College of Nursing, Midwifery
and Healthcare
Module Study Guide
Developing Graduate and
Transferable Skills
College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare
Developing Graduate and
Transferable Skills
Module Study Guide
Module Code
Level
6
Credits
40
AY 2012-2013
Version No 4
© UWL 2013
1
Developing Graduate and Transferable Skills
Module Study Guide
Contents
Page No.
Module Leader and Teaching Team Details
Facts and figures
Section A
Overview and Content
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Welcome and Introduction to the Module
Administrative and Technical Support
Timetable/Venue/Rooms
Student Support and Guidance
Content of the Module
Aims of the Module
Learning Outcomes
Learning Resources
Section B
Assessment and Feedback
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Assessment: General Information
Details of Assessment
Summative Assessment Grid
Statement on Plagiarism
Evaluation of the Module
Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Section C
Module Programme
16
Guide to Learning Sessions
2
Module Leader and Teaching Team Details
Module Leader
Field and School
Email
Phone
Location
Name
Job title
Email
Phone
Location
3
Facts and Figures
Module Code
Level
6
Credits
40
500
Total Guided Learning Hours
Consisting of:
Teaching Contact Hours 0
Guided Independent Study Hours, 500
including e-learning
Placement Hours 0
Assessment:
Percentage of final marks assessed by:
Exam 0%
Coursework 100%
Practical 0%
4
Section
A
Overview and Content
1.
Welcome and Introduction to the Module
Dear Student
Welcome to the Developing Graduate and Transferable Skills module. This module
is an essential pre-requisite for entry to the PGDip Nursing course at the University
Of West London and will provide you with opportunity to build and develop upon
your previous learning experiences. The PGDip in Nursing course will prepare you to
register with the NMC as registered Adult, Mental health, Learning Disabilities or
Child Nurse and to obtain a post-graduate diploma qualification in 2 years. The
course recognises that as a graduate you will bring with you a range of attributes,
these include not only expertise in your subject, but also the ability to manage your
own learning, including making use of sources of evidence to make judgments,
which is central to 21st century nursing.
As a graduate you will have research activity proficiency and an ability to
communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to a range of audiences, all
these attributes make you ideally suited to undertaking an exciting but challenging
pre-registration nursing course.
This module has been designed to enable you to transfer your previous learning and
integrate this will the specific knowledge and skills of nursing. This portfolio and
particularly the extended CV will allow you the opportunity to evidence how the
graduate skills you have already developed are transferable to healthcare.
We hope that this module will help you to identify, consider and reflect upon your
previous learning in the context of professional development and the enhancement
of your lifelong learning skills. These learning skills are transferable and will provide
you with not only a foundation for your pre-registration nursing course but beyond
this into post registration continuing professional development.
This is an ‘e-learning module’ which will be delivered online via the University of
West London’s Virtual learning Environment ‘Blackboard’ to which you will be
granted guest access. This will support you to develop a portfolio of evidence of your
graduate skills and will give you the opportunity to explore in depth the various
concepts and underpinning philosophies guiding contemporary health care delivery.
5
2
Administrative and Technical Support
Administrator:

3.
Paul Whitworth [email protected] 0208 209 4354
Timetable/Venue/Rooms
All material is delivered on-line via e-learning delivered by the University of West
London’s virtual learning platform ‘Blackboard’.
4.
Student Support and Guidance
West London Online (Blackboard)
All the key information you require to complete this module will be made available
through West London Online (Blackboard). Please check the module site regularly for
additional resources or information made available while the module is running. Updates
or changes will be communicated to you via Blackboard announcements and/or email –
so please also ensure that you check your student email account regularly.
Help and support
There are Help Pages at http://uwl.ac.uk/westlondononline - these provide guidance for
all students in making use of the University's online learning platforms. All technical
issues with Blackboard should be reported to the IT Service Desk. You can do so by:
•
•
•
Talking to staff in any IT Suite or Library
Calling 0300 111 4895 (internal phone extension 4895)
Emailing [email protected]
Learning Support
Learning Support is free and available to all UWL students. Your first point of contact for
any enquiry about support available for writing, maths, structuring essays, revision
techniques, or any other support you require with academic skills is
[email protected] .You will also find online self-help and self-tests on
academic writing, plagiarism, grammar and punctuation and time management. This is
available at Study Support Online. Look for the link to Study Support Online when you
log on to West London Online (Blackboard) http://online.uwl.ac.uk .
The University also offers you the opportunity to test and improve your own
academic skills at leisure, in your own time. This test is free and available for the
duration of the course. It can be found on the Study Support Online community
inside West London Online (Blackboard). Look for the link to Study Support Online
when you log on at http://online.uwl.ac.uk
6
One-Stop-Shop
Students can benefit from a variety of support services during their studies. The OneStop-Shop offers professional services which are free, impartial and confidential. They
offer information, advice and guidance to students in a variety of ways e.g. face to face,
telephone, email, Skype. They aim to answer all your questions, or direct you to
someone who you can talk to. They are located on Ground Floor, C Block, St. Mary’s
Road, Ealing with a satellite service to Paragon and Reading, including drop-in sessions
(these are advertised on each site).
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday
Friday
9.00 to 5.00pm
10.00 to 5.00pm
For further information on each area go to:
http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/Support_for_students.jsp
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 8231 2573 / 2991 / 2739
The University Library
The University Library provides a wide range of services, resources, advice and help
to support teaching, learning and research across the institution. There are two
physical libraries:



