Task 1 (addresses learning outcome 1 and 2)
Complete an audit of your work based learning to date using the questionnaire in Appendix B at the back of this document. Using academic theory and work based (critical moment) examples to support your commentary, comment upon your results.
(1,000 words in total).
Word count for this section 1,000 = 40% of the overall module mark
Task 2 (addresses Learning outcome 1, 2 and 3)
a) Discuss with your line manager your findings from task 1 and identify one knowledge, two skills and one behaviour that you will aim to develop over the next twelve months. Present this action plan as a table using the pro forma in Appendix C at the back of this assignment brief; (700 words in total)
b) Provide an evaluation of Task 2a) which:
- Justifies your action plan choices in terms of why these are important for you professionally and within the context of your organisation’s strategic objectives; (600 words)
- Identifies any risks to success and how you will mitigate these (200 words).
Word count for this section 1,500 = 60% of the overall module mark
Assessment Guidance.
Use of appendices
Appendices are not directly included in your mark but do provide useful information to the reader and evidence to back up your claims or comments. Therefore, they are supplementary to your assignment rather than part of the content that is marked. You should include in your appendices anything that backs up claims you are making and insights you are generating, such as redacted emails, documents, interview transcripts, photos, recordings or written stakeholder feedback.
Anything you consider should be included in your mark needs to be in the main body of your assignment.
Ensure any diagrams, tables etc. that are within the appendices are given a title and linked to in the main body of your assignment.
Included in the word count
The general rule is that anything in your appendices is not included in the word count as the appendices are not marked.
Anything which appears in the main body of your assignment (including tables and in text citations) are included in the word count. Except for:
- Diagrams which are not included but will be included if they appear to be a way of avoiding word count (for example, heavily populated with text).
- Reference list/bibliography is not included in the word count.
If you are in any doubt about what counts as word count consult your tutor and/or stay on the side of caution.
Guidance for Completing Your Assignment
Task 1
This part of the assignment starts with you completing a questionnaire. The purpose is to help you identify those knowledge, skills and behaviours that you are not yet working towards or are already working towards them. Remember, as you are only in your first year of the programme it is likely that quite a significant number of these may currently be rated as ‘not yet working towards’ – this is what you would expect at this stage in your journey.
The word count for task 1 is associated with the commentary. The questionnaire itself will be included as an Appendix so does not count. You just need to put a tick, a cross or ‘colour in’ the boxes on the questionnaire.
In the context of the definition to be applied to the requirement to ‘comment upon’ is: “Pick out the main points on a subject and give your opinion, reinforcing your point of view using logic and reference to relevant evidence, including any wider reading you have done.” (https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/essay-terms).
Here you need to analyse the results from your questionnaire and demonstrate you understand what this means. For example:
- are there patterns emerging from your analysis;
- do you have more knowledge secured than skills or behaviours?
- do you think this is unusual for where you are in your programme or is there some individual or organisational reason for this?
- where is your evidence/justification for how you have answered this.
Consider how you can weave academic theory into this commentary. What are the academic theories and concepts that you have secured during your time on programme and how are these demonstrated in your questionnaire outputs?
Alongside this, you need to evidence the answers you have given so what examples can you provide (critical moments) from the workplace that support your commentary? For example, if you indicate that you are secure in your interpersonal skills what the evidence is there that supports this statement? If, on the other hand, you do not feel that you are working towards a particular knowledge, skill or behaviour why do you think this is? What has stopped you? You do not need to tell the reader what you are going to do to address this as this is covered in Task 2.
Task 2 (part a and b)
Questions you and your line manager could explore when developing your action plan are:
- How are you identifying (based on the outputs from Task1) where you need to go over the next twelve months (in terms of your professional development)?
- How have I balanced my goals balanced around knowledge, skills and behaviours so that I am stretching myself but am not at risk of overreaching? To answer this you may want to think about:
- Am I sure I am being daring enough in tacking areas of what it takes to be a rounded manager that I might find challenging?
- Am I taking on too much and being too ambitious or overly confident?
- Am I seeking to develop new knowledge, skills or behaviours or am I deepening or broadening my existing understanding/competencies?
- Or am I intending to re-visit knowledge, skills and behaviours in another context to show how I am versatile?
- How well am I communicating my goals – are they clear, concise, SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely)?
- How do I know what the organisation needs?
- How do I know myself?
- How have I aligned the two?
