaching and learning in mathematics and numeracy, and consider the implications of these approaches for classroom practice. You'll consider how to develop children’s skills in numeracy and mathematics and will study the progression of specific aspects as described in Curriculum for Excellence mathematics outcomes. You'll identify and make effective use of appropriate selected contexts and resources to stimulate children’s interest in, and enthusiasm for, mathematics. 

Furthermore, student teachers will use their school placement experience as a context through which to further develop their knowledge and skills, and to consolidate their understanding of curriculum content and teaching methodologies, in mathematics and numeracy in the primary school.

A wide range of interdisciplinary classes are offered in Year 2 and students can choose to continue with either their Year 1 subject or an IDL.

Course options include:

• Vertically Integrated Projects for Learning for Sustainability (LfS)*
• Child Protection
• Exploring Moral Ethical Issues
• Digital Learning
• Creative Contexts for Music

*Please note, there may be a limited capacity on projects

The purpose of this module is to provide students with a solid grounding in current approaches to designing and conducting social research. Before embarking on a chosen area of study for the dissertation project in fourth year, it is important that an understanding of the common techniques of academic inquiry and practitioner research is developed. This module will enable student teachers to conceptualise and design a worthwhile and achievable project, and to develop and support their understanding and application of research methods, with consideration for ethical issues. The acquisition of these skills will enhance their ability to employ methodologies appropriate to their research needs in fourth year, and as a teacher in the years beyond.

This module is positioned to build on key concepts and issues that underpin and develop thinking in relation to both Religious and Moral Education and Health and Wellbeing.  Issues such as relationships, resilience, emotional literacy, grief and loss education, multicultural education, critical and 'philosophical' thinking, exploring morality, and Education for Sustainability, all of which are important in the development of beliefs, values, and attitudes in a world in which our children and young people inhabit, will be explored. This module is designed to support student practitioners in providing a specific focus on health education and promoting the mental and emotional wellbeing of children.

The module covers five main topics within the computing, science and technologies sphere and is designed to give students the knowledge, confidence and skills to become an effective teacher in these areas. The five curricular areas are:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computing Science
• Physics
• Technology

The rationale for the module comes from several government policy and research documents which emphasise the need for a coherent plan or strategy in these areas in order to provide our children and society with the requisite skills to flourish in a modern and technological world. This module will not involve the teaching of mathematics as this is covered elsewhere in the degree, but aspects of these curricular areas relating to numeracy will be explored where appropriate.

The purpose of this module is to help students gain an understanding of how social subjects can be taught in a creative fashion. Social Studies includes topics related to the past, modern day, environmental concerns and location. In Scottish primary schools the following terms are used to organise the Social Studies curriculum:

• people, place and environment (Geography)
• people, past events and societies (History)
• people, society, economy and business (Modern Studies)

As well as focusing on these topics, the purpose of the module is to incorporate Learning for Sustainability into teaching practice. Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is concerned with knowing and understanding our world and about equipping children and young people with the values, knowledge, attitudes, capabilities, and skills that will enable them to contribute effectively to the common good. To replicate the school and early learning and childcare settings experience, we focus on global citizenship, outdoor learning, children’s rights, sustainable development education, international education and education for heritage.

The aim of this module is to help students develop an understanding of language learning and teaching, and the ways in which language knowledge, attitudes and skills are developed in practice. This module will look at the wider national and international policy contexts, including the pluralistic and pluriliteracies approaches to learning. Issues such as social justice, inclusion, English as an Additional Language (EAL), language immersion, and interdisciplinary approaches such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), will be explored.

This module aims to raise awareness of cultural diversity in a multilingual classroom, to equip student teachers with the core skills required for the teaching and learning of languages, and to develop their confidence so that language learning can be embedded within and across the curriculum.

This module builds on students’ existing knowledge and understanding of the important elements of effective learning and teaching. Students will be encouraged to work both independently and in collaboration with others. The programme focuses on enabling students:

• to identify, justify, apply, and evaluate a range of teaching approaches
• to develop a range of questioning and interaction strategies
• to demonstrate effective learning and teaching approaches through collaborative working in digital literacy
• to meet the needs of all learners through differentiated teaching approaches
• to plan and implement appropriate assessment strategies which recognise children’s achievements

Student choice is key to the 4th year experience. In this year of the programme, you’ll undertake core Education classes, while developing an area of professional expertise through your Professional Specialisation option. You’ll have a choice of dissertation topic and will be able to select one option to allow you to study one aspect of the profession in greater depth. For your final school placement, you’ll be able to choose the stage at which you are placed. Your choices should be based on your personal and professional development needs:

• Year 4 Pedagogy and Placement, including 11 weeks on school placement
• Protecting and Safeguarding Children: Role of the Primary Teacher
• Expressive Arts & Physical Wellbeing (Health and Wellbeing 2)
• Professional Specialisation
• Inclusive Practice in Literacy and Numeracy
• Dissertation