Development of a Work Project Module for an MA in English

Martin Willis, Lecturer in English, University of Glamorgan. (This article is an edited version of a report on a mini-project funded by the English Subject Centre. A full text of the report is available on this website .

This project was conducted primarily by the author, with data also provided by Dr Jill Terry of University College Worcester. The project research was conducted over the course of the last academic year (October 2003 – July 2004). The project’s aim was to create a template for a module allowing students studying for an MA in English to produce an independently conceived project based on and in their place of work.We also planned to produce a series of guidelines for the creation of such a module across the university sector. The students involved in the project were mainly part-time students following a full-time career as teachers in secondary and further education. Inevitably, therefore, this report focuses on the teaching profession and the classroom as a workplace. Its conclusion offers some consideration of other careers and workplaces.

Our interest in developing a Work Project Module arose initially from informal conversations with the student cohort on two MA courses: the University of Glamorgan’s MA in Literature, Culture and Society and University College Worcester’s joint History/English MA in Nineteenth-Century Studies. In both institutions the student cohort is predominantly part-time. Students study over a period of two or more years, taking classes in the evenings whilst pursuing a full-time career. A significant number were working in secondary and further education – as schoolteachers, heads of school departments, lecturers in Sixth Form Colleges and in Colleges of Further Education – and were continually seeking to find connections between their studies at MA level and their own classroom practice.(1)

To discuss the issues at stake we used questionnaires, focus groups and consultations and undertook research in relevant scholarly journals. During the focus group stage of the project the authors consulted not only with the MA students but also with practising teachers in a number of schools in Worcestershire and South Wales. This consultation stage was designed to elicit responses from within the workplaces that were to be the likely targets of the Work Project Module.

From the questionnaires, focus groups and consultations a number of key issues emerged:

1. Benefits

Many respondents were interested in the relevance of the module to their work.The head of an English department at a South Wales comprehensive argued that ‘a Masters in Education is probably more beneficial if you wish to progress to senior management level’ and that it is difficult to prove the value of an English MA other than ‘to extend…subject knowledge.’ This same respondent did, however, said that the module would have value if ‘related directly to issues at work’ and might aid ‘professional development’ if its outcomes could be used as evidence for promotion. Other respondents were more interested in direct applications to the classroom, highlighting the potential to ‘bring new works of literature…to the classroom’ and to ‘incorporate literary theories into Alevel teaching’, thereby ‘better [preparing]… students for higher education.’ These respondents were as concerned to improve their own teaching practice and their students’ experience of English at school as they were to enhance their own prospects for advancement. Overall, respondents felt the module would give them some time to consider how best to link their MA with their teaching. As one pointed out, ‘at least this would be proper allocated time and not just another series of lost weekends thinking about your teaching.’

Respondents were less certain about how the module might benefit their MA. Two respondents saw it as an opportunity to take the ‘content’ from earlier taught modules to ‘see how it would work in the classroom.’ Obviously, this has implications for where a Work Project Module might be placed within an MA course.

2. ‘Postgraduateness’

The focus groups were asked to discuss what they felt would be particularly ‘postgraduate’ about the module and how they might show that work on the module attained this level. There was ready agreement about the perceived differences in postgraduate study from undergraduate study.The majority of the respondents saw their MA work to date as ‘self-directed’ and ‘independent’. There was, they argued,‘increased expectation of personal involvement in class seminars and tutorials’ and a ‘reliance on yourself rather than on others.’They also believed that they were expected to be ‘more original in argument’ and ‘to challenge received opinions.’ Several noted that this was more a progression from undergraduate level than a ‘leap’ to a new level.The importance of ‘reflective research’ was stressed by several respondents who found that postgraduate work demanded that they ‘adjust their thinking’ as they take account of their own work and that of others. Equally important was an increased stress on ‘theory’.

These views are reinforced by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) which lists ‘personal responsibility’ and ‘the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development’ as key characteristics of Masters level degrees. The NQF also highlights the importance of conceptual understandings that enable students both to ‘evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship’ and ‘evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them.’ Indeed the NQF highly values the ‘systematic understanding of knowledge … of [the] academic discipline’ as well as the ability to ‘demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.’The module should ensure, therefore, that these skills and qualities are key markers in its criteria and are appropriately tested in assessment.

