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PGCE Secondary - Information and Communications Technology
ICT holds a central position within the National Curriculum both as a subject and a cross curricular dimension. This reflects the importance of ICT which permeates all aspects of life – education, work, leisure and life at home.
As there is a nationally recognised shortage of ICT teachers, the employment prospects and longer term opportunities for promotion within the teaching profession are excellent.
This one-year programme provides an exciting opportunity to qualify to teach ICT to the 11-16 age range in secondary school. The second university phase will also support you in developing your understanding of planning, teaching and assessing the post-16 age phase.
Course Structure and Content
This programme of study provides a carefully structured balance of University and school based phases. The core of the programmes is the Professional Studies component, based both in university and in schools. This offers a mix of experiences and it positions you in the broader context of professional practice and considers key issues which take you beyond the confines of the traditional curriculum. All professional studies themes are developed further in the subject specialist context which develops your knowledge, skills and understanding of ICT to enable you to effectively manage and organise high quality teaching and learning in the 11-16 phase across the full range of ability.
The PGCE year starts with an initial preparatory period which tackles the notion of the role of the teaching professional with an emphasis on the ICT practitioner. Through both Professional Studies and subject teaching modules you begin to develop an understanding of the breadth of the role of the teacher as well as becoming familiar with the approaches used in different secondary school settings for ICT. This supports you in your first school phase during which you teach ICT mainly at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. This takes place in the autumn term. This is followed by a university phase reviewing and sharing your experiences and developing your understanding of further aspects of teaching and learning and the post-16 phase. The final school phase takes place in the spring and summer terms.
Teaching Methods and Resources
There is an emphasis throughout the programme on subject application and practical workshops where teaching strategies and appropriate contexts and techniques are modelled and discussed. You will investigate a range of teaching and learning strategies and materials designed for ICT at secondary level and develop your own for use in schools. At all times we are critically assessing approaches and considering how theory can be transformed into practice. There is also a significant level of participation in terms of presentations, peer support, teaching episodes and projects in partnership with schools. You will be taught by a range of practitioners; both university based lecturers and other professionals currently working in local schools. Some will have passed through the course themselves.
Entry Requirements
In addition to the General Entry Requirements, you are required to have a 2.2 honours degree or above, with at least 50% ICT content. We also welcome applications from candidates whose first degree is not in an ICT related discipline, but who have high level, sustained work experience of ICT and experience with pupils in the appropriate age range.
Student Profile
After completing my degree I worked in industry, before deciding to get some experience helping at the local school, observing and helping out in the classroom. Seeing how the school worked and how the pupils learn was very rewarding so I decided to do a PGCE. I chose Bath Spa as it was within a commutable distance, and has an excellent campus. I enjoyed the hands on approach to the teaching and the support that was given by both university and school mentors. There were always chances for professional development and the peer support within the group was invaluable.
Christopher Bargh, PGCE Secondary ICT 2010.
