Course summary

The course is aimed at educational practitioners across a range of professions who wish to draw on research-based evidence to transform their practice. The course will offer independent 30-credit professional practitioner development modules on specialist topics of study to facilitate transformative educational practice. These can be accrued to 90 credits for eligibility to the second half of the Transforming Practice MEd programme or any of the other MEd courses at the Faculty that are listed here.

Students may take the 90 credits over a period of up to three years (for example one 30-credit module each year) and should complete the Masters element no more than five years after the start of their first PPD Transforming Practice module. 

Online delivery

For academic year 2024-25 the PPD Transforming Practice modules will be taught entirely online.

The course is designed to fit around full-time work, with teaching sessions taking place in the early evenings (UK time) and on occasional Saturdays.

Aims of the course

The course aims to strengthen:

• Knowledgeable practitioners who have an advanced understanding of practices, processes, and outcomes of teaching and learning
• Open-minded practitioners who will challenge practice through critically analysing multiple sources of evidence and developing appropriate arguments for change
• Innovative practitioners who will transform their practice on the basis of their learning
• Influencing practitioners who will develop the practical, organisational and communicative/presentational skills to persuade others.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a good honours degree or equivalent and relevant professional experience. Further details can be found in the PPD Admissions policy.

Application 

Please apply through the PPD Application Portal.  

Fees

£1675 (Home) or £4520 (Overseas, including EU) per 30-credit module for 2024-25. Fees will be subject to an annual increase. 

Modules

A number of modules will be offered each year with students having the option to follow some or all of them. Each module is worth 30 credits and therefore in order to accrue the required 90 credits for the PACES qualification students must complete assignments for 3 modules. Students must have successfully completed 3 modules within 2 years of joining the PPD programme. 

Modules available in 2024-25:

Museum Learning: Using images and objects to support creativity and learning across the curriculum (Oct-Dec 2024)

In collaboration with University of Cambridge Museums.

This module offers an introduction to different approaches to looking at objects and images with children and young people, led by museum educators from the University of Cambridge Museums (The Fitzwilliam Museum, The Museum of Zoology, The Sedgwick Museum, The Polar Museum, The Whipple Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology).

Module Content

The module will:

• Introduce a range of different pedagogical approaches to working with objects and images in the classroom;
• Explore the potential of museum objects and enrichment programmes to support learning, critical thinking and creativity across the curriculum;
• Consider current evidence around how to support cultural learning and wellbeing through museum visits and arts engagement programmes as part of the recovery curriculum;
• Explore best practice in the development of image and object-based learning resources for use in the classroom;
• Provide practical advice and support on how to integrate and embed museum objects and visits into core curriculum planning to ensure the best outcomes for students;
• Encourage participants to design, develop and lead a museum learning project within their setting.

Assessment

Students will conduct a practical enquiry into the development of museum learning opportunities and/or object and image-based learning within their own setting, drawing on their learning across the programme. Possible outcomes include a case study, scheme of work or an object-based resource to share with other practitioners.

Sessions (provisional)

Saturday and weekday evening sessions (UK time). Exact dates and times will be posted shortly. 

The following modules were offered in 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 (it is envisaged that some may be repeated in future years):

• Neurodiversity in Educational Settings (April-June 2024)
• Museum Learning (April-June 2023)
• Leadership for Learning with Dialogue (January-March 2023)
• Dialogue in Education (October-December 2020 and April-June 2022)
• Learning without Limits (January-March 2021)
• Art, Nature and Wellbeing (April-June 2021)
• Transforming Conflict in Educational Settings (October-December 2021 and October-December 2023)
• Designing Learning with Digital Technologies (January-March 2022

More information about these modules can be found here.

Supervision

Students will be assigned a supervisor and be entitled to two hours of supervision per module.

Feedback

Throughout the programme, written work is submitted, and detailed feedback is provided. Informally, feedback is also provided through supervisions.

Any course queries should be directed to ppd@educ.cam.ac.uk.