module specification

This Professional Practice module will enhance the students’ understanding of what it means to be a business professional. This module will support the preparation for their future career by encouraging them to develop, put into practice and evidence the skills and behaviours that employers want to see.

The ‘Professional Practice’ approach ensures that as a developing professional the students understand how to learn effectively and efficiently either in the workplace or in a simulated context. They also learn how to use all the resources available to reflect on their progress. This module involves planning, conducting and reflecting on their own ‘performance episodes*’ and a more general reflection on their overall professional development to date. The written reports and reflections become part of their growth and productivity E-portfolio** which they will maintain throughout their programme.

In addition, they will have the opportunity to test, review and evidence their skills development via the on-line resources provided throughout the programme, which support the general skills required by employers. As such this module aims to,

1. Build understanding of the expected workplace knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes so that they become intrinsic performance and growth motivators.

2. Ensure the adoption of skills, attitudes and behaviours that improve self-awareness to aid reflective practice.

*A performance episode is defined as an initiative that the students take, made up of tasks, which develops their skills, and which involves both selecting knowledge from the programme and interacting with others. It must be measurable so that they are able to reflect on their professional skills development.

** The growth and productivity E-portfolio is a digital internet-based tool within which they can store all evidence of their work, feedback from stakeholders, their reflections and their Individual Development Plan (IDP). It allows them to share their journey with others and to organise elements of it to help them progress further.

Standard university requirements for Level 4 entry

• Knowledge, skills and behaviour assessment LO1&2
• Work context analysis LO1&2
• Learning processes and Learning trajectories as vital to career WBL LO1&2
• The nature of professional knowledge LO1&2
• Using knowledge in practice LO1&2
• Reflective practice LO1&2

Delivery of the module will consist of 3-hour workshops. The module will be student centred. Students will be encouraged to reflect and discuss in addition to module materials including newspapers, textbooks and on-line sources to identify aspects relevant to their areas of study.

Workshops will provide the opportunity for the whole class to come together and to interact with the lecturer who will provide the theories and help to expedite the student’s professional development.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

LO1. Understand, review and reflect upon the skills, behaviours and attitudes needed to perform current and/or future roles within the profession and demonstrate an ability to self-organise and communicate information clearly and effectively.

LO2. Identify the use of stakeholder feedback and self-review as a source of reflection and further learning and challenges.

The assessment strategy is based on transparency between staff and students on the basis on which academic judgements are made. Briefings at the beginning of the module, every assignment brief and every feedback sheet will include the grading schedule, which contains detailed descriptors on how student achievement of specified learning outcomes translates into grades.

Students will receive formative feedback, together with summative feedback at designated points. Students will be offered the opportunity to discuss the formative feedback in class. This helps prepare students for the first summative assignment.

Ongoing in-class and in-person feedback together with the structured summative assignment feedback sheets provide multiple opportunities for students to develop an understanding of the subject and the necessary skills to demonstrate, good academic practice. The students will be able to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. This module is assessed through the completion and reflection on one performance episode scoped out and implemented through an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and process.

A1: Individual Learning Plan (in the form of a completed template that will be provided) including skills and context audit and benchmarking of performance episode against Level 4 knowledge, skills, behaviours, personal effectiveness and competence outcome.

A2: Performance episode reflective practice report (2500 words)
- to include in the appendices supporting evidence of actual completion of tasks associated with performance episode and the original varied feedback from a variety of relevant sources that is referred to in the reflective practice report.

Textbooks:

Core Texts:

Armstrong, M. (2017) How to be an Even Better Manager: A Complete A-Z of Proven Techniques and Essential Skills. 10th edn, London: Kogan Page.

Bolton, G. (2018) Reflective Practice; Writing and Professional Development. 5th edn. London: Sage.                                             

Other Texts:

Durrant, A., Rhodes, G. and Young, D. (2011) Getting started with university-level work based learning. UK: Middlesex University Press.
 
Owen, J. (2017) The Mindset of Success: Accelerate Your Career from Good Manager to Great Leader. 2nd edn. London: Kogan Page.

Journals:

Journal of Higher Education, Skills and Work based Learning
Journal of Management Learning
Journal of Management Learning

Academic and Professional Articles:

Raelin, J.A. (1997) ‘A model of work-based learning’, Organization Science, 8(6), pp.563-578.

Journal of Higher Education, Skills and Work based Learning
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/loi/heswbl

Journal of Management Learning
mlq.sagepub.com/

Academy of Management Learning and Education
http://aom.org/Publications/AMLE/Academy-of-Management-Learning---Education.aspx

Websites: to be provided in class/Weblearn

Electronic Databases: to be provided in class/Weblearn

Social Media Source: to be provided in class/Weblearn