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Module Descriptors

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Session: 2022/23

Last modified: 06/10/2022 14:00:36

Title of Module: Dissertation Portfolio

Code: MIND11007 SCQF Level: 11
(Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)		 Credit Points: 60 ECTS: 30
(European Credit Transfer Scheme)
School:School of Education & Social Sciences
Module Co-ordinator:A  Law

Summary of Module

This final MSc module allows students to complete an independent piece of research in an area linking mindfulness practice and/or teaching to psychological factors, whilst reflecting on the research process and the broader experience of becoming a teacher of Mindfulness and Compassion. Practical skills will also be developed further in accordance with the Mindfulness Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI-TAC). Students will gain experience of delivering mindfulness material to a self-recruited client group, with the support of Mindfulness Association Tutors. Students will reflect on how this experience will enhance their employability and entrepreneurial skills. Students will be encouraged to address the interface between research, practice and ethics, and to use research and evidence-based approaches to develop as a reflective practitioner.

In addition to synchronous (live) and asynchronous teaching sessions, students will also build working relationships with academic and practical supervisors. Academic and Mindfulness Association supervisors will guide students through the design, implementation, and presentation stages of the research process whilst they reflect on mindful, compassionate, and ethical practice. Practical supervision will involve student’s engagement in group practice supervision sessions and critical reflection on group dynamics, relational skills and sustaining the group learning environment. Supervision will be supported by a range of asynchronous learning materials.

This module will develop a range of universal, work-ready and successful graduate attributes including: Critical Thinker, Ethically minded, Collaborative, Research-minded, Problem-solver, Motivated, Potential leader, Innovative, Creative and Driven.

 


Module Delivery Method
Face-To-FaceBlendedFully OnlineHybridCHybridOWork-based Learning
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Face-To-Face
Term used to describe the traditional classroom environment where the students and the lecturer meet synchronously in the same room for the whole provision.

Blended
A mode of delivery of a module or a programme that involves online and face-to-face delivery of learning, teaching and assessment activities, student support and feedback. A programme may be considered “blended” if it includes a combination of face-to-face, online and blended modules. If an online programme has any compulsory face-to-face and campus elements it must be described as blended with clearly articulated delivery information to manage student expectations

Fully Online
Instruction that is solely delivered by web-based or internet-based technologies. This term is used to describe the previously used terms distance learning and e learning.

HybridC
Online with mandatory face-to-face learning on Campus

HybridO
Online with optional face-to-face learning on Campus

Work-based Learning
Learning activities where the main location for the learning experience is in the workplace.


Campus(es) for Module Delivery
The module will normally be offered on the following campuses / or by Distance/Online Learning: (Provided viable student numbers permit)
Paisley:Ayr:Dumfries:Lanarkshire:London:Distance/Online Learning:Other:

 

 

 

 

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Term(s) for Module Delivery
(Provided viable student numbers permit).
Term 1

 

Term 2check markTerm 3check mark

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Learning Outcomes: (maximum of 5 statements)

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

L1. Demonstrate extensive and detailed critical knowledge and understanding of aspects which link mindfulness and/or compassion, and psychology.

L2. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and apply methodological and ethical issues to research design.

L3. Design, implement and appropriately present a piece of independent research within the context of an academic supervision relationship.

L4. Demonstrate competency in teaching mindfulness to groups to the minimum required level in each domain (MBI:TAC, “Competent”).

L5. Critically reflect on mindfulness practice, teaching processes and skills, and ethical practice, and demonstrate systematic consideration of employability.

Employability Skills and Personal Development Planning (PDP) Skills
SCQF Headings During completion of this module, there will be an opportunity to achieve core skills in:
Knowledge and Understanding (K and U) SCQF Level 11.

Demonstrating knowledge that covers and integrates most of the principle areas, features, boundaries, terminology and conventions of carrying out empirical research in psychological aspects of mindfulness and compassion.
Critically appraising current research and issues in psychological aspects of mindfulness and/or compassion.

Practice: Applied Knowledge and Understanding SCQF Level 11.

