Department of Teacher Education
Education Beyond the Classroom
Module Handbook
TEUT500004
Education Studies
2015
Module Focus
The purpose of this module is to enable students to appreciate the value of
education beyond the classroom, including informal learning, online learning and
educational visits. The module will develop an understanding of the benefits and
challenges involved in organising and creating opportunities for the whole concept of
education beyond the classroom. Learners will consider advantages and
disadvantages of the concept, as well as exploring the health and safety and
legislative requirements in place when organising an educational visit or use of the
local community.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of the module you will:
1. Describe the benefits of educational visits in terms of academic, social and life
skills development.
2. Examine the guidelines and procedures for organising educational visits.
3. Analyse the effective use of IT to develop learning beyond the classroom.
4. Evaluate the learning experience provided by an educational visit.
5. Relate relevant learning theories to learning outside the classroom, including the
use of IT.
6. Demonstrate the skills required to organise an educational visit.
7. To identify own learning strengths and needs using feedback from on-going
formative assessments and final summative assessment
8. To communicate appropriately in group discussions and as an individual
9. To engage in learning activities to enhance a co-operative approach to learning
10. To effectively use basic IT skills and the Moodle VLE site to enhance learning
Module staff
Richard Nelson
07415 574292
[email protected]
Julie Ward
01274 438919
[email protected]
2
Teaching methods
The module is taught with lectures, tutorials and practical group tasks.
Sessions will provide an introduction to and explanation of the principles
and indicative content, making connections between theory and practice.
Students will also be involved in active learning involving group work,
where they can explore the links between theory and practice in greater
detail. Concepts, principles and theories will be developed through
lectures and workshop sessions. Visits to off-site centres for learning
and the examination of the resources provided will be used to evaluate
the provision available and provide the forum for comparative study.
The module will also be supported via the Moodle site and will adhere to
university minimum threshold standards. Students will be given access
to lecture notes, presentations and hand-outs and will also be
encouraged to use the learning forums, discussing concepts with peers
and tutors.
Attendance
Regular attendance is required at all elements of this module and your
tutor will keep a register. Further details regarding absenteeism may be
found in the Student Handbook for the Department of Teacher Education
(please refer to ‘The Most Commonly Asked Questions and Issues for
Students’ and Student responsibilities: Attendance.) It is the
responsibility of individual students to catch up on missed work and
tutors will support this where appropriate.
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Department of Teacher Education
LEARNING PROGRAMME
Module Title:
Week Date
1
Education Beyond the Classroom
Focus
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
26.02 What has Education
done for you?
Why have educational
visits?
2
5.03
Balancing challenge
and risk
Following guidelines
3
 Define the term
‘education’
 Recognise the range of
resources available in
education
 Reflect on the effects of
educational opportunities
on their current position
 Describe the benefits of
educational visits in terms
of academic, social and
life skills development.
 Evaluate the resources
available in an alternative
learning environment
 Examine the guidelines
and procedures for
organising educational
visits.
 Discuss Health and Safety
issues
 Analyse the effective use
of IT to develop learning
beyond the classroom.
12.03 Visit to Harlow Carr
4
4
19.03 Assignment Visit time
Tap
Day
5
 Evaluate the learning
experience provided by an
educational visit.
 Group seminar on findings
from visit to Harlow Carr
 To communicate
appropriately in group
discussions and as an
individual
26.03 Visit National Media
Museum
Assign groups and
begin group project
Easter
Easter
6
 Relate relevant learning
theories to learning
outside the classroom,
including the use of IT.
 To communicate
appropriately in group
discussions and as an
individual
16.04 Evaluation of
independent visit
Links to theory
7
23.04 Visit Nottingham
 Evaluate the learning
experience provided by an
educational visit.
 Analyse the effective use
of IT to develop learning
beyond the classroom.
8
30.04 Work planning for own
visit
 Demonstrate the skills
required to organise an
educational visit.
 Engage in learning
activities to enhance a cooperative approach to
learning
5
 Demonstrate the skills
required to organise an
educational visit.
 Effectively use basic IT
skills and the Moodle VLE
site to enhance learning
9
07.05 Group visits
(Groups to carry out
their visits)
10
14.05 Group visit evaluations
Assignment workshop
6
 Support for any work
covered to date and to
help inform assignments
 Effectively use basic IT
skills and the Moodle VLE
site to enhance learning
FORMAL ASSESSMENT
Module Title:
Education Beyond the Classroom
Module Leader:
Richard Nelson
Type of Assignment: Essay
Distribution Date:
First session of the module
Submission Date:
Thursday 21st May, 2015, by 12 noon.
To be Submitted to: Moodle
Question(s)/Tasks:
Component 1 – 50% essay 1750 words.
Draft Date: 16th April 2015
Education outside the classroom is considered a valuable addition to the
learning process. Discuss the learning it promotes using relevant theory
and the benefits and disadvantages both the pupils/students and
teaching/support staff. In this assignment students will consider the
potential benefits and challenges encountered when undertaking
educational visits.
This will include their ability to discuss relevant theoretical principles and
concepts and use specialist vocabulary. (LO1,2,3)
Component 2 – 50% report 1750 words.
This will be in the form of a report that reflects on a chosen educational
visit. The report should assess the value of their visit to a chosen
educational venue to a specified age group. (LO4-9)
Note:
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of other people’s work and will
be penalised by a mark of zero and at Stage III may result in even more
serious consequences.
Late Submission without appropriate extension may result in your work
not being marked.
Referencing must be the Harvard system of referencing where
appropriate.
Word length: You will be penalised for essays that are over long.
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Indicative reading.
Bilton, H. (2010) Outdoor Learning in the Early Years (3rd Edition)
London: Routledge
(available on Moodle)
DfEE (1998) Health & Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits- a good
practice guide
DfES (2001) Health & Safety for Pupils on Educational Visits Sudbury:
DfES
DfES (2001) Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto Sudbury: DfES
Exeter, D. (2001) Learning in the Outdoors The Outward Bound Trust
Hein, G. (1998) Learning in the Museum Routledge: Oxford
Hooper-Greenhill, E. (2007) Museums & Education Routledge: Oxford
HSE (2011) School trips and outdoor learning activities: Tackling the
health and safety myths
(available on Moodle)
Peacock, A. (2010) Changing Minds: The lasting impact of school trips
University of Exeter &
National Trust
(available on Moodle)
Pumpian, I., Fisher, D., Wachowiak, S. (2006) Challenging the
classroom standard through museum based education (School in the
Park) Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: New Jersey
Sharp, J., Ward, S. & Hankin, L. (2006) Education Studies: An Issue
Based Approach Exeter:
Learning Matters
Tallboys, G. (2010) Using Museums as an Educational Resource
Farnham: Ashgate
(available on Moodle)
Trant, J. (2010) Successful School Trips Longman: London
Tovey, H. (2007) Playing Outdoors – Spaces, Places, Risk & Challenge
Open University Press;
Maidenhead
Watson, S., Dodd, J. & Jones, C. (2007) Engage, Learn, Achieve - The
impact of museum visits
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on the attainment of secondary pupils in the East of England 20062007
University of Leicester : RCMG
(available on Moodle)
White, J. (2007) Playing & Learning Outdoors: making provision for highquality experiences in the
outdoor environment London: Routledge
(available
on
Moodle)
Wilkinson, S., Clive, S. (2001) Developing Cross curricular learning in
museums & galleries Stoke: Trentham
Journal Articles:
Peacock, A. (2000) What education do you miss by going to school?
Children’s ‘coming-to-knowing’ about science and their environment.
Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education. 31, 2/3, 197-210
Useful Websites
(Links to the most relevant pages on the following websites are available
through Moodle)
HSE (Health & Safety Executive) www.hse.gov.uk
Council for Learning Outside the Classroom www.lotc.org.uk
OEAP (Outdoor Education Advisors Panel) www.oeap.info
ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) www.rospa.com
Schools Linking Network www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk
GEM (Group for Education in Museums) www.gem.org.uk
Museums Association www.museumsassociation.org
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Student Module Evaluation questionnaire
In order to maintain standards and in the interests of continuous improvement please can you provide feedback on this
module
Module title ___________________________________________
Date: _______________
Course ______________________________________________
Student comments
Module Content
Please comment on the:



