Professional Studies

This module explores professionalism in teaching. Students become informed about the roles and requirements of  key educational stakeholders and they examine codes of professional conduct or practice, both nationally and internationally. They become fully familiar with the landscape of  Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and future professional teaching pathways. Areas such as educational leadership & management, evidence-based/research-based practice, social justice education, school development planning, and preparing for interview, are explored. The skill of critical thinking is enhanced through the module, through tutorial discussions, debates, discussions and a mock interview. The mode of delivery is active learning: students engage in tutorial discussions and debates, conduct and present a small-scale social justice project, undergo a mock job interview and present one example of their innovative teaching at an open ATU conference.

1. Debate current educational trends and policies relating to initial teacher education and post-primary teaching, identifying the main contributors to policy formulation.

2. Collaboratively plan, implement and present a social justice educational project.

3. Critically assess whole school professional codes of conduct, roles and responsibilities.

4. Professionally disseminate creative and innovative teaching, learning and assessment strategies.

5. Provide evidence of a comprehensive knowledge of the professional responsibilities of post-primary teaching, including subject specialist delivery, school planning and whole school responsibilities.

6. Demonstrate subject-discipline expertise and whole-school professional  knowledge in the context of an oral interview