Education Learning & Development

Overview
Become an expert in designing engaging learning experiences with our Masters.

Our Masters has been designed to meet the needs of educators and practitioners who support adults learners. Graduates will gain a specialist qualification which will enable them to support and inform their role and in turn become a more confident, innovative and engaging practitioner.

Why Study Education, Learning & Development at Griffith College?
Our Masters programme has been designed to meet the needs of practitioners and educators who support adults’ learners in a variety of contexts. This may include Learning and Development specialists, role holders in Human Resources department, instructional designers, self-employed trainers or lecturers in higher education.

Here are some of the benefits of studying with Griffith College:
• Build on your existing skills and develop your expertise in designing, implementing and evaluating effective learning programmes, including accredited and non-accredited programmes.
• Enhance your research and critical thinking skills and apply your learnings while focusing on completing a major research project of direct relevance to your organisation and/or professional career path.
• Increase your opportunities for career advancement and promotion as a result of having gained the skills above, and having a specialist Level 9 qualification
• Experienced programme team includes practitioners from a wide range of education, learning and development roles who bring their expertise to the classroom and offer insights of a practical and applied nature.
• Elective specialism allows the participant to choose modules which align with their individual educational and training needs or career development.

Course Highlights
• Flexible, part-time blended schedule
• Delivered via weekly recorded webinars, online drop-in sessions and occasional face-to-face Saturday workshops on-campus.
• Elective specialism allows you to choose modules which align with your individual educational and training needs or career development.
• Practical and applied learning approach
• Programme team of practitioners from a wide range of education, learning and development roles.
• Networking opportunities with fellow practitioners in education, learning and development.

This MA programme includes two embedded programmes, the Certificate (20 ECTS) and the Postgraduate Diploma (60 ECTS).

The Postgraduate Diploma incorporates the modules of the Certificate (20 ECTS) and a combination of mandatory and elective modules totalling an additional 40 ECTS.

The MA incorporates the Certificate modules, Postgraduate Diploma modules and electives, and a Dissertation (30 ECTS)

Semester One (Certificate 20 ECTS)
Professional Practice
Participants explore and evaluate contemporary learning theories along with implementing practical strategies to motivate and engage learners. Participants are introduced to a range of educational, learning and development strategies, which are universally designed to support all participants. Some of these strategies involve using technology, to enhance the multiple ways of reaching and engaging learners. A comprehensive induction provides participants with an introduction to the use of technologies such as the VLE Moodle and the online meeting software. Care is taken to ensure that participants are confident using these technologies from the outset for their own learning as well as supporting them to consider these and other technologies for their own learners. This module is underpinned by an evidence-based and reflective practice approach to developing participants’ own professional practice in supporting learning. ?

Participants engage in experiential learning activities and receive and provide peer feedback. They engage in individual and group activities?.

Learning Designs: Contexts and Considerations
Professionals working in the fields of education, learning and development work in a dynamic and demanding environment. This module enables participants to engage with the different forms of learning used in education and in organisational settings such as accredited and non-accredited learning.

This module aims to challenge participants’ pre-conceptions of education, learning and development in the broadest sense. It provides them with opportunities to actively engage in groups by trialling different models of learning, such as problem-based learning, project-based learning and inquiry-based learning to support them to design effective learning experiences for their own learners.

Participants analyse underpinning theoretical concepts associated with accredited and non-accredited learning. They evaluate the current challenges associated with designing, implementing and evaluating learning in different contexts.

Participants explore the positioning of learning opportunities within the broader context of quality assurance and policy.

They explore and examine the drivers and interpret influences in the design of units of learning. Collaborating in groups as teams is central to this module as participants learn how to transform a group into a team within a learning context. This experience supports their practice of guiding their own learners to collaborate and learn within teams. Participants design a unit of learning which is inclusive and appropriate to a chosen context which is negotiated within their own team.

Semesters Two and Three (Postgraduate Diploma 40 ECTS)
Strategic Learning and Development
This module engages participants in the key concepts and critical thinking to allow them to evaluate the influence and impact of learning and development on corporate and higher education strategies.

A key objective is to provide participants with both academic research and practical industry examples and case studies to allow them to evaluate how learning and development influences operational and cultural factors, talent and succession planning, and managing change within organisations and higher education.

Another key objective is for participants to critically reflect on their own professional influencing skills and examine the range of stakeholders involved in learning and development across their professional environment. Participants will challenge themselves to evaluate and enhance the skills required to facilitate strategic relationships through developing their internal consulting and influencing skills.

