Secondary Computing PGCE

University of Bedfordshire

This largely placement-based course focuses on developing your practical teaching skills, understanding of educational theory, and subject-specific knowledge needed to be a secondary computing teacher. You have hands-on experience of teaching a range of units, including fundamentals of algorithms and computer systems, as well as furthering your understanding of how to create responsible, competent, confident and creative users of ICT. In your University-based sessions, you explore professional issues such as your teacher persona, SEND education and classroom management.

There is the option to take this course part time over two years, making it easier to balance study with your other commitments.

What will you study?

Studying our Secondary Computing PGCE course will equip you with in-depth knowledge and skills to teach computing at secondary level. This is where our unit in The Curriculum Specialist (Secondary Computing) will allow you to explore a range of theories and recent research around the teaching and learning of computing curriculum through various workshops. There will also be debates around computer science curriculum content and how to teach core concepts such as analysing problems in computational terms, writing computer programs, evaluating and applying information technology, and developing responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

You will then be supported in applying this theory in creative ways within your own teaching practice through collaborative planning, weekly progress reviews and evaluations. This ties in closely with our Evidence Informed Curriculum Specialist unit where you will build your understanding of current contexts in computing, as well as how to apply that knowledge into practice. In areas of practice, you will have the opportunity to undertake a school placement where you will build your experience to independently plan and deliver lessons based on your observations and learning in our School Experience 1 unit.

You will also explore new pedagogical ideas while also learning to align with behaviour management policy in schools. In the second part of this unit School Experience 2, you will continue to develop and apply your experience from the first unit while also learning methods to adapt teaching, effective use of assessment and to promote good progress. This course is available as both a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time course.

Careers

On graduating you can apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) enabling you to work as a computing teacher in a secondary education setting. Many of our graduates go on to rewarding employment in local schools.

As well as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) completing the course also offers you up to 60 Master's-level credits with opportunities for further study at MA/MSc MPhil PhD and EdD levels.