3. ‘Englishness’

One concern was about the maintenance of the focus on English. In much work-based learning this is not an issue, as most courses fall within vocational subjects. For English the link is more indirect. Among respondents, using the materials from an earlier module to create ‘extended coursework’ or a ‘unit of study’ for A-level students emerged as a common method in maintaining an English focus. Other respondents intended to use literary theory, either to explore a single theoretical perspective in the classroom (‘gender issues’ a favourite here) or to consider how theory might best be introduced to their own students.

A significant proportion suggested that there were potential problems in becoming too ‘educational’ in such a project. One student was concerned that it would be easy to return unconsciously to PGCE content and learning methods. Other respondents wondered whether their ‘English lecturers’ would have any experience of ‘educational issues and methods’.

Clearly, the module would have to position itself clearly as an English module. The template would have to stress the appropriateness of project choices as well as make certain that the learning outcomes and assessment criteria were sufficiently focused around of English to militate against slippage into other disciplines or methods (especially education in this case).

4.Assessment

When asked to consider what kinds of assessment would seem appropriate for the module the respondents were quick to discard certain forms. The examination was deemed particularly unsuitable as it left you with no ‘ownership of what you are doing.’ The traditional essay was initially considered as ‘too inflexible’ or unable to provide ‘usefulness’. Respondents generally agreed that assessment should be ‘flexible’, ‘different from taught module assessment’, ‘relevant to work’, ‘self-directed’, ‘capable of measuring progress’ and ‘able to be shared by others.’ The extended essay supplemented by research materials and the reflective portfolio of work were viewed as potentially fulfilling these criteria. The portfolio was felt to be flexible enough to allow for different types of project. The portfolio would include ‘self evaluation documents’ and ‘pieces of writing that reflect upon the project as a whole.’ It would also include the relevant research materials clearly organised and categorised and allow the student to make best use of them in the classroom at a later date.The ‘useability’ of portfolio assessment gained it credit. One member of a focus group pointed out that a classroom teaching portfolio was required ‘for progression through a career threshold.’ Many respondents saw theextended essay as more ‘fitting’ for an English module. For the respondents the essay would have to include research materials, ‘perhaps as extra materials at the end’, so as to make it useable in the classroom.

The possibility of an oral presentation was accepted by the focus groups with some enthusiasm, primarily because many of the respondents felt it played to their strengths. Some felt that it should not necessarily be assessed. Their trepidation appeared to arise from a lack of completion, from ‘having to do a presentation on something that’s not finished.’ Others argued that the benefit of the oral presentation would be ‘hearing what others are doing’.

It is clear that the assessment of a Work Project Module needs to fulfil specific criteria: it must be useable within the workplace, it must be flexible enough not to restrict different types of project and it must include a significant proportion of written, reflective criticism as would be found in the traditional English essay. An oral presentation (perhaps as an unassessed formative assessment) followed by the submission of a project essay (the summative assessment) is a useful assessment diet in providing the criteria articulated by the respondents. The oral presentation allows for a sharing of research ideas as well as giving the student an opportunity to reflect upon their progress through the project. Questions from lecturers and other students could further enhance this reflective process.The summative project essay maintains the English subject’s preferred assessment method, demands the skills required of postgraduate English courses, is flexible and predominantly self-directed while also being useful within the workplace when supplemented by ordered research materials.

5. Support Mechanisms

Support from the university and the employer was an emotive issue for many respondents. Several were concerned that academic support would be limited.They highlighted the importance of ‘a good bibliography’ on module guides and the ‘subject knowledge’ of their lecturers as key factors in ‘the best’ taught modules on an English MA. Their fears were that subject knowledge was less relevant to a project based within the students’ workplace and that there was ‘unlikely to be any help with bibliographies or references’ for a project of this nature. The (perhaps unusual) stress on bibliographical support appeared to arise from the perception that there would be no ‘teaching’ on the module and that research support was therefore more crucial than it might be otherwise. Some respondents also queried the ability of their English lecturers to offer appropriate advice on the educational aspects of projects taking place within a school. They pointed out that with a PGCE qualification it may even be the case that they were better qualified in the field of education than the lecturer in charge of the module.