- How am I discussing the organisational complexity I am working with and how it is suitable to the level (4, 5 or 6) at which I am working
Please remember the questions are a prompt NOT A CHECKLIST. They are there to help you shape your conversations with your line manager and understand the relevancy and appropriateness of your action plan objectives.
To successfully complete this section, you need to be clear on what your professional development goals are. It may help to use a professional development model, either one we provide (see canvas space for examples) or one that you self-identify or already use in your own organisation.
It is important that you position your goals not just in terms of your own professional development but also within the context of your organisation. As a work based assignment, it is essential that you take into account how your objectives link into the wider departmental or organisational objectives. How will you develop yourself as agreed with your line manager to support your department and/or the organisation to fulfil their objectives?
You need to start to develop yourself in ways that align yourself closer to your organisation’s needs.
Submission Criteria
Referencing:
All sources of knowledge used MUST be referenced using the Roehampton version of the
Harvard System https://library.roehampton.ac.uk/referencing/roeharvard
Word Count:
Not included in the word count – title page, reference list and appendices. All other content will count towards the word count including tables and diagrams. To review guidance on word count and penalties for exceeding the upper limit review: http://success.roehampton-online.com/ld.php?content_id=22797907&_ga=2.237400009.894069735.1584460392-1204184904.1584460392
Appendices:
Are an opportunity to include additional evidence to support the main body of the submission.
Appendices must appear at the end of your work and be linked/referred to in the body of your text. They will not count towards the word count and will not be included within the marks but are present to enhance your in-text discussion. Consider carefully if you should include the content in the main of your submission or as an appendix.
Marking:
Your work is marked and moderated in line with the University of Roehampton’s academic regulations available here: https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/corporate-information/quality-and-standards/academic-regulations/ please note regulations are presented per academic year.
How you will be marked:
Your work will be marked against the assignment rubric on the following page. The rubric is based on the Apprenticeship Standards values of knowledge, skills and behaviours. Below is the Institute of Apprenticeships definition of knowledge skills and behaviours and what these mean. You should reflect on these when considering how your assignment will be marked:
Knowledge – this is the information, technical detail, and ‘know-how’ that an individual needs to have and understand to successfully carry out the duties that make up the occupation. Some knowledge will be occupation-specific, whereas some may be more generic, for example health, safety and environment legislation.
Skills – skills are the practical application of knowledge needed to successfully undertake the duties that make up the occupation. They have to be learnt through on and/or off-the-job training or experience. They do not need to be expressed in the workplace context, because the duties are expressed in this way. Skills should not be a repetition of the duties or tasks.
Behaviours – behaviours are mind-sets, attitudes or approaches required for competence, generally across the entire occupation. Whilst these can be innate or instinctive, they can also be learnt, so they are effectively a subset of skills. Behaviours tend to be very transferable meaning that they may be more similar across apprenticeship standards than knowledge and skills.
Appendix A
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
Student’s name (First name)
(Last name)
Module name
Title of assignment
Complete Word Count in my assignment
Date submitted
All work must be submitted by the due date. If an extension of time to submit work is required, a CMDA Mitigating Circumstances Extension Form must be submitted.
Has an extension been approved? Yes No If yes, please give the new submission date ….…/..…./…….
IMPORTANT: THIS STATEMENT MUST BE READ & SIGNED
Academic Integrity Statement
Academic integrity and honesty are fundamental to the academic work you produce at the University of Roehampton. You are expected to complete coursework which is your own and which is referenced appropriately. The university has in place measures to detect academic dishonesty in all its forms. If you are found to be cheating or attempting to gain an unfair advantage over other students in any way, this is considered academic misconduct and you will be penalised accordingly.
I declare that the work I am submitting is my own work, is properly referenced and has not been submitted elsewhere.
Student Signature (Full Name):
Date:
Appendix B
Level 4 Work-based Learning Project
Questionnaire
This questionnaire is a first step to tracking your progress towards attaining the CMDA standards. At this stage in the programme, most of the outcomes will be either not yet working towards or working towards. There will be few which are secure. Even if you do feel that some of the knowledge, skills or behaviours are secure there will be significant opportunities to develop their depth and breadth in other contexts.
Definition of terms:
Not yet working towards – there is no evidence available that this knowledge, skill or behaviour has been demonstrated.
Working towards – some evidence exists but it is inconsistent and/or superficial.
Secure – there is substantial evidence of this knowledge, skill or behaviour which is of a consistently high standard and shows managerial mastery.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Not yet working towards Working towards SecureOperational Strategy
(