Overview

This 30 week module provides an opportunity for the student to demonstrate critical and creative thinking through their approach to developing specific learning outcomes and the achievement of these through practice-based initiatives; this will have relevance to their own practice in order to enhance their own professional standing. This module enables the student to demonstrate their ability to make informed judgements about practice based issues and communicate ideas to their work-based learning facilitator (as appropriate), specialist and non-specialist fellow professionals. Evaluative reflection will be integral to this in determining further and future learning needs.

Module aims

The module will allow the student, in consultation with an educational/work-based supervisor, to:

• Develop and execute a personal learning plan in a chosen area of healthcare practice and be assessed on the evidence provided, against learning outcomes previously negotiated within a tripartite format.

• Plan, undertake and critically evaluate a practice based initiative, which may include achievement of practice based competencies, project work, literature review or extended audit, and synthesise understanding from it.

• Develop personal and professional skills and self-efficacy.

Entry requirements

• Hold current first level Professional Registration with a relevant regulatory body e.g. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC); Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC); General Social Care Council (GSCC).

• Have an identified work-based facilitator within their practice area, who will support and guide them through the acquisition of the developed learning outcomes (as appropriate to the programme agreed) 

Module content

The module learning outcomes are attained through the achievement of an assignment that is tailored to relate to the student's professional clinical needs; it is envisaged that this will be portfolio driven, but this is not compulsory.

There will be a tripartite meeting between the student, module leader and identified work-based facilitator (as relevant - this may be Skype/Email/Teleconference as dictated by the accessibility) to develop and agree the specific area for exploration, followed by a period of planned, self-directed learning supported, as requested by the student.

A key element of the module is self-study as there is no requirement to attend the University for taught content.  Individual tutorial support is offered through the School’s academic mentoring system and the module leader will work with individuals and their work-based supervisor /employing organisation to devise the necessary competencies for achievement of the learning outcomes.  Relevant learning resources are made available to students through the Keele Learning Environment.

This Keele module is distinctive because it centres on the individual’s professional development and learning in their own workplace under the supervision of a work-based clinician and their academic mentor, while facilitating practice development.

Teaching and assessment

The principal learning and teaching methods used in the module may include:

• Web-based learning using the Keele Learning Environment (KLE), Blackboard. 

• Directed independent study. Most of the study hours for each module comprise independent learning by expecting participants to add depth and breadth to their knowledge of topics, to practice skills and to reflect on critical incidents and their practice.