The programme is linked to institution-based enquiry. A balance is sought between skills acquisition in undertaking research into practice, and knowledge creation and theory generation. This programme draws from the dominant discourses in education today of, ‘the competent teacher’ and ‘the reflective practitioner’ and seeks a synthesis between the two. It is premised on an ‘emancipatory’ notion of teachers’ professionalism in which contextualising and theorising are conducted at the same time. Implicit in this pursuit is the integration of theory and practice. Thus, the process of knowledge creation is linked with practice, not independent of it.
The two main areas of study within the programme are: Understanding Pedagogy and its Impact on Learning, and Research Methods and Evidence-informed Practice. The first area, Understanding Pedagogy, explores participants’ professional identity through an investigation of their professional history in order to illuminate and identify future areas of development. Professional values are identified in the context of practice. It is intended to provide participants with increased knowledge about what we know about pedagogy with reference to both primary and secondary school learners.
The Research Methods area of study is intended to up-skill participants as practitioner researchers and enquirers of selected aspects of pedagogical practice. This ingredient of the programme requires participants to adopt the mode of critical enquiry and to explore, through research, an aspect of practice and report research findings through the writing of academic papers, journals, and portfolios.
Overall, the programme introduces and builds on pedagogical practice within the context of differential learning. This includes the development of theoretical and professional understanding of needs of different groups of learners in schools, for example: high attaining students’, lower attaining students and students with special educational needs.
