Taking a self-study course

As a Beginner Teacher about to embark on my PGCE, I decided to take one of Culham St Gabriel’s self-study modules. I wanted to gain a greater depth of subject knowledge in preparation for my PGCE as well as keep up my studies over the summer after achieving my undergraduate degree. I chose a course which would develop my subject knowledge because it required me to produce a PowerPoint reflecting the new information I had acquired. I wanted both the new learning the course offered, as well as the product, which I might be able to repurpose for the classroom one day.

I enjoyed creating the PowerPoint, finding the process of putting my new learning into practice satisfying. I also enjoyed reading around and gaining more knowledge of religions that I had not previously studied in great depth. The resources available on RE:ONLINE were very helpful and easy to access and related well to the specific information which I needed to learn about each of the religions in order to complete the course. They were not too long or difficult to read, whilst also offering depth. The team behind RE:ONLINE were quick to respond to my questions, and happy to help.

There are benefits to a self-study course. With self-study I can go at my own pace and fit the work around my other commitments. I completed the course over a fortnight in the summer, for part of which I was away on holiday. This would not have been possible if it were not a self-study course, however, given that it was, I was able to complete the course anywhere with a laptop and internet access.

I got a lot out of the course, especially practice in creating a lesson ahead of my PGCE. It gave me confidence to gain some knowledge about religions that I had not previously studied in great depth. While a mixture of self-study and taught learning is ideal, the big advantage of self-study is that it can fit around your life and you can spread the work out over a longer period, or complete it in a shorter time, depending on what suits you best.

I would suggest it can be incredibly beneficial for teachers to pursue their own professional development, as well as receiving support from taught courses, mentors, or their school. Self-study can allow teachers to address weaker areas which are individual to them. Teachers should probably expect to do at least some of their own professional development through the course of their career. Schools also have a responsibility to accommodate teachers’ CPD, as well as to provide additional professional development which aligns with the values and needs of the institution. I enjoyed my experience of self-study and would consider it again in future.