Rationale

The electives experience is a non-assessed professional development opportunity for student-teachers. It takes place in a school setting and focuses on gaining a deeper knowledge and understanding of an area related to a personal interest.

The student-teachers follow a particular subject or theme of interest by engaging in activities such as:

 Observation;
 Conducting interviews;
 Reading research;
 Engaging in professional dialogue.

During the visit, time will be allocated for different types of activity in order to ensure each individual has a broad range of experiences within a given subject/theme. The intention is for students to receive a comparable experience, enriching their understanding and giving them a USP when applying for posts in schools.

Having undertaken the elective, the student-teachers disseminate their findings to the professional community in the elective placement, e.g. teachers, governors, or the leadership team, in order to show their understanding and to share with the school positive aspects of the experience and new knowledge gained. This can be done by using the Estyn good practice model, available at the following link: https://www.estyn.gov.wales/effective-practice/improving-wellbeing-and-standards-attainment.

Arrangements

Electives will normally take place within the network in which the student-teacher has been placed for the duration of their ITE programme. Arrangements will be made within the networks to match student-teachers’ interests with available placements.

Each experience will differ slightly depending on the setting, however the expectation is that each student- teacher spends a sustained period of time in the school and that members of school staff will have been allocated the role of ‘electives experience co-ordinator’ for the duration of the electives visit. This will allow opportunities for professional engagement through dialogue and sharing of ideas and reflections. The electives experience co-ordinator should adopt the role of the discussant when conducting the share phase of the electives.

Expectations

Student-teacher role:

•   To prepare a rationale for the choice of elective;

•   To engage fully with the electives experience in order to enhance their knowledge and

  understanding;

•   To undertake personal research linked to the area/subject;

•   To share the experience with a variety of audiences in a professional manner.

  School role:

•   To allocate a member of staff as the ‘electives experience co-ordinator’ to support the student- teacher team;

•   To ensure the students are supported throughout the experience by key staff members;

•   To provide a wide range of opportunities for students to gather information;

•   To engage in reflective dialogue with the students at various points;

•   To welcome observations and comments made by students.

  University role:

•   To ensure student-teachers are prepared for the elective opportunities;

•   To support student-teachers and school in a triad of reflective dialogue;

•   University Tutor (Professional) to support networks in arranging the elective offer and the

  organisation of experience.

Student rationale for the choice of elective

These are the questions that student-teachers are required to discuss with the school-based teacher educator and University Tutor (Professional) leading the elective experience. Student-teachers need to show a high-level of engagement with the electives offer from the outset and evidence undertaking self-directed research in their chosen area prior to the experience. The agreed questions are as follows:

Question 1

• Does it relate to an aspect of previous study?
• Is there evidence of engagement with the area in other experiences e.g. community volunteering, clubs and

societies?
• Does it relate to future plans e.g. choice of phase or type of school?

Question 2

• Are you chosing from an informed position to maximise the experience? • Can you talk about some of your key reading to justify your choice?

Question 3

• What lines of enquiry have been raised from your reading? • Have you formultae some research questions?
• What methodologies might you use?

Suggested Timetable for Electives Setting and Date Activity

What are your reasons for this choice of elective?

What key reading have you already undertaken?

What do you intend learning from the elective experience?

Days 2

Test – Data Gathering

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