Teaching Diploma Level 5

Who is this course for?

The course is aimed at those in a full teaching role within the Lifelong Learning Sector

What will I do on the course?

You will study 5 modules in year 1 and 4 modules in year 2. All modules are designed to develop practical learning and teaching skills and develop knowledge related to your role as a teacher within the sector. Content includes planning, delivering and assessing learning to meet individual needs, theories of learning and assessment, curriculum design, professionalism and CPD.

What qualifications do I need?

A minimum of Level 2 in literacy and a Level 3 qualification or equivalent in the subject area relevant to your teaching. Equivalence will be utilised in specialisms where no Level 3 qualification exists.

When does the course start?

September

Where is it held?

Various campuses – please enquire for details

How long does the course last?

2 years

What could I do after completing the course?

Progression to BA (Hons) Education in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Work towards QTLS status

How will I be assessed?

Assessment is via a mixture written assignment work and practical activities related to your teaching role. For each module there will also be an assessed observation of your teaching practice.

What equipment will I need?

Normal classroom equipment and access to a computer/internet

Are there any additional costs?

No

Employability

The uptake of the PTLLS/CTLLS/DTLLS suite of qualifications by the FE and Work-based learning sector was due to the previous government's mandate, which was outlined in the 'Success for All' document; it was intended that by 2010 all existing teachers without a recognised teaching qualification would become qualified. There were two strands to the reforms, defined through two separate but complementary sets of Regulations: 1.Revised teaching qualifications for new teachers and the introduction of licensed Practitioner status, which differentiate between Full and Associate teaching roles (QTLS = Qualified Teacher, Learning & Skills and ATLS = Associate Teacher, Learning & Skills) 2.Remaining in' good standing' as a teaching professional, involving a mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement for all teachers. The Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector could help you progress in a role as a: full teacher in further, adult and community education, for example, as a further education lecturer full teacher in work-based learning - full teacher in the voluntary sector. This Diploma also qualifies you for Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. To gain full QTLS status, the next step after taking this qualification is to go through the process of professional formation with the Institute for Learning (IfL). Once you've achieved QTLS status, you can meet your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement through an Award in Developing Embedded Approaches to Literacy, Language and Numeracy.



If you decide you would like to specialise in teaching Mathematics or English after taking the DTLLS qualification, you could progress on to an Additional Diploma:

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• Additional Diploma in Teaching Mathematics (Numeracy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
• Additional Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
• Additional Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
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Accreditation

Diploma in Teaching and Lifelong Learning is accredited by Staffordshire University.The award is highly vocational which means much of the learning is ?hands-on? with students working in a relevant teaching & learning enviroment. The grade points that you receive for each individual assessment will be used to determine the overall grade point that you are awarded for each module by the appropriate Assessment Board. As well as being marked by the module tutor, students' work is also 'internally moderated' (sample second marked, including all fails and firsts) as well as 'externally moderated' by a subject based 'external examiner' – always someone who is an expert in the field, and usually a senior academic at another university. The external examiner is responsible for ensuring that the marking is appropriate across the range of modules comprising a particular subject area, and that the standards achieved by students on those modules are comparable with those of students on similar awards at other universities, as well as with the level and subject benchmarks established at national level. Assessment Boards, attended by the relevant external examiner(s), confirm the marks for all modules in the programme. The Progress Review Board looks at credit profiles by individual students, and may invite students who have failed any modules at that point of the academic year to resubmit/resit the assessment(s) in due course.

The Award Board confirms the module marks achieved by each student and determines the date by which any failed modules must be recovered.

