ADMRPR: Reflective Practice Report

Module code: ADMRPR

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 60

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Professor Henny Osbahr, email: h.osbahr@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Sarah Cardey, email: s.p.cardey@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have successfully completed the taught component of the programme. (Open)This module is only available to MSc Applied International Development students. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Micro placement

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

For those who take up an independent relevant micro-placement during their year of study, they have an option of writing up an independent reflective report based on the placement, incorporating research and practice in an applied setting. This report substitutes the dissertation component. The theme can be developed with the support of an academic supervisor. It will provide an opportunity to apply appropriate research and analytical skills to produce a written reflective report based in the subject area of your applied international development placement.

The module will enhance the student’s ability to use the knowledge, understanding and skills developed previously across his or her programme, integrating these in the reflective write up based around the linked micro-placement topic.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate acquisition of detailed knowledge and understanding on a specialist subject
2. Present a succinct synthesis and review of theoretical and empirical literature relating to their chosen topic
3. Offer reflection on the applied nature of practice, relating to this topic, based on experience of a micro-placement in the development sector
4. Present a systematic and carefully structured reflective analysis of the applied practice
5. Apply cognitive skills, including analysis and argument, to draw relevant and defensible conclusions and show how these are related to both the existing discourse but also applied practice
6. Write a substantial and well-structured report to defined standards of presentation including comprehensive and accurate referencing.
7. Development of time management skills
8. Development of skills in using computer software for production, editing and presentation of documents.

Module content

The student will select, with appropriate guidance from academic staff and input from their placement organisation, a topic of interest to them and of academic/professional relevance to their degree programme and placement. This will be discussed with both the organisation and their supervisor. The appointed supervisor and organisation will provide academic and professional guidance and support to the student during preparation and write up of their report during the summer. The student will submit the completed report by the date in early September specified in his or her Programme Handbook.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Individual research; meetings with supervisor and placement organisation; submission of and feedback on draft written material; email contact between supervisor and student. There will be practice-based learning involved. The number and conduct of meetings will be determined by supervisor and student so the contact hours below are indicative only.

This module is completed as coursework. The report is between 10,000 and 14,000 words, conforming to guidelines given in Programme Handbook, to be submitted by the end of the first week of September. It is mandatory that the student takes note of and fully complies with the university’s guidelines on Research Ethics, and the School procedures for ethical clearance for research: information on these is given in programme handbooks and is available from the SAPD Student Offices. Failure to do so may lead to deductions of marks and data collected without prior authorisation following the specified procedures may be considered ineligible for use as part of the research. 

Study hours

At least 17 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Online seminar with associated formative support in Spring
• Supervisor feedback and guidance on the write up

Reassessment

Additional costs