Formative:

Students will complete various quizzes, exercises and workbooks

Summative:

100% Course work
A report of 1800 words which includes a diverse range of high quality resources that you have used to research a topic of your choice within the context of contemporary education. Each resource must be supported by sound evaluation which justifies its inclusion. Your report must also reflect on the process and its impact on your approach to future research. The report will also include a bibliography cited according to Harvard. The bibliography does not form part of the word count.

Educational environments are constantly changing and it is important that you can handle information efficiently and use it effectively.
This module aims to develop your library research skills so that you are able to use the range of tools and resources available both in print and increasingly web based.

Throughout the module you will engage with the concept of information literacy and its importance to your academic work. You will identify strategies to find high quality information, explore the structure of the information world to discover and use the appropriate bibliographic tools to find resources, evaluate these resources and consider issues such as quality and 'fitness for purpose'. You will consider issues such as copyright, ethics and information overload and reflect on the process of your research so that you can improve upon it and apply it to any area of academic research.
By the end of the module you will be able to identify your information need, find high quality information to satisfy that need and be in a position to construct knowledge, based on information that you have found. You will then be able to present that knowledge in written form citing references you have used to a recognised standard (Harvard).

The module will also cover general study skills with help and guidance on group work, essay writing and note taking.

You will attend 9 weekly sessions followed by an assignment workshop.

In the class contact hours, you'll be working with the tutor and your fellow group members. The philosophy of the module is learning by doing and reflecting.

The learning strategies will include:

Having briefings from the tutor to set the scene
Participating in workshops
Managing group work
Discussing research strategies
Looking at research results and evaluating them
Organising your references

You'll find yourself using your independent study time (130 hours) for things like:
Researching your topic
Writing up your drafts for the report and discussing them with fellow group members
Writing your Learning Log as you go through the module

Internet, books and journals

Typically participants will currently be working in an institution offering education to pupils or students.

Evans, Linda (2002) Reflective practice in educational research : developing advanced skills. London: Continuum

Northedge, Andrew (2005) The Good study guide. Milton Keynes: Open University

Wyse, Dominic (2006) The Good writing guide for education students. London: Sage

HARRIS, Robert(2003) Power Google[Online] McGraw Hill. Available from http://novella.mhhe.com/sites/0079876543/student_view0/power_google.html

Accessed 10/2/05