Assessment

The programme employs a broad range of assessments including essays, examinations, poster presentations, reports, log-books, portfolios, data worksheets, audits and reviews, case studies, reflective journals. This is to:

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• ensure that learning outcomes are tested in the most appropriate way;
• reflect the sorts of materials graduates will be asked to prepare in future careers;
• recognise that students have different abilities and demonstrate their competencies in differing ways.
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Although the vocational and skills-based nature of the programme and its delivery means that the emphasis is on coursework, formal examinations and class-tests are also used to assess knowledge-based modules across both levels. The grade points that you receive for each individual assessment will be used to determine the overall grade point that you are awarded for each module by the appropriate Assessment Board. As well as being marked by the module tutor, students' work at Level 5 is also 'internally moderated' (sample second marked, including all fails and firsts) as well as 'externally moderated' by a subject based 'external examiner' – always someone who is an expert in the field, and usually a senior academic at another university. Evidence is tracked on e-tracker and Blackboard. Monitoring takes place via the College's and University's quality process systems. All learners are expected to have a work based mentor. The role of a mentor is crucial to the success of a work based learning programme. Mentoring can provide an opportunity for employee development which is both motivating and challenging. A mentor may facilitate the students' work based experience and activities, for example, by providing access to necessary documentation and resources or negotiating and/or liaising with other colleagues, managers and/or agencies as appropriate.

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• Assessment of Professional Practice in the workplace is a requirement from LSIS and includes a minimum of 100 hours teaching in the LLS and should cover a breadth of teaching environments. It also includes eight formally observed teaching (excluding any observation/micro teach for PTLLS) sessions, of at least 30 minutes' duration, as well as the evidence of planning, resourcing, assessing and evaluation which feeds into the assessment component below. It is the associated informed critical reflection assessments that carry the weightings.
• Portfolios of evidence form essential components in the assessment of practical teaching abilities and participants are required to submit a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that LLUK Standards have been achieved.
• Design and evaluation tasks, such as the development and evaluation of session plans, teaching materials and assessment schemes.
• Research tasks, such as organisation-based studies emanating from the work on educational and professional issues.
• Critical Evaluation of teaching materials, course plans and organisation-wide issues on the basis of evidence collected during their professional experience.
• An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) which will underpin participants' personal engagement with the awards as well as demonstrating their self evaluation and development in Language, Numeracy and ICT.
• Presentations provide opportunities for sharing information and evaluating a range of learning and teaching strategies.
• Written assignments it is essential that participants evidence links between theory and practice and awards will include written assignments using Harvard referencing.
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Teaching and Learning

A distinctive element of initial teacher education Awards (LLS) is that trainees are able enrol on one of three awards – dependent on the award that is most suited to their current teaching role.

The learning, teaching and assessment strategy has been carefully developed for these awards. The awards recognise that participants bring with them a wealth of practical experience and detailed knowledge of specific contexts to share with others. The awards therefore provide practical contexts for the analysis of contemporary issues and problems of a practical nature. This will inform their practice, enabling critical reflection and development of a full range of transferable professional skills. The following strategy will be adopted to ensure that participants have a supportive learning and teaching environment. In general, all modules will include traditional learning material, such as hand-outs and reading material. Alongside this, electronic presentations and learning materials will be made available. In addition to this, at appropriate points in the year, participants will be briefed on assignments, which include clearly defined and varied assessment criteria. Knowledge and Understanding is acquired through online interaction, tutor presentations; individual tutorials, discursive seminars and workshops in order to facilitate informed critical reflection. In addition to this, the individual will engage with mentors and peers; as well as developing independent study skills to enable participants to develop their career prospects. Key transferable skills such as analysis, evaluation and professionalism are developed through practical workshops. Work-based activities establish connections between the workplace and issues raised by the programme; professional collaboration, development of interpersonal skills such as the capacity to plan, share goals, and work as a member of a team.



The Awards are delivered, using a variety of delivery modes, in nine of the University's partnership organisations; thereby making them extremely accessible.The following are the learning and teaching aims which may be applied across the range of modules in the awards. These aims;

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• Personal and professional skills to facilitate career progression
• Encourage participants to take responsibility for developing their approaches to learning, reflection and research
• Facilitate participants' learning by seeking to make available a range of learning methods, including classroom contact, blended learning and study packs
• Encourage use of mentors and tutors to maximise the participants' educational experience
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