MHSC203
Developing a Vocational Pedagogy for Health and Social Care

ECTS Value: 5 ECTS

Self Study Hours: 60

Contact Hours: 25

Assessment Hours: 40

 

Overall Objectives and Outcomes

This module is intended to provide the necessary pedagogical knowledge for professional training, learning in the workplace and/or subjects applied to the industrial context, in order to respond to the demands of teaching in vocational education environments or in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. This module uses, as directive, the background note for UNESCO bases on `Vocational Pedagogy`, (Lucas, 2014)[1], in which the term ‘vocational pedagogy’ can be understood as ‘the science, art and craft of teaching and learning vocational education.’

This module aims to contribute to: the construction of pedagogical knowledge (or understand how the Pedagogical Content Knowledge, PCK, was built); the use of pedagogical approaches consistent with the characteristics of the students and of the educational institution addressed; and the development of innovative and creative pedagogical practice through an exploration of different methodologies and resources for teaching in health and social care.

By the end of this module, the learner will be able to:

Competences

    • a)Create tools and resources demonstrating learning and a high level of understanding of learning processes in Vocational Pedagogy;
    • b)Create a research-based analysis of various pedagogical skills and make judgements with incomplete or limited information;
    • c)Develop innovative skills and use these to create new methods of pedagogy in Health and Social Care;
    • d)Act autonomously in adjusting pedagogical skills according to the students’ level of understanding;
    • e)Develop models and tools which effectively match teaching and learning methods of the students and the context within the various Health and Social Care topics being taught;
    • f)Implement AI supported pedagogical methodologies that support learning in Health and Social Care education.
    •  

Knowledge

    • a)Identify different pedagogical tools used to engage students learning a VET subject;
    • b)Explore signature pedagogy as the key for vocational learning;
    • c)Understand how learning takes place at the workplace with the support of a mentor/coach;
    • d)Identify Health and Social Care as a vocational subject that focuses on working with people;
    • e)Identify through continuous evaluation the needs of students to be successfully learning in a Vocational Training setting;
    • f)Identify aspects of quality assurance in learning contexts designed for teaching Health and Social Care as a VET subject;
    • g)Critically evaluate the role of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as emerging pedagogical methodologies in vocational education, including their application in simulated workplace-based and hybrid learning environments within Health and Social Care.
    •  

Skills

    • a)Apply various teaching and learning methods to cater for students with varying learning capabilities in a vocational setting;
    • b)Apply VET pedagogical theory to Health and Social Care teaching at secondary school level;
    • c)Use various teaching and learning methods and tools to cater for students with varying learning capabilities in a vocational setting;
    • d)Analyse the key characteristics of vocational education which differ from traditional subjects;
    • e)Integrate AI supported pedagogical approaches into teaching scenarios, including simulations and workplace learning in Health and Social Care education.

Assessment Methods

This module will be assessed through: Assignment, In-class Discussion and Online Forum

Suggested Readings

Core Reading List:

  1. Cedefop, ETF, European Commission, ILO, OECD, UNESCO, & World Bank. (2024). Work-based learning: A leaflet of the Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Publication No. 2300). Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2816/8011301
  2. European Training Foundation. (2018). Work-based learning: A handbook for policy makers and social partners in ETF partner countries (2nd ed.). Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2816/018079
  3. Freire, P. (2018). Pedagogy of the Oppressed: 50th Anniversary Edition. Bloomsbury Academic: 4th Edition (English Edition), 232 pages. ISBN: 9781501314131
  4. Friggieri, M. (2021). Exploring the different pedagogies used in Health and Social Care. University of Malta, Faculty of Education, Dissertations – FacEdu. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/102427
  5. Stenberg, N., & German, H. (2025). A case in support of creative vocational education and training teachers: Innovative teaching practices and the impact on engagement for learners on a senior leader apprenticeship program. Vocation, Technology & Education. https://doi.org/10.54844/vte.2025.0930
  6. Lucas B., Spencer E. & Claxton G., (2012), How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy, Winchester: University of Winchester, Centre for Real-World Learning, http://www.winchester.ac.uk/aboutus/lifelonglearning/CentreforRealWorldLearning/Documents/How-to-teach-vocational-education%20Bill%20Lucas%20Ellen%20Spencer%20and%20Guy%20Claxton.pdf
  7. Berntsson, L., & Shore, J. (2023). Teaching here and now but for the future: Vocational teachers’ perspective on teaching in flux. Vocations and Learning, 16, 443–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-023-09324-z
  8. Lucas, B., 2014. Vocational Pedagogy: What it is, why it matters and what we can do about it. Background Note for UNESCO-UNEVOC e-Forum. Available from https://unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/up/vocational_pedagogy_bill_lucas_unesco-unevoc_30april.pdf
  9. Morris, S., 2014. Problem-based learning in clinical education: the next generation, edited by Susan Bridges, Colman McGrath and Tara L. Whitehill. Higher Education Research and Development 33 (2) 405-407.  https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2013.827562
  10. Eaton, S. E., Wagner, S., Hirashiki, J., & Ciancio, J. (2018). Understanding and Exploring Signature Pedagogies for TESOL Teacher Education. Calgary: University of Calgary
    (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED581545.pdf)
  11. Guile, D., & Unwin, L. (2019). The Wiley Handbook of Vocational Education and Training. Hoboken, United States of America: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
  12. Parker, M., Patton. K. & O’Sullivan, M. (2016) Signature pedagogies in support of teachers’ professional learning, Irish Educational Studies, 35:2, 137-153.
  13. Su, F., & Wood, M. (2023). Relational pedagogy in higher education: what might it look like in practice and how do we develop it? International Journal for Academic Development, 28(2), 230–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2023.2164859
  14. King, A. E. (Ed.). (2024). Artificial intelligence in education, pedagogy and academic integrity. Springer.

Supplementary Reading List:

  1. Le, A. H., Billett, S., Choy, S., & Dymock, D. (2023). Supporting worklife learning at work to sustain employability. International Journal of Training and Development, 27(1), 135–155.
  2. Duch, H., Árnason, J., & Gustavsson, S. (2024). Cooperation and interaction between research, teaching and learning in vocational education and training. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.24v14i3
  3. Rintala, H., & Nokelainen, P. (2020). Vocational education and learners’ experienced workplace curriculum. Vocations and Learning, 13, 113–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-019-09229-w
  4. Widiatya I., Ana A., (2015), Vocational Pedagogy in Perspective Vocational High School Curriculum, paper presented at the 3rd UPI International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Amsterdam: Atlantis Press, pp. 97-100. https://doi.org/10.2991/ictvet-14.2015.22
  5. Avis, J. (2014). Workplace learning, VET and vocational pedagogy: the transformation of practice. Research in Post-Compulsory-Education, 19(1), 45-56
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