EPDM01 Development of Learning: A Case Study

Assignment One Proposal

Deadline: as indicated for your cohort in the module space

NAME:

ROUTE: PGCE/SCITT-PGCert/MA (delete as applicable)

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

This activity is designed to help you focus your thinking as early as possible before you
begin the main case study itself - and is intended to be an indicative document as well as
forming the basis for discussions with your tutor as it will identify how you propose to design
and implement your methodology.

The proposal will review your developmental understanding of the school or college in which
you are based, the learning issue central to your case study, the support process/es at the
root of your work, and the pupils who benefit from it. You will identify key texts to be used in
your final case study while you will also outline your set methodology for collecting data for
this research project.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Knowledge

1. Ability to design and carry out a research project that highlights your critical understanding of
the importance of supporting children and students in education settings

2. An understanding of the importance of interventions available to teachers in this area.

3. A critical understanding of a key educational theme applicable to your age phase.

Skills

4. Identification of an appropriate approach and context on which to base a case study.

5. Awareness of the role played in individuals learning by the teacher, teaching assistants etc.
within the context of the educational system, policies and legislation.

6. The brief review of an indicative body of literature appropriate to the situation identified for
the case.
 1) Pen portrait of your chosen focus for this study.
The central support process in which I will be focusing on for my case study would be
English as an Additional Language support (EAL). The EAL support process is in place to
support pupils from all years where English is not there home or first language. With my
school being located in Hong Kong where the majority of the population are of Chinese
desent, this support process has been in place since the establishment of the school 3
years ago. I work In the school as a teaching assistant in a year 5 class so it would be
natural for me to choose the pupils from within my class who would be needing EAL
support as my selected cohorts. (119 words)

2) Provide information on the context, including support staff.

The school where I will be basing my research study on is an International school in

Hong Kong with over 1000 pupils spread across primary and secondary. Pupils have a
choice of either learning Mandarin or Spanish in their language classes so it makes
sense to

Here is where you provide more information on the school, the staff, and the structure
of the process itself - but again be careful not to name the school or any individuals
directly.
3) Provide information on the learning issue or need itself.

Here you should provide a more in-depth mini-analysis and explanation (though
nothing too extensive at this point) of the learning issue or need and how it directly
impacts learning (for instance it could lead to underachieving, individuals becoming de-
motivated, or cause behavioural issues, etc.). You can also provide information on how
particular factors are likely to impact on learners for example, if you are talking
about poor literacy skills, you need to show that you have considered how poor
literacy skills will impact on the educational experience of the individuals concerned.

Here you should focus closely on the learning issue or need and how it impacts
learning but you should also reference literature here to show that you have already
engaged with critical thinking at this early point.

4) Provide information on your indicated literature.

Here you need to present a brief overview of the literature available that is relevant to
your study - though not a full literature review at this point. This can come from
books, academic papers, on-line references, school documents, government
legislation, etc. At this stage you only really need to identify your literature and say
briefly why it will be useful but it does need to be more than just a list.

You need to show that you are engaging with specific literature and the theories
contained within it so here is where you make it clear that you have done some
preliminary background reading to support your research and eventual case study.
5) Provide information on your methodology.

Here is where you outline the methodological processes in place for your study -
focusing on what you are going to study and how you are going to go about it. This
could come from observing central practices, looking at achievement records or other
data, talking to teachers, providing questionnaires, etc. - but data should not come
from the testing or interviewing of pupils or of talking with the pupils directly about
the support process. As ever, the focus is on the support process and how it supports
and develops learning and not about the individuals themselves.

Here is where you tell us how you are going to collect the information you need but you
may also state what you decided not to do and why not. Please note that you should
refer to research methods text books/journals/models (etc.) for this section.

6) Any specific issues to address in order to fulfil the study

The information you provide here will depend entirely on your specific case study. You
may not need to say anything, but if there are any specific issues (like having to talk to
the support teacher only on Wednesdays) then this can be included here.

7) Ethical considerations

Here you need to acknowledge that your study is ethical (in accordance with BERA
guidelines) and that you are doing nothing in your study that would not have
happened anyway (for example, you must not experiment on pupils or seek to
influence the processes and outcomes in any way). You should also ensure that your
proposal (and your study) and any notes you make are kept completely anonymous
and you do not name specific individuals or the school itself anywhere in your work.