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Working in Practice

Module description

In a constantly changing business and organisational environment professionals in all fields must keep their knowledge and skills current and relevant.  It is therefore important for professionals, including Senior People Professionals, to engage with continuing professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning.  This module therefore builds your ability to engage in reflective practice, and the skills associated with identifying and meeting your own learning needs.  It explores the application of reflective learning models as well as providing participants with a detailed understanding of adult learning theories.  As a result this module provides a foundation from which participants can begin constructing a portfolio of evidence for the UK apprenticeship standard.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The foundational aim of this module is to build participant’s knowledge of the theory and practice of continuous professional development, and in particular the important role that CPD has in professional practice.  Joined to this main aim, the module will also encourage critical discussion of key adult learning theory, and the importance of lifelong learning.  The final aim of this module is to position participants so that they can develop a portfolio of evidence suitable for end point assessment.

Skill Acquisition

This module plays a vital role in the development of skills crucial to the degree apprenticeship standard, and professional life more broadly.  With the business environment constantly changing, the importance of reflection and continuous development to professional success cannot be overlooked.  Within this module participants will build their ability to reflect purposefully on past events, developing future facing professional development plans, the aim being to embed a mindset of lifelong learning for all.

Research in Teaching

A substantial literature base exists surrounding the concepts of continuous professional development, reflective practice, and lifelong learning. Theories of reflection will form a core underpinning to this module with students encouraged to critically reflect on the application and utility of various models of reflection.  Additionally this module draws substantially on the human resource development research base including the theories of adult learning and in particular how adult learning (andragogy) differs from child learning (pedagogy).

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify opportunities to learn from professional practice, bringing a reflective mind-set to experiences and learning to innovate and continuously improve performance
• 2. Utilise models of reflective practice and continuous professional development to shape personal advancement
• 3. Critically discuss the relevance of lifelong learning to professionals operating within the human resource management field

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Question accepted practices and articulate the need for change (at a personal or organisational level), implementing change programmes where required (including diagnostics, options and methodologies)
• 5. Apply an adaptable, evidence based approach to decision making in the context of specific situations or environments

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Produce a reflective portfolio

Syllabus plan

• Adult learning theory
• Learning to learn
• Reflection in professional practice
• Models of reflective practice e.g. Gibbs
• Continuous professional development and theories associated with CPD
• Structure and style of CPD portfolios
• Identifying opportunities for continuous professional development

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

All passed components of the module will be rolled forward and will not be reassessed in the event of module failure.

Defer – as first time

Refer – capped at 50%

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Bassot, B. (2020) The Reflective Journal.  Third Edition.  Macmillan: London
• Friedman, A. (2012) Continuing Professional Development: Lifelong Learning of Millions.  Routledge: Abingdon
• Moon, J. A. (2013) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice.  Routledge: Abingdon

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• The module will have a dedicated page available on ELE

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• As an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development you will also have access to the entirety of the Institute's website, including all published research reports, archived articles from 'People Management', fact sheets, discussion papers and briefings

Key words search

Reflection, Professional Practice, Continuous Professional Development, Lifelong Learning