While there are a number of English lecturers with qualifications in education it cannot be expected that the module should only be offered by academics with this expertise.The module will, after all, be based within English courses and will comply with the criteria for the study of English at MA level. Educational expertise therefore should not be required for the successful completion of the module, although it may be of benefit to the student to have the support of a peer workplace colleague able to offer advice on educational issues. It should also be the case that the student’s own expertise in the field of education (if possessed) can be put to good use in the project. Academic support on the module should also consist of the production of a bibliography (in consultation with the student) and the creation of clear criteria for the project.

Support from the workplace was keenly discussed. Opinion was divided over the involvement of students’ line managers. Some felt it would be to their advantage to ‘have the support of the boss’ in case of requirements of time or resources during the research for the project. These respondents also believed that senior colleagues would be able to offer pastoral and intellectual support for the project. Others, however, were concerned that the involvement of line managers would ‘undermine the independence of the project’ and add to the pressure of completing a lengthy piece of work while ‘under surveillance.’ Peer involvement raised fewer issues; all respondents were happy to involve colleagues on their level but they also felt that such colleagues would be unable to provide them with ‘practical support’ (again time and resources) as they were not in a position to make management decisions. Nevertheless, all respondents felt strongly that support for the project within the workplace was essential at some level. All felt that they would benefit from colleague advice when implementing any parts of theproject in the classroom. In particular, issues surrounding ‘resources’, ‘the national curriculum’, ‘the syllabus’ and ‘data protection’ were seen to be worthy of consultation with colleagues.

It is clear from the respondents’ answers that support in the workplace is essential to the success of a Work Project Module. However the difference between supportive advice and intervention is an issue that the module should address. A series of guidelines for employer support would enable the module to address these issues and also to be flexible in allowing the student to construct the appropriate balance between the workplace and the university.

After completing these first three stages of the project we turned to personal research for the remainder of our evidence, consulting a series of articles on work-based postgraduate study, transferable skills, portfolio assessment, ‘action research’, group work, general work-based learning, capability, and ‘authenticity’.These scholarly materials were consulted only after the completion of the discussions described above in order to avoid the closing down of different and conflicting approaches to work-based learning.(2)

The module template on pages 26-7 attempts to address both the concerns of the respondents to this project and the suggestions and comments of scholars working within the area of work-based provision in higher education. It should prove a useful starting point for any English academic wishing to develop a work-related learning module within their own MA courses.(3)

Although this Work-related Project Module has been designed largely for those in the teaching professions and for MA courses, it could, with some alteration, also be applicable to other workplaces and to undergraduates. It is easier to deal with the latter first. For undergraduate students the key changes to the module template would have to take place in the learning outcomes (and be traced through aims, objectives and assessments).The shift to undergraduate level would require some revision to the emphasis on self-direction and independence. Greater support, structure and definition of boundaries would need to be put in place, as well as some time set aside for consideration of research methods (perhaps through lectures and seminars). The National Qualifications Framework highlights the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study and would be the best source for anyone reformulating the module for an undergraduate cohort.(4)

The central difficulty in broadening the module for other workplaces is maintaining the ‘Englishness’ of the projects undertaken. Many professional occupations other than teaching offer opportunities to do that: from librarianship and journalism to advertising and marketing. Others, however, would seem to be more problematic. How, for example, might an English graduate now working in the civil service (a not uncommon career path) hope to complete a Work-related Project Module? The answer is likely to include a more creative potential project conceived by the student in the first instance and thereafter a rigorous construction of criteria by the student and the module lecturer. However, literature’s ability to imaginatively engage with society and culture in all its forms does not rule out potential projects that are oriented around, in this example at least, public policy or politics. Central to the success of the Work-related Project Module is not the type of literary study undertaken or the profession in which students are working but the combination of the two and the reflection on that combination. None of the learning outcomes privilege one kind of workplace or one version of literary study. The module template, indeed, enables a multitude of combinations of literatures and workplaces. The limitations are set only, and perhaps rightly, by student ability.

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References

1. Evidence suggests that teachers are returning to study English in greater numbers, often in an effort to update their subject knowledge in the light of alterations to the National Curriculum. A conscious link is thus being created between studying English at MA level and teaching English within the school syllabus.
2. For a full survey of these scholarly materials, see the full text of this report on the English Subject Centre website.
3. A detailed commentary on the template is included in the full version of this report.
4. ‘The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – January 2001’ (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/nqf/ewni2001/contents.htm).

(All hyperlinks to external sites have been removed from this archived newsletter to avoid broken links)

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Newsletter Issue 7 - November 2004

© English Subject Centre

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