The main campus Library in St Mary’s Road, which comprises of four floors
The Health Library on the second floor of Paragon House
There is also a virtual library at the Berkshire Hub providing access to all our
e-resources and which is fully supported with professional Library and IT help
and advice.
All students are automatically members of the Library. The Unique card is also the
Library card, and borrowing rights are automatically set according to course and
status. Self-service machines are available at all Libraries, allowing for independent
borrowing when service desks are not staffed. The Academic Support Librarians
provide help and support throughout the learner journey, running training sessions
on a regular basis on topics such as Reworks and referencing, or database search
strategies, and offering one-to-one advice on finding detailed resources for
assignments by appointment.
5.
Content of the Module
Reflection on the personal development of:






Key skills including literacy, numeracy, information technology, problem
solving, communication and interpersonal skills, working with others,
improving own learning and performance.
Time management and organisational skills
Summarising skills for verbal and written reports
Reading academic literature and sources of evidence
Locating and accessing information
Comparing and contrasting different types of information sources and their
appropriate use
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









6.
Information searches using web based catalogues
Investigating subject information in data bases
Academic writing skills
Personal goal setting
Using feedback from assessments
Reflection/self awareness
Goal setting
Analysing information
Critical appraisal
Identifying learning opportunities, identifying achievements, difficulties and
coping strategies
Aims of the Module
The module is designed to allow students the opportunity to reflect on previous degree
level learning and the development of graduate abilities (such as decision-making and
problem-solving, the collection and analysis of information and data, academic skills
development, critical appraisal, lifelong learning, managing one’s own learning and the
links between theory and practice) – essential precursors to Masters Level study.
7.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module learners will be able to:
1. Critically reflects on appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective
interpersonal and communication skills with a variety of people and settings
2. Critically analyses the role of lifelong learning and personal development as an
essential precursor to developing honesty, integrity and competent professional
practice
3. Critically evaluates and reflects on own ability to demonstrate a professional
image in behaviour and appearance
4. Critically evaluates previous learning experiences which have sought to
provide evidence-based solutions to problems or questions
5. Construct a developmental plan to address identified learning needs,
reflecting on limitations of own knowledge
8
8.
Learning Resources
Paragon House Library
The College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare Library is at Paragon House,
Brentford. The Library provides access to relevant books, journals, DVDs and study
spaces as well as specialist advice from Academic Support Librarians.
Paragon House Library: opening hours
Term / Vacation
Opening hours & service hours
Mon, Tues, Thurs
08:30 - 19:45
Wed
08.30 - 17.45
Fri
10:00 - 17:45
Sat
11:00 - 16:00
Sun
CLOSED
If you are based at Fountain House, you can order books to be sent to you from
Paragon House by e-mailing; [email protected] . You can then
return the books at Fountain House if you wish.
The Academic Support Librarians
The Academic Support Librarians for your course are available as a point of contact
for all questions and problems relating to learning resources, large or small,
including giving advice on locating relevant resources in support of your studies - for
example, you may be having difficulty in defining database search criteria or
methodologies, or identifying relevant research studies in the journal literature.
The Librarians are:
Marc Forster
Tel:
020 8209 4033
email: [email protected]
Paragon House
(Library – 2nd Floor)
Pam Louison
Tel:
020 8209 4038
e-mail: [email protected]
Paragon House
(Library – 2nd Floor)
If you are based at Fountain House then you will find on-site support from Mike
Sharrocks ([email protected]).
On-line learning resources (e-books, e-journals, journal reference databases)
The University subscribes to a range of on-line learning resources that enable you to
carry out literature searches as well as gain access to journal articles and electronic
books. A list of these resources, along with information regarding access and
passwords, can be found on the Library website at:
http://library.uwl.ac.uk/eresources/index.html
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Section
B
Assessment and Feedback
9.
Assessment: General Information
You must achieve a minimum mark of 40% in your assessment in order to pass the
module and achieve 40 academic credits at the academic level studied.
You are entitled to two attempts. If you have a referral at the first attempt you will be
required to retake the assessment in a period laid down by the Assessment Board,
usually four weeks after the original results are published. *Please note: you
cannot score higher than 40% in resubmitted work.
A full description of the Regulations for courses can be found in the UWL Student
Handbook.
Deadlines
The deadline for all submissions is 1200 on the date of submission. You will submit
your assignments via Blackboard (instructions will be given).
Receipt
If you do not submit a first attempt and have not informed your Module Tutor nor
provided appropriate written evidence then you will not be entitled to a second
attempt and therefore cannot complete the course. If you submit your assessment
late then you may follow the ‘5 day rule.’ This means that if you submit within 5
working days of the submission date then it will be marked. However if the work is
awarded a pass mark this will be capped at 40%.
You must retain a copy of your work in case of loss.
Mitigation
The Regulations governing Mitigation can be found in the Student Handbook.
Claims for Mitigation should normally be submitted within 10 working days of the
date of the examination/submission. Claims for Mitigation submitted after the cut-off
date, will only be considered if you provide a supporting statement to support your
inability to submit within 10 working days.
Copies of the current University of West London Student Handbook can be
accessed online.
You must refer to the UWL Student Handbook regarding mitigation.
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Guidelines in Respect of Confidentiality
During your studies you will be required to draw and reflect on your practice
experiences and use these in assessments, group discussions and experiential
learning etc. It is therefore important that client and patient confidentiality should be
maintained in all times. It is your responsibility to ensure that any information that
would identify a patient or client is omitted from all written assessments.
Within any of the activities associated with your studies you must ensure that you:
Maintain complete anonymity of any material that may be required to complete
an assignment. Do not write down or share any information by which a
patient/client, their relatives and health professionals could be identified.

