Academic Year 2021 - 2022 BA3UK30O – Personalised Learning

1 Module overview

1.1. Introduction, aims and summary of content

Welcome to the Personalised Learning module. This foundation year module is to provide students with opportunities for academic and personal development, to prepare the student for undergraduate studies and to ensure they develop the skills to be a reflective and successful learner.

Students will have the opportunity to develop the core academic skills required for successful progression onto Level 4 as well as skills in reflective thinking and writing and learning the importance of planning and goal-setting for personal and academic development.

The module consists of a series of three-hour lectures and workshops which will use creative and engaging materials for classroom and independent study and for formative and summative assessments. The material covered in this module will help to develop skills in reflective thinking and writing, library use, academic reading, note-taking, academic writing and speaking skills; there will also be an introduction to plagiarism and referencing. The module will additionally focus on the understanding of individual learning needs as well as personal development planning and effective goal-setting.

Throughout the module, students will have opportunities to obtain feedback on their development through in- class activities as well as formative assignments; these will provide assistance with the formal summative assessment. Please note that this module will additionally support the other modules you do during the semester.

Teaching will be timetabled to support assessments with other modules being undertaken. As with any other module on a degree programme, the amount of benefit gained from the module is dependent on the amount of effort put in. This includes active participation in class discussions and group activities, contact with peers, contact sessions and regular visits to the Blackboard site for this module.

Full attendance is expected on this module. Latecomers, with a good reason, will be admitted up to one hour after the start of the seminar. Students who need to miss a class must email their tutor prior to the class. Unauthorised use of mobile phones will not be permitted during seminars.

This Study Guide provides important information about the structure, content, reading and assessment in this module. Please read it carefully and refer back to it throughout the semester. We hope that you find this module not only beneficial but also enjoyable

1.2. Learning outcomes to be assessed

By the end of the module students will be able:

LO1 To take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs

LO2 To take appropriate action to become an effective learner, appropriate to foundation level LO3 To implement a relevant study plan, agreed by your tutor

LO4 To prepare a personalised learning plan for level 4

Expectations

Specific expectations students can have of tutors:

• Helpfulness
• Professionalism
• Timely responses to queries and timely marking
• Knowledge of the subject area and how to apply knowledge to the business environment
• Good timekeeping
• Help with assessment preparation
• To make learning enjoyable and relevant

Specific expectations tutors will have of students:

• Full attendance at classes
• If you cannot attend to let the tutor know in good time
• Engagement in all course activities
• 152 hours of independent study
• Timely work submission
• Professional behaviour in and out of class
• Good communication with tutors/Course Leader should difficulties occur
• Constructive feedback where possible

As with other module on a degree programme, the amount of benefit that you will gain from the module is related to the amount of effort that you put in. This includes regular participation in seminars, contact with your peers, active participation in class discussions, and regular visits to the Blackboard and Ulearn sites.

1.3. Indicative Contact Hours

2.1. Summative assessment grid

2.2.  Assessment brief including criteria mapped to learning outcomes

There is one summative assessment comprising three parts:

• Part A - Reflective Journal (40%)
• Part B - Personal Learning and Development Plan (30%)
• Part C –Interview (30%)

This assessment will take place over weeks 8, 11, 12, 13.

Students will formatively submit the reflective journal in week 8 and the personal learning and development plan in week 11; there will be opportunities to obtain formative feedback on these. You will then have an interview with your tutor in weeks 12/13 to which you will have to bring your reflective journal with completed sections for each week and your completed personal learning and development plan. You will then submit both the reflective journal and the personal learning and development plan via Blackboard at the end of week 14. The grade for this assessment will be based on fulfilling all three parts of the assessment. Formative assessment will take place in weeks 8 and 11 Summative assessment will take place in weeks 12/13 You must achieve a minimum mark of 40% to pass the module and achieve 20 academic credits at Level 3. For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access online feedback, please refer to the UWL Blackboard studenthelp pages at:LO1 To take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs http://www.uwl.ac.uk/blackboardhelp

3. Assessment Breakdown

3.1. Assessment 1 Part A – Reflective Journal

Starting from week one, you will keep a weekly journal of what is discussed, what skills are learnt from each session and what you can do to further improve on and develop these skills. Students will be provided with a template, made available on Blackboard, on which to record journal entries. This journal will be submitted, via Blackboard, for formative feedback at the end of week eight. This feedback will provide you with the opportunity to improve your work before final submission in week 14.

