Course Catalogue

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This course aims to equip veterinary professionals with the knowledge, skills, and critical awareness required to design and facilitate effective learning and teaching within a range of veterinary education contexts, including academic, clinical, and workplace environments. Students will critically analyse and synthesise key learning theories and pedagogical models, applying these to the development and adaptation of their own teaching or facilitation practices. The course explores evidence-informed approaches to the design, delivery, and evaluation of learning and teaching, with particular emphasis on aligning learning outcomes, teaching strategies, and assessment methods.

Participants will engage with principles of assessment and feedback, including the evaluation of knowledge, skills, and professional competencies, and will consider how these can be effectively implemented in both simulated and authentic practice settings. The course also promotes critical reflection, enabling learners to evaluate their own approaches and make informed improvements grounded in scholarship and professional experience.

A central theme of the course is the teaching and assessment of clinical and practice-based skills, examining how learning can be supported in complex, real-world environments through supervision and workplace-based assessment. This ensures relevance for those involved in both formal education roles and informal teaching, mentoring, or supervisory responsibilities. In addition, the course develops key transferable skills, including reflective practice, critical evaluation, and evidence-informed decision-making, which underpin effective and adaptable educational practice across the veterinary professions.

The course is made up of lectures and tutorials.

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1. Design and present a student-centred short course that develops both theoretical and practical competencies in your chosen subject area. (30%, 10-15 min presentation) - Assesses ILO 2 and 4

2. Write a critically reflective essay that defends and contextualises your course design. (3000 words, 70%) - Assesses ILO 1 and 3

This course aims to enable veterinary professionals to:  

■ Critically analyse and synthesise learning theories and models relevant to veterinary education and apply these to learning, teaching and assessment practices.

■ Identify and defend learning and teaching approaches that accommodate diverse learning needs and different education contexts, and which integrate pedagogy and learning technology to enhance teaching effectiveness and learner engagement.

■ Analyse and appraise a range of assessment and feedback strategies and their application within veterinary education.

■ Develop as a reflective veterinary educator and understand the different mechanisms that can be used to support professional development in this context.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse and discuss educational theories which underpin effective and inclusive learning, teaching and assessment practices in veterinary education.

2. Design and defend a student-centred, constructively aligned, veterinary-related short course.

3. Critically justify teaching and assessment methods that validly and reliably evaluate knowledge and practical competencies.

4. Critically evaluate effective feedback strategies to support learner and teacher reflective development.