Maintain confidentiality in the classroom in any group discussions, enquiry based
learning sessions etc.

Do not include names or addresses of places of work/practice etc. It is
acknowledged that you may be required to use local information that is currently
in the public or professional domain (e.g. statistical information regarding public
health trends, policies and procedures which may be specific to a Trust or Unit),
and further guidance will be provided by module leaders in specific assignments.

Do not copy patient/clients’ notes within your assignments.

Do not include any copied documents naming individual organisations, which are
not already in the public domain.

Do not hold on computer or disc personal details relating to patients /clients,
colleagues.

Be selective and only use information which is absolutely essential.

Use appropriate pseudonyms for patient/client and place of work (e.g. hospital in
the South of England).
The above should be adhered to for all stages of your studies - i.e. draft notes,
reflective diaries, group discussions and final drafts.
Please note that using information in the public domain i.e. from trust websites, trust
publications etc. should not be considered as a breach of confidentiality. However,
you should gain consent from the managers to include within your
assignments/workbooks. The College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare views
any breach on patient, client and organisational confidentiality extremely seriously
and a penalty will be incurred.
Penalty for breaches of confidentiality
If an assignment is received which breaches confidentiality it will be returned without
giving a mark to the student and the amended version will, when re-submitted by a
given date be regarded as a second attempt resubmission. If the assignment is
successful it will consequently attract a maximum mark of 40%. Breaches of
confidentiality in the resubmitted work will be awarded 0%
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10. Details of Assessment
This assessment element is to be submitted to Blackboard. You will find a link to the
Assignment from the Assessments area of the Blackboard course menu. You will need
to ensure that your assessment is uploaded as a single document, and in the correct
format (e.g. a Word document or PDF)
You will be able to submit revised drafts of your work up until the assignment due date.
Only the final version will be marked by your tutor. At the due date and time, no further
submissions or changes are possible. Whatever is in the Blackboard inbox at this time
will be regarded as your final submission. A separate submission box is provided for
students with an agreed extension, or submitting under the 5 Day Rule.
Summative Assessment
Assessment Task:
Weighting:
Due:
Method of Submission:
Word Count/Length:
Assessor:
Portfolio
100%
Negotiated
Via Blackboard
6000 words (equivalent)
Programme Leader
Summative Assessment Brief:
This assessment requires you to compile a portfolio of evidence including reflections
on previous learning and the development of graduate skills. The portfolio must
comprise:





