The British Teaching Diploma Purpose and Rationale
The conventional learning and teaching paradigm is changing. The BTD recognises this transition in its design, content and outcomes. It enables teaching practitioners to reflect modern demands, and student preferences to drive up standards and levels of achievements in educational Institutions from Schools to Colleges and Universities.
The BTD is a catalyst for change through a systematic and structured approach to teacher training and professional development.
There is a gap in our sector for this type of affordable provision in many parts of the world and this course will make a considerable impact on strengthening pedagogy, the up-skilling and re-skilling professional educators and ultimately enhancing learner outcomes.
The BTD is specifically tailored for Head Teachers, teachers, teacher assistants, lecturers and trainers working in an international setting.
What Is The British Teaching Diploma?
The BTD is an internationally recognised Level 7 diploma of education equivalent in standard to similar programmes such as a British MA and PGCE. The Diploma is approved by Cardiff and Vale College in Wales, and accredited by Talal Abu Ghazaleh University College for Innovation in Jordan, and is equivalent to 39 credits. The BTD is recognised by Training Qualifications UK (TQUK), and will give teaching practitioners a better chance of career advancement in international schools, colleges and universities as well promoting higher standards of teaching in their classrooms. The BTD will enhance CV's and provide opportunities for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to gain academic credit.
How Is It Delivered?
A key feature of the BTD is that it is highly practical, flexible and interactive. The Level 7 Diploma status reflects its intellectual demands with an emphasis on developing practical solutions to real life educational questions and problems. Participants will learn strategies, techniques and solutions for immediate classroom use. These have been tried, tested and endorsed by teachers and lecturers from around the globe. Another key feature of the provision is the online group forums where participants and tutors discuss course materials, experiences and ideas together in a supportive and creative manner.
Option 1: Online
The BTD is available online to any trainee and provides all the resources and support needed to implement their new skills straightaway in their classrooms with zero disruption to the working day, so they learn new approaches by night and put them into practice the next day. Online sessions will be live, so participants can interact with the course tutor and their peers on the course. The sessions will also be recorded so delegates can easily catch up if they miss any sessions. There is a live forum where delegates can interact with each other as well as with their course tutor. In addition, there is guided reading available, a journal for reflective notes, assignment guidance and details of follow-up work to be undertaken.
Option 2: Face to Face
The BTD can also be delivered in the UK at Cardiff and Vale College and at overseas locations. The advantage to this is that the Diploma can be achieved in a much shorter time span.
Option 3: Blended
The BTD can be delivered part in-person and part online as fits the needs of the client.
How Is The British Teaching Diploma Assessed?
There are no formal examinations at the end of the BTD. Instead, there will be a single assignment set at the end of each module. Assessments will mainly be based on reflection around ways in which participants can improve their teaching using the theory and practical tips delivered in the modules.
For example, the participants may be required to design a learning resource based on a model covered in the course. They would then trial the resource with their learners and evaluate its effectiveness in the classroom, with a view to making any necessary adjustments to maximise its impact on the learning process and knowledge assimilation.
Participants will also be encouraged to compile an e-Portfolio of evidence, e.g. photographs of worksheets or resources created, or examples of completed learner tasks showing the impact of techniques learnt on the course.
How Long Does It Take To Complete The British Teaching Diploma?
Of the 12 modules, 11 require 6 hours of contact time with the course tutor. The last module (12) is a double module and requires 12 hours direct contact time. For modules 1-11 there will be a further 24 hours of follow-up reading, activities, lesson planning, assessments and journal keeping. Module 12 requires an extra 48 hours of student directed learning. In total, the BTD requires 390 hours of study of which 72 hours are contact hours with the course tutor.
How long it takes to complete the course is a decision the cohort must make at the start. There is an intensive fast track in-person delivery model that can be obtained by taking the course at Cardiff and Vale College or at a suitable venue overseas. Alternatively, participants can study the BTD online over a more extended period. Nearly all of our cohorts have gone with the 90 minutes a week option and a few extra weekend sessions in order to complete the programme in one year.
A Diploma for Career Advancement
The British Teaching Diploma is a UK Level 7 Diploma with a core base of global pedagogy aimed at providing an improved career path, and creating a positive impact on student outcomes. As such, the constant theme will be practical strategies that can help teachers significantly improve their learners attainment.
The BTD will provide British and global best practices that have been proven (via evidence based research) to raise attainment, particularly in international based exams. Whilst the programme isn’t directly linked to one country’s particular exam system, individual cohorts can have an emphasis placed upon their own exam system as well as those of other countries.
Pedagogies such as Assessment for Learning (AfL), Cooperative Learning and Teaching to the Top will be covered in detail, since they have been proven to raise learner attainment, and as such are essential knowledge for all teachers/educators in the world. As with all programmes delivered by Dragonfly Training, there will be endless ‘take aways’ that can be used in the classroom the very next day.
The British Teaching Diploma Value Add
The BTD is designed to add considerable value to the international education community by:
Enhancing the reputation of Schools and Colleges and help more learners achieve even better outcomes.
Enabling staff to become more effective, reflective and confident teachers, whilst at the same time attaining an endorsed British Teaching Diploma, the learning from which can be put into immediate practice in international educational settings.
Providing a solid underpinning of pedagogy for those attendees who may wish to embark on a full PGCE or similar qualification aimed at achieving Qualified Teacher Status at a future point.