Appropriateness of learning outcomes
Coverage of learning outcomes
Comparison of course content to
expectations
Are there any areas of the module which could be
improved?
Teaching methods and delivery
Please comment on the teaching:





Methods used
How interesting you found it
How your skills, knowledge and
understanding were extended
Appropriateness of methods
Working relationships
Are there any aspects of the teaching and learning in
this module which could be improved?
Assessment strategy
Was the assessment strategy:



Appropriate for the module
Content of assessment package suitable
Comparable with other modules
How could assessment of this module be improved?
Resources
Please comment on:
 Adequacy of rooms (location, size etc)
 Adequacy of equipment required
 Resource requirements
Are there any aspects of the resourcing of this
module which could be improved?
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Visit checklist.
Learning
 Assess learning opportunities
 Who are the learners
 Consider who makes up the client group of the
museum
 How is inclusivity promoted?
Signage
 Evaluate the signage in the venue
 What distinctions are there between signs for
adults and those for children?
Health and
Safety
 Make an evaluation of Health and Safety provision
at the venue
 What evidence is there that H&S is being actively
managed?
Visitors
 Talk to other visitors…establish their reasons for
visiting
Staffing
 What roles do staff play within the venue?
 Evaluate their potential impact upon visitors
Information
 Collect information that relates to the historical
background of the venue, funding and general
background information
Critically
evaluate
 What is on offer
 How this fits with the “traditional” museum
environment
 Educational (informal/formal) benefits
Summary
 Be able to use the information gathered above to
be able to describe and explain the function of the
venue
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