Mentoring in Education Level 5 University Certificate
This is a 30 credit in-service Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificate for people working in Adult Education who Mentor (a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable colleague). It is an ideal CPD course for Advanced Practitioners, CertEd/ PGCE mentors and new to institution mentors. The course is 1 year part-time and is delivered through blended (flexible) learning with a mixture of taught sessions and those offered online through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
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Entry requirements
Applicants for this course will need to be currently in a mentoring role in the Lifelong Learning Sector for at least 30 hours per year. At interview you will need to demonstrate personal skills appropriate for a member of the teaching profession.
Course content
The course will allow you:
- To explore the theory and practice for the mentoring role
- To model good practice in teaching and in advancing pupils learning
- To review the professional values and practice necessary for effective mentoring
- To examine the stages in developing a mentoring relationship
- To identify the ethical dimensions of the mentoring role
- To explore a range of mentoring styles and practical approaches
- To reflect on personal skills in mentoring and ways of continuing professional development in the role
- To provide an opportunity to explore an aspect of mentoring in more depth.
You will be able to:
- Identify, in discussion with unit tutor, a focus issue in the mentoring process and illustrate this with a short case study
- Participate in an on-line debate with other students suggesting practical strategies to address case study issues raised by other student mentors and to gain feedback on how to manage their own focus issue (the other students are you peer group/fellow mentors)
- Critically review strategies to manage the focus issue and reflect on the impact on the mentee’s performance (including mentee feedback) and on students’ learning
- Produce a report demonstrating key communication skills and well-organised portfolio of evidence: mentee file and reflective log.
Assessment methods
This course will be assessed via:
- Mentor’s Learning Plan
- Reflective Log (2,000 word Journal)
- Mentee File (Mentor’s records)
- Case Study
This is a flexible part-time course which runs over a year. The course is intended to be delivered through a blended approach of both VLE and classroom based sessions. The varied and flexible delivery will include: an introductory workshop for all students, training sessions, practical workshops, regular mentor meetings, professional/group discussions and e-learning, VLE mentor training materials, interactive teaching sessions. Most of the online sessions will be used for discussions and group exercises which students will need to supplement with independent study. Assessment on the course is via a system of credits. Credits are awarded when students can demonstrate through a portfolio of work or project that they have met the Learning Outcomes of the modules. Some Learning Outcomes are related to practical skills, others to knowledge gained. When students have gained credits for all the modules, they receive the overall award. Additional study will be required outside College. All assessments are subject to moderation by the University and also by an external moderator.
Further study and career options
Further University of Bedfordshire certificates and the CertEd/PGCE. This course may also be used to provide evidence for accrediting professional development.
Additional information
Objectives:
- To produce a learning plan to guide personal learning during the course
- To maintain a reflective log self-evaluating personal skills and identifying areas for continuing professional development
- To complete a mentee file with a full record of training (i.e. mentor training/mentor observation/mentor discussion meetings)
- To identify, in discussion with unit tutor, a focus issue in the mentoring process and illustrate this with a short case study
- To participate in an on-line debate with other students suggesting practical strategies to address case study issues raised by other student mentors and to gain feedback on how to manage their own focus issue (the other students are you peer group/fellow mentors)
- To critically review strategies to manage the focus issue and reflect on the impact on the mentee’s performance (including mentee feedback) and on students’ learning
- To produce a report demonstrating key communication skills and well-organised portfolio of evidence : mentee file and reflective log.
Successful applicants will become a student at both Bedford College and the University of Bedfordshire and will therefore have access to both sets of facilities and amenities within each institution. You will need to attend College for 10 sessions, with the remainder of the course delivered by distance learning (online).
Pay by instalments
The College offers an instalment plan for Further Education and Higher Education courses to students where the total amount payable at the point of enrolment is £200 or more. Within the scheme there is an ability to pay up to 7 instalments, depending on the length of the courses and the final payment must be paid at least a month before the end of the course.