The module takes place over 10 weeks with a two-hour face to face session each week. These sessions will combine expert input with regular opportunity for learners to apply concepts and methods to real-world contexts, including their own. This will be supported by examples, case studies, discussion and participatory pedagogic research.  The face to face sessions will be supported by reading, video and on-line material and will be interactive, using elements of team-based learning (TBL) to help students learn independently and from each other. Typically, a taught session would require some independent study of the available resources in advance and would include individual and group activity in the classroom. Each of the three theoretical approaches (neuroscience, psychology and sociocultural) will be introduced and then used as a theoretical lens to examine educational practice and your experience. For each approach you will also have a chance to participate in educational research techniques typical of that approach. For example, you may undertake memory testing tasks used by neuroscientists and complete learning inventories or confidence scales used by psychologists. You will also experience observational study of both video material and your own practice as used to investigate education in a sociocultural context. 

Each of the three theoretical approaches will have a short assignment based around you applying the theoretical lens to examine an educational topic of interest and relevance to you, which will be submitted for formative feedback.  You will do three of these formative tasks applying the three different theoretical lenses to the same or different areas of teaching and learning relevant to you. You will receive feedback on each task as the module progresses; these tasks will then form the basis of a final summatively assessed task which integrates the three previous formative submissions and draws some brief final conclusions or recommendations. This final assessment will be a group presentation using two or more examples from the groups’ formative assignments to present a comparative study using the theoretical lenses to analyse the teaching and learning and formulate recommendations. This may be done as a ‘live’ presentation or by presenting a short video. In addition to this all students will complete a short reflective diary of their learning throughout the module. This will both inform the assignments and will be used to give a mark for individual insight and engagement. 

There will be a combination of interactive lectures and individual independent learning, supported by case studies and discussion. There will also be an opportunity to engage in educational experiments and individual/group learning tasks. 

You will receive informal formative feedback on participation in class activities, and there will be regular formative feedback on classroom quizzes. You will also receive formative feedback from the module tutors following submission of your drafts for each of the topic-based assignments, and summative feedback on your final submissions.