SIGNATURE CONCEPTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module aims to introduce participants to a range of key theories in learning and teaching within higher education and provide the opportunity to interrogate the value and relevance of these to our understanding of learning and teaching. This will foreground individual values towards learning and teaching and how these are shaped by different social values developed by different groups (such as the institution, society at large, professional bodies and so on). These values will be used as the basis to consider how  signature concepts raised are interpreted and then used. The notion of signature concepts will be initially based around that offered by Shulman but will be further developed to consider alternative interpretations and link to contemporary work being undertaken within the field of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Participants will have the opportunity to consider the appropriateness of the notion that teaching should consider how to require students to do, think, and value what practitioners in the field are doing, thinking, and valuing. This will allow participants to recognise how significant their own perspectives are on how these ideas are understood, how they may have been shaped by their own thinking and developed within their different contexts. Through the introduction of notions of professionalism, values, uncertainty and disjuncture, the key theories will be debated, reinterpreted, discussed and challenged to offer participants additional perspectives through which to understand orthodox and unorthodox views of learning and teaching in Higher Education.

Module provider

Surrey Institute of Education

Module Leader

LYGO-BAKER Simon (Sy Inst Educ)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes the following:

• An exploration of the notion of signature concepts as defined by different authors


• An initial introduction to a range of signature concepts in higher education.


• An examination of how personal values impact on how these concepts are understood (using a framework offered through the work of Breakwell and reinterpreted as part of research done by the module coordinator).


• Consideration of how signature concepts are recognised and developed by social and individual values and how this shapes modern higher education.


• The current context of higher education and possible future directions.


• An investigation into notions of professionalism and what these may mean within learning and teaching environments


• Consideration of notions of uncertainty and postmodernity


• Using disjuncture to extend learning and teaching and the challenge this brings.

Other areas of content will be derived through the discussions and debate and therefore will emerge.

This will be delivered through a series of webinars where information will be presented and the basis then will be on a series of debates between participants.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

Formative assessment and feedback

Formative assessments: Although there will be no official formative feedback each participant will receive feedback after the first two pieces of summative assessment as each piece is planned to build from the last and will be linked. The final piece should therefore complete the module so that each piece of 1000 words builds in an integrated piece of work. These have been broken down into three pieces to limit the high stakes of one assessment and to enable feedback to be provided so that ideas can be enhanced and developed through the module.

 

Summative Assessment

Three written assignments of 1000 words each – 100% (the first and second worth 30% each and the final piece 40%). The initial piece will look at drawing ideas together from the first two weeks where the theory will be explored (LO1). The second will consider how the theory relates to the discipline and context within which each participant works (LO2&4). The final piece will draw these two pieces together to ask participants to consider the implications of the information discussed for their current and future practice and professional values (LO 3, 4&5).

Module aims

• This module aims to allow participants to interrogate a range of key theories in learning and teaching in higher education and to reinterpret these using a range of concepts so that they are of relevance within each discipline. This will require each individual to examine her/his own values in relation to learning and teaching, how these are developed and shaped and the impact they have on how an individual approaches learning and teaching.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

• Discussions to develop debate around a series of ideas


• Guided on-line discussion groups following each online discussion


• Three written submitted assignments, the first two of which will provide some formative support so that learning is developed through the module

 

The Teaching and Learning are structured as follows:

• Formal Online Sessions - on line discussions with tutor 10 hours, engagement with the learning group in discussion and debate 10 hours.


• Guided study - literature searching, assignment planning, tutor discussion 10 hours.


• Independent study – reading (30-50hours), research and assignments (50-70 hours)

 

Hours as specified are estimates and will vary depending on the way participants choose to structure their learning in negotiation with the tutor.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: GCAM011

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.