Critically evaluating and reflecting on teaching practice in mindfulness and compassion with reference to psychological theory.
Demonstrating extensive, detailed, and critical knowledge and understanding of the application of psychological theory to teaching practice in mindfulness and/or compassion.
Demonstrating critical appreciation and application of ethical standards and formulation of research hypotheses.

Generic Cognitive skills SCQF Level 11.

Critically reviewing, consolidating and extending knowledge and thinking in psychological aspects of mindfulness and compassion through planning and executing a significant research project.
Evaluating and synthesising forefront issues in psychological aspects of mindfulness and compassion.
Demonstrating the ability to analyse, evaluate and use information and data in a variety of forms.

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills SCQF Level 11.

Knowledgeably communicating, and reflecting on, research and practice to a range of audiences.
Demonstrating the ability to comprehend and critically evaluate data within a research context.
Using a range of ICT application to enhance communicating with professional level peers and subject specialists and reflecting on practice.

Autonomy, Accountability and Working with others SCQF Level 11.

Taking responsibility for your own research and practice while exercising autonomy and initiative in academic and professional relationships.
Demonstrating effective time and resource management to achieved desired objectives.
Function as an independent learner and practitioner capable of adopting a self-reflective approach to learning and practice.
Understand and appreciate the need to conduct practical work in line with relevant ethical guidelines.
Practising in a way which draws on critical reflection on your own and other’s roles and responsibilities.

Pre-requisites: Before undertaking this module the student should have undertaken the following:
Module Code:
MIND11004
MIND11002
MIND11001
MIND11005
Module Title:
Mindfulness Teaching and Cognitive Processes
Mindfulness, Biopsychology and Research
Psychological Wellbeing and Mindfulness
Research Skills and Compassion Teaching
Other:
Co-requisitesModule Code:
Module Title:

* Indicates that module descriptor is not published.

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Learning and Teaching
This module will follow a blended delivery model through a combination of asynchronous teaching sessions and resources and, weekend synchronous (live) sessions. Core learning on the research process will be delivered formally and reinforced with online and asynchronous support from the academic supervisor. The student and supervisor will form a peer style relationship to design, ethically evaluate, implement and present a research study. The practical supervisor will support students in their progressive Mindfulness teaching skills instruction and in supervisor led group practice.

This module will allow students to bring together core skills developed within the programme in a focused manner, e.g. time management, critical analysis, developing autonomy, and IT, numeracy and literacy skills.
Learning Activities
During completion of this module, the learning activities undertaken to achieve the module learning outcomes are stated below: 		Student Learning Hours
(Normally totalling 200 hours):
(Note: Learning hours include both contact hours and hours spent on other learning activities)
Lecture/Core Content Delivery30
Tutorial/Synchronous Support Activity30
Asynchronous Class Activity20
Practice Based Learning70
Personal Development Plan5
Independent Study445
600 Hours Total

**Indicative Resources: (eg. Core text, journals, internet access)

The following materials form essential underpinning for the module content and ultimately for the learning outcomes:

Bell, P., Staines, P., & Michell, J. (2013). Evaluating, doing, and writing research in Psychology. London: Sage.

Berry, R. (2004). The research project: How to write it. London: Routledge.

Crane, R. S., Soulsby, J. G., Kuyken, J., Williams, M. G., & Eames, C. (2018). Manual of the Mindfulness-based Interventions Teaching Assessment Criteria. The Universities of Bangor, Exeter and Oxford. https://oxfordmindfulness.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/MBI-TAC-manual-summary-addendums-05-16.pdf

Dancey, C. P., & Reidy, J. (2011). Statistics without maths for psychology (5th ed.). Harlow: Pearson.

Gilbert, P & Choden. (2013). Mindful compassion: using the power of mindfulness and compassion to transform our lives. London: Robinson

Goldberg SB, Tucker RP, Greene PA, Simpson TL, Kearney DJ, & Davidson RJ. (2017). Is mindfulness research methodology improving over time? A systematic review. PLoS ONE 12(10), e0187298. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187298

Jhangiani, R. S., Chiang, I. A., Cuttler, C. & Leighton, D. C. (2019). Research Methods in Psychology (4th Ed.). Open Science Textbook. Retrieved from: https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/psychmethods4e/

Lim, D., Condon, P., & DeSteno, D. (2015). Mindfulness and Compassion: An Examination of Mechanism and Scalability. PLoS ONE, 10(2): e0118221. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0118221

Smith J. A. (2015). Qualitative Psychology. London: Sage Publications.

(**N.B. Although reading lists should include current publications, students are advised (particularly for material marked with an asterisk*) to wait until the start of session for confirmation of the most up-to-date material)

Engagement Requirements

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement Procedure at the following link: Academic engagement procedure

Where a module has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:
Students are expected to attend a minimum of 75% of synchronous (live) learning activities and engage with at least 50% of asynchronous activities. In order to ensure that students meet the requirements of the UK Good Practice Guidelines for Mindfulness Teachers and are eligible to join the UK Listing, students will need to attend all assessed synchronous (live) sessions. Consideration will be given to students who have protection under the appropriate equality law. Please refer to UWS Regulations, Chapter 1, 1.64 – 1.67, available at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/rights-and-regulations/regulatory-framework/

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Supplemental Information

Programme BoardPsychology & Social Work
Assessment Results (Pass/Fail) No
Subject PanelUG/PG Psychology
ModeratorJ Ingram
External ExaminerC Ramsey-Wade
Accreditation Details
Version Number

1.03

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Assessment: (also refer to Assessment Outcomes Grids below)
Assessment 1 (30%): Practical skills assessment will be completed through observation of teaching practice through recordings of taught sessions of the MBLC, including self, peer and tutor assessment, culminating in a full MBI-TAC teaching competency assessment by tutors.
Assessment 2 (50%): A project report of independent research examining psychological aspects of mindfulness and/or compassion. Reports will be a maximum of 8000 words and be submitted in the style of an American Psychological Association journal article.
Assessment 3 (20%): A portfolio of work examining reflective practice and teaching skills in mindfulness and compassion. Consideration of the research process, ethical research and practice, and reflection on teaching practice following a reflective framework. Reflective elements should include consideration of self, peer and tutor assessment of practical skills. Portfolios will be a maximum of 4000 words.
(N.B. (i) Assessment Outcomes Grids for the module (one for each component) can be found below which clearly demonstrate how the learning outcomes of the module will be assessed.
(ii) An indicative schedule listing approximate times within the academic calendar when assessment is likely to feature will be provided within the Student Handbook.)

Assessment Outcome Grids (Footnote A.)

Component 1
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Learning Outcome (4) Learning Outcome (5) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Clinical/ Fieldwork/ Practical skills assessment/ Debate/ Interview/ Viva voce/ Oral check mark check markcheck mark302

Component 2
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Learning Outcome (4) Learning Outcome (5) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Dissertation/ Project report/ Thesischeck markcheck markcheck mark  5024

Component 3
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Learning Outcome (4) Learning Outcome (5) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Portfolio of written workcheck markcheck mark  check mark204
Combined Total For All Components100% 30 hours

Footnotes
A. Referred to within Assessment Section above
B. Identified in the Learning Outcome Section above

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Note(s):
  1. More than one assessment method can be used to assess individual learning outcomes.
  2. Schools are responsible for determining student contact hours. Please refer to University Policy on contact hours (extract contained within section 10 of the Module Descriptor guidance note).
    This will normally be variable across Schools, dependent on Programmes &/or Professional requirements.

Equality and Diversity
Aligned with the overall commitment to equality and diversity stated in the Programme Specifications, the module supports equality of opportunity for students from all backgrounds and with different learning needs. Using Moodle, learning materials will be presented electronically in formats that allow flexible access and manipulation of content (part-time and distant learning students should check with their programme leader for any queries). The module complies with University regulations and guidance on inclusive learning and teaching practice. Specialist assistive equipment, support provision and adjustment to assessment practice will be made in accordance with UWS policy and regulations. The University’s Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy can be accessed at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/equality/

Our partners are fully committed to the principles and practice of inclusiveness and our modules are designed to be accessible to all. Where this module is delivered overseas, local equivalent support for students and appropriate legislation applies.

UWS Equality and Diversity Policy
(N.B. Every effort will be made by the University to accommodate any equality and diversity issues brought to the attention of the School)

2014 University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland is a Registered Scottish Charity.

Charity number SC002520.

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