Introduction: including a summary of previous learning and educational
experiences
Current up-to-date CV
Extended CV (see appendix for guidance on completion of the extended CV)
Scanned Copies of Transcripts and Qualifications
Conclusion/ Summary: including a reflection of the personal development which
has occurred as a result of undertaking this assessment
Marking grid: This work is marked using the Level 6 Theoretical Marking Grid (a
copy of which can be found under the Assignments section on the accompanying
Blackboard site)
Timing of feedback: Provisional Results are issued a maximum of 15 days after
submission. These results will be confirmed subject to External Examiner’s
confirmation and the APL and Assessment Board ratification.
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11. Summative Assessment Grid
Type of
assessment
Module
learning
outcome
Portfolio
ALL
Word count Due date
or
equivalent
6000
(equivalent)
Various
Threshold
Pass
mark
Weighting
100
40
100
12. Statement on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the presentation by a student of work for assessment
which is not his/her own, in the sense that all or part of the work has been copied from
that of another person (whether published or not) without attribution, or the presentation
of another's work as if it were his/her own. Any student who knowingly permits another
student to plagiarise his/her own work will also be regarded as having breached the
General Regulations. Self-plagiarism can also occur if a student does not reference their
own, previous, work.
See also: Student Handbook Section 3. University Regulations and Student Code of
Conduct
For further advice on plagiarism go to the UWL website:
http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/current_students/Advice_to_students_on_plagiarism.jsp
As detailed in Section 4 above, the Learning Support Team are available to help with
any issues you may have with academic writing and referencing.
13. Evaluation of the Module
Modules are evaluated by module tutors and students using a variety of tools and
activities, in order that any identified change is supported by evidence obtained from
all participants.
A standard evaluation form will be distributed to all students. The module leader will
use the evaluation forms to compile a report for review by the Programme Leader
and Professional Lead, which will be discussed at the Programme Committee
resulting in an action plan to improve student experience.
Students are invited to feedback to the module leader at any other time they feel
there is an issue of quality to raise.
The Module Team will review the evaluation as part of the continuing development
of the learning experience, evaluating and assuring quality of content, teaching
methods and outcomes related to student needs.
13
14. Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Once you have successfully completed the assessment for this module, you are
advised to include this in your professional electronic portfolio (PebblePad) to
establish a baseline for recording your personal and professional development.
15. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can I be sure that I fully understand the assessment brief?
Advice is provided on the accompanying Blackboard site. However, if you are in any
doubt, or are unclear about what is expected of you, please ask the Module Leader.
What is the role of the Module Leader?
The Module Leader’s role is to guide you through the learning package and to be a
source of advice and practical assistance if and when you feel you need it. You may
call on the tutor for a number of reasons, for instance:

to help you to interpret the content of the learning package, in other words
she or he acts as a subject expert

to help you adapt to this way of learning

to motivate you and to encourage you

to help you to construct an academic piece of work for assessment

to provide you with detailed feedback about your work.
How can I get feedback on my work?
Detailed written feedback will be provided, giving you insight into how the marker
arrived at the particular mark awarded. Every module has an external examiner who
is an appropriately qualified individual from another university. Their role is to ensure
fairness and parity of marking and to ensure that work presented is at the
appropriate academic level. The ratified result will be sent to you after the APL and
Assessment Board meetings although provisional results may be obtained before.
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Section
C
Module Programme
16. Guide to Learning Sessions
Session
Developing Your Portfolio
Session content
PowerPoint Lecture Notes: What is an Extended CV?
Pod Cast: Developing your Portfolio
Resources
Web Links
Key
concepts/issues
Reflection on Self
Graduate Skills
Portfolio Development
Learning and
Teaching
Lecture Notes
Pod Cast
Guidance Notes
Pre-session
reading
None
Literature for the
session
A range of relevant literature is provided on the accompanying Blackboard site
Independent study
None
Links to
Blackboard
PowerPoint notes and other supporting information is available on the
accompanying Blackboard site
15
Appendix 1
College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare
PGDip Nursing Course: Preparing Your Portfolio
Why a Portfolio?
The portfolio is the mechanism whereby the candidate can be given credit for
previous learning. This means that the above course can be completed in 2 years
instead of the usual 3 years.
APL (Previous Academic Learning)
APL is being used to demonstrate graduateness. The University of West London
(UWL) has robust APL processes in place which have been approved by the
Nursing and Midwifery Council for accreditation onto pre-registration nursing.
The Portfolio
The aim is to allow prospective candidates to evidence how their graduate skills are
transferable to health care.
A successful portfolio is an essential pre-requisite for entry to the course
Once the CV has been submitted (within a specified time framework) electronically
to the admissions tutor it will then be assessed by course team who will then decide
whether the candidate has met criteria for APL.
Successful portfolios will then be presented to the APL Board and then to an
Assessment Board for ratification, after which candidates will be informed whether
they have gained a place on the course
What are we looking for?
Within the portfolio the candidate should demonstrate what graduate skills they
have, how their graduate skills have been used within last 5 years and how these
graduate skills are transferable to health care. We are looking for candidates who
are analytical, thoughtful and self-reflective and can demonstrate a potential and
aptitude for Masters level study.
What are we NOT looking for?




