MN4W50 - Learning Through Organisations (2021/22)

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 will 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

Indicated LO addressed LO,LO2

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

Delivery of the module will consist of lectures and contextual seminars. 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.

Sessions 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. There might be opportunity for occasional industry related field trips to develop students’ understanding of practiced based work environment.

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

LO1. Demonstrate understanding, 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. Demonstrate understanding 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 will provide 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 of E-portfolio which will act as the scaffolding of professional performance episode reflection.

E-portfolio will include Individual Learning Plan and benchmarking of performance episode against Level 4 knowledge, skills, behaviours, personal effectiveness and competence outcome.

Performance episode reflective practice report (1500 words) will be based on the E-portfolio.
- 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.