Psychology of Learning
Participants are able to design effective classes for their ‘learners in a context’ informed by the main theories of learning and understanding different approaches to learner motivation.

Participants can format classes informed by understanding the human limits of attention, perception and memory. Participants can structure lesson development through the informed application of instructional design theories.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
This module provides participants with opportunities to explore the concepts and theories associated with equality, diversity and inclusion within the context of education, learning and development. Participants will carefully consider theories of inequality, reflecting on how their role as educators and learning and development professionals can remove or overcome barriers of inequality within their practice, fostering an inclusive learning environment.

Participants are required to infer relationships among different sources in order to design an inclusive learning environment for their learners. They also engage with practical strategies that embrace the diversity of their class or group. A unique objective of this module is the use of the Sociological imagination to raise awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society. This module provides participants with an opportunity to clarify their own and others’ personal perspectives of what equality and diversity mean for society. This exploration of competing interpretations is crucial for the development of a wide lens on key issues relating to diversity in their own professional practice.

Research Methods
This module aims to fine-tune participants’ ability to evaluate existing research while also developing their skills to carry out research in their own fields of interest. Through exposure to existing research methodologies and research projects, participants develop their critical skills and also develop their own research ideas.

Personal and Professional Development
This module evaluates and develops the personal competencies and professional requirements for the learning and development professional to advance their practice. Participants assess their own personal effectiveness through assessing self and the impact of their responses on individuals and situations. It also explores the importance of values and ethics within their own practice. This module also supports the objective of personal development, participants reflect on the ongoing development of their own continuous learning plan.

The module provides participants with the supports to develop professional communication and influencing skills as well as applying the skills of coaching and mentoring within their own professional environment.

Elective Modules (choose two)
• Emergent Learning Technologies
• Problem-solving assignments and peer learning activities
• Innovation for Learning
• Supervision of Research Projects
• Workplace Learning
• Learning Analytics

Semester Four
Dissertation 30 ECTS
This module enables participants to become more effective practitioners by further enhancing their investigative and critical thinking skills while developing their expertise by completing a major project or piece of research. To complete this module, participants must produce an original and comprehensive dissertation or dissertation by practice. This work is expected to further extend a participant’s analysis and knowledge of particular aspects in one or more of the related taught modules on the postgraduate programme stages. Participants are expected to draw heavily on the underpinning Research Methodology module.

Applicants will need a Level 8 Primary degree in their area of expertise.

Applicants are also required to have lecturing or training experience with adult learners. The minimum experience requirement for the Masters is 50 hours.

Students must have a minimum of 2 hours of practice during the course of the programme. This is to facilitate peer and tutor observation sessions.

Accreditation of Prior Learning and Prior Experience (APL/APEL):
The Faculty welcomes applications from those who may not fulfil the above eligibility requirements however they may have prior academic and/or professional learning experience which may be relevant to the programme.

Applicants who wish to be considered are requested to indicate this at the time of application and we will be happy to examine all of the relevant documentation accordingly.

English Language
Griffith College is accepting the online Duolingo English Test (DET) as valid proof of English proficiency.

How to Apply
Students who wish to apply for this course may apply directly to Griffith College.

Applicants will be required to submit a copy of their:
• Level 8 Degree Award Certificate
• Up-to-date CV
• Evidence of lecturing or training experience i.e. a reference letter from the person/organisation facilitating your lecturing/training practice
• Photo ID (Passport or Driving Licence)

There is a facility to upload these documents on our online application form. Alternatively, if you do not currently have the documents you may send a scanned copy to admissions@griffith.ie

25 Months Part-Time / Blended Learning.
Timetables will become available once students complete registration for this course.

Intake Dates:
We run two intakes for this course, commencing as follows:
Autumn: September* (Dublin only)
Spring: February*

*subject to sufficient numbers.

Academic Progression
On completion of the programme the learner can go on to pursue a Ph.D. in the area.

Career Progression
Through the MA in Education, Learning and Development, you will have gained specialist skills to support and inform your role as an educator and practitioner.

On completion, you will be a confident, agile professional who can demonstrate your expertise in designing, implementing and evaluating effective and engaging learning programmes for your learners, participants or clients.

Having gained these skills, you will be well positioned for a promotion or for career advancement within the field of education, learning and development.