Descriptions or scenarios
Statements of intentions
Narratives
Brief, superficial information
16
What needs to be done?
The candidates must demonstrate how their existing skills and knowledge base
meet the learning outcomes identified within the template for the extended CV:
1. Critically reflects on appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective
interpersonal and communication skills with a variety of people and settings
2. Critically analyses the role of lifelong learning and personal development as an
essential precursor to developing honesty, integrity and competent professional
practice
3. Critically evaluates and reflects on own ability to demonstrate a professional
image in behaviour and appearance
4. Critically evaluates previous learning experiences which have sought to
provide solutions to problems or questions
5. Construct a developmental plan to address identified learning needs,
reflecting on limitations of own knowledge
Candidates should use a maximum of 400 words for each learning outcome and
should demonstrate evidence of coherence, good grammar, punctuation and
spelling within the CV.
Below are some suggestions about how to complete each of the learning outcomes:
1. Critically reflects on appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective
interpersonal and communication skills with a variety of people and settings
What do you consider appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective
interpersonal and communication skills? Why do you consider these to be
appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective?
Reflect on your own interpersonal and communication skills which you consider to
be appropriate, sensitive, compassionate and effective.
If have worked in health care then you could identify patient care/ handovers/case
conferences (remember confidentiality!) or in retail / or office work where you may
have had to deal with customer complaints and or deal with conflict.
You may wish to identify examples of when problems have arisen in your personal
experience, such as conflict, and how you managed and/or resolved such issues.
2. Critically analyses the role of lifelong learning and personal development as
an essential precursor to developing honesty, integrity and competent
professional practice
You may wish to consider the essential requirements for professional practice in
healthcare. How are honesty, integrity and respect for diversity important?
You are likely to make reference to a variety of methods of self-evaluation you may
have used either within university setting or work setting or both. Examples may be
use of feedback from lecturers/personal tutors/customers/ clients, use of reflection,
17
PDPs, appraisals, training, teaching sessions, supervision sessions and so on. How
did these methods help you to identify your own strengths and weaknesses? Give
an example and illustrate how this lead to personal development, self-awareness
and critical analysis of self.
You should supply evidence of key skills you have developed from your academic
studies and from work experiences where applicable. You may wish to address the
following areas and give specific examples of when you have used them:






Numeracy and Literacy
Analytical skills
Planning, organisational and time management skills
IT
Problem solving
Team working
3. Critically evaluate and reflects on own ability to demonstrate a professional
image in behaviour and appearance
What do you consider to be a professional image? Give examples of occasions
when you feel you demonstrated a professional image. What was it about this image
that made you think it was professional? What else could you do? What are the
challenges with portraying professional image and behaviours? How might these be
overcome?
4. Critically evaluates previous learning experiences which have sought to
provide solutions to problems or questions
Here, you may want to make reference to research projects, dissertations, long
essays, literature reviews or dissertations where you have had to critically analyse
literature and or engage in research projects.
For example:

if you have taken psychology degree you may wish to discuss psychological
experiments they you have been involved in and would have had to consider
issues concerning the design of the investigations together with appropriate
techniques for describing and analysing data collected

if you have taken history degree, for example, you wish to discuss how you
could analyse incomplete historical sources and make judgements about the
assumptions contained within them and use them critically to address a set
question
How has your previous study/studies helped you to understand, frame/reframe
questions and develop solutions to problems? It would be helpful to think of applying
this to a health related issue, such as obesity, an ageing population and so on.
You could also refer to projects undertaken during work experiences – you should
be able to demonstrate not just what projects were but the methods and techniques
used to plan and implement the projects, and provide solutions to problems or
questions. What have you learned from this? How might this help you in
nursing/healthcare? What challenges are there for applying knowledge in practice?
How can you address or overcome such challenges?
18
5. Construct a developmental plan to address identified learning needs,
reflecting on limitations of own knowledge
What do you consider to be the limits of your current knowledge? What do you feel
you would like/ need to learn more about? How might you go about this? Who could
help you? How would you know if/ when you have obtained this knowledge?
19