Weighting: 40%

Learning Outcomes Assessed:

• LO1 to take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs
• LO2 To take appropriate action to become an effective learner, appropriate to foundation level

Date/time/method of submission:

Formative submission via Blackboard at the end of week 8. The exact date will be confirmed on Blackboard. Word count or equivalent: 1200 words (plus or minus 10%)

Assessment criteria:

3.2. Assessment 1 Part B and C – Personalised Learning and Development Plan

This assessment will take place in weeks 11, 12, and 13. Students will formatively submit, via Blackboard, a written Personal and Academic Development Plan in week 11 on which there will be an opportunity to obtain feedback. They will then have a recorded Interview with their tutor in weeks 12/13; this will be a discussion of their academic and personal development. Students must bring their completed reflective journal and personal learning and development plan to this interview for discussion. The reflective journal and personal learning and development plan must be submitted, via Blackboard, at the end of week 14

Weighting: 60%

Learning Outcomes assessed:

• LO1 To take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs
• LO2 To take appropriate action to become an effective learner, appropriate to foundation level
• LO3 To implement a relevant study plan, agreed by your tutor
• LO4 To prepare a personalised learning plan for level 4

Date/time/method of submission:

Week 8/11 – Formative Personal Learning and Development Plan via Blackboard for feedback Weeks 12/13 – Summative Interview with tutor in seminars

Week 14 – Summative Reflective Journal and Personal Learning and Development Plan via Blackboard

Part B – Personal Learning and Development Plan

Students will be required to write a personal learning and development plan; this plan is a process of self-analysis, personal reflection and honest appraisal of your current strengths and areas that need to be improved and developed with time. This should enable you to evaluate the value of the skills developed throughout this module and others during the semester, and to focus on the development of skills required for level 4.

A PDP has three stages:

Stage 1 – Analysis. The first stage is designed to analyse your strengths and weaknesses and consider your learning needs. You will be able to draw from the skills developed during your first semester at university as well as activities that you are involved in outside of university. These should be supplemented by the perceived opportunities that will have been derived from your experience and any possible threats to your continued success

Stage 2 – Setting Goals. This involves setting new and clearly definable goals for yourself that are realistic, achievable and measurable.

Stage 3 – Personal Objectives. This involves setting out your personal objectives which could look ahead to the long term, and your objectives after completion of your university studies. LO1 To take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs

A template to use for your plan will be uploaded to Blackboard. This will be made available as a word document. There also will be opportunities, in seminars, to discuss this in class and obtain feedback from your tutor.

Assessment criteria:

Part C – Interview with Tutor

You will need to bring your completed reflective journal and personal learning and development plan: you will also need to prepare a 3–5-minute presentation based on these to a pre-arranged interview (no slides are required). The tutor will listen to the presentation and ask questions about the reflective journal and plan. This interview will be recorded.

There will be opportunities to discuss the interview process and obtain feedback in class.

Assessment criteria:

The marking scheme for this is assignment will use the following criteria to determine grades:

Marking scheme:

The reading list for this module is available on Blackboard in the module area or contact the Librarian: Lucy BirchDetails of the planned weekly teaching activities will be posted on Blackboard and Ulearn in advance. Please ensure you check Blackboard and Ulearn on a regular basis.

Remember to log into Blackboard and Ulearn daily to receive all the latest news and support available at your module sites!

Subject guides are also available to help you find relevant information for assignments, with contact details of the Academic Support Librarian for your School.

Essential Reading

Weerawardene, D & Byrne, P (2021) Academic development and Employability. Hampshire: Pearson.

Recommended Reading

Aish, F., Tomlinson, J. (2013). Lectures: Learn listening and note-taking skills 1st Ed. London: Collins EAP

Byrne, P (2021) Business Skills for the 21st Century. UK Pearson. Cameron, S. (2016) The Business Students Handbook 6th Ed; Pearson

Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Dowson, P. (2015) Personal & Professional Development for Business Students 1st Ed; Sage

Gallagher, K. (2012) Skills Development for Business and Management Students. 2nd ed. Oxford: OUP

Lumley, M., Wilkinson, J. (2013) Developing Employability for Business. Oxford: OUP McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2011) How to write Essays and Assignments 2nd Ed; Pearson

McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2013) How to Cite, Reference & avoid plagiarism at University, 1st Ed; Pearson

McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2014) How to write for University: Academic Writing for Success 1st Ed Pearson

5. Things you need to know

5.1. Engagement

Teaching during the academic year 2021-22 will be conducted using the UWL Flex model and Ulearn and may involve a range of on site and online teaching and learning activities. Whether you are engaging with teaching and learning activities on site or via Ulearn, we expect the same level of commitment and engagement from you. If you are unable to attend scheduled on site or online activities or complete activities in the time frames set out, you should let your tutors know. You should aim to stick to assessment deadlines; if you are concerned that you will not be able to complete your assessments on time, you should talk to your tutors. Your engagement, whether online or on site, will be tracked and if we see that you are not engaging, we will get in contact with you. However, we encourage you to let us know if you are having problems so we can work with you to find solutions and get you back on track as soon as possible. Give yourself the best possible chance to succeed by engaging with the full range of learning and teaching activities available to you.

All students should refer to the Attendance and Engagement Monitoring Policy particularly if your course is accredited by a professional body, or if you are an International student on a Tier-4 visa, or a student on an Apprenticeship course which have additional requirements. LO1 To take account of your strengths and weaknesses as a foundation level learner and address your learning needs