Do you regularly find yourself asking questions of your work setting? Have you ever reflected on how effective aspects of your practice provision are? Exploring practice enables you to examine in detail a project theme pertinent to your practice. This unique opportunity promotes development of personal and professional learning in evidence-based practice and culminates in detailed action planning, exploring implications for change and improvements in practice. This online module is readily accessible to busy practitioners through its learning and teaching strategies which seek to facilitate and support your exploration of practice. It is open to an inter-professional audience, including youth justice workers, nurses and allied health professionals and social workers.
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No current presentation
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This module is expected to start for the last time in October 2023. |
What you will study
This module is about developing your ability to negotiate, plan and undertake a work-based project, and is designed to build on experience and develop practice. It will develop your confidence and competence as a practitioner, enabling you to assess evidence and draw appropriately on findings. You will learn how to handle uncertainty and change and throughout the module you will relate learning to practice. The module is relevant to youth justice, social work, nursing and the allied health professions. To complete the module successfully you need recent relevant work experience in a field of health, social care or social work. For example, this might be in the capacity as a volunteer – contact us for further advice.
This module provides you with the skills needed to work independently and to interrogate critically the evidence of your practice in terms of knowledge and change creation. It provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your learning within the workplace through an independent learning journey culminating in a written project of 7000 words.
The module will allow you to explore an area of your practice that requires improvement, you will ‘scope’ this through professional discussion and review of current published research literature. You will not be required to conduct primary research or implement any changes in practice within the scope of the module but will be asked to produce a plan about ‘how’ you would implement these changes in the future as part of the final module assessment.
You will develop the following key skills on this module:
- ability to learn in new and unfamiliar situations from differing sources and experiences
- appreciation of multiple perspectives and their effect on decision making
- ability to manage complexity and critically analyse, synthesise and evaluate new information in the context of its use
- ability to use information literacy, ICT tools and numeracy skills as appropriate to find, evaluate, process, present and communicate information
- ability to frame and address issues appropriate to your work, being aware of their context and environment
- independently plan, monitor, evaluate and improve your own learning and performance.
The central learning resource for this online module is its website. You will use it to plan and conduct your studies via the interactive learning guide. This guide, coupled with the online calendar, will provide the ‘road maps’ for the progression of your project. You’ll be directed to online tools that are provided to support your project development, and collaboration with your peers will form an essential component of your learning journey.
Vocational relevance
This module will have relevance for your practice and practice setting. You will need to engage in professional discussions in the workplace and explore research literature on your chosen topic. While this module does not provide you with a registered qualification, you will be able to use it towards your continuing professional development (CPD) and in some cases it may meet your professional CPD requirements – please check with your professional body. This module also has relevance in your workplace and may form part of your professional development within your organisation.
Entry
This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at OU levels 1 and 2 and challenge you with advanced topics at undergraduate level. They are equivalent to the final year of an honours degree. These modules are also suitable if you already have a degree and want to update your knowledge.
Some study at OU level 2 would put you in a strong position to enjoy this module and rise to its challenges. Its academic content has a direct bearing on practice, so you should have relevant experience to draw on to complete the module activities and assessment.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Outside the UK
If you work in a health and social care setting outside the UK, this module may be suitable given that it is about the development of independent learning within a health and social care work setting, although your project will need to have relevance to the UK. You will need to be in a practice setting and have a line manager to negotiate your work-based project. This module is delivered and assessed in English.
Qualifications
K316 is a compulsory module in our:
K316 is an optional module in our:
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this module can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with an adviser before registering.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying K316 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.
Study materials
What's included
This module is delivered entirely online, and you’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
- a week-by-week study planner
- course-specific module materials
- audio and video content
- assignment details and submission section
- online tutorial access.
All the module teaching and library resources are available online through the website. These are available in alternative formats for download if required.
Computing requirements
You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.
Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.
Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.
It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You’ll be supported by an OU tutor who will offer online tutorials on a tutor group basis and later in the module, on a one to one basis . They will offer support via other methods such as email. You’ll engage with your tutor group through online group discussions facilitated by your tutor. Your tutor will provide individualised support in preparation for and feedback on your assignments via the tutor group forum, assignment feedback, online group tutorials, online one to one tutorials (later in the module) and other methods such as email.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system. The TMAs are summative and contribute towards your final assessment score; your tutor will provide you with feedback relevant to the progression of your independent project. These assignments are compulsory as they provide valuable feedback on your progress toward the EMA. The end-of-module assessment (EMA) is a 7000-word project report, which is submitted online through the eTMA system.
Students also studied
Students who studied this module also studied at some time:
Future availability
Exploring practice starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module starting in October 2023, the last time we expect it to start.
How to register
We regret that we are currently unable to accept registrations for this module. Where the module is to be presented again in the future, relevant registration information will be displayed on this page as soon as it becomes available.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our
Student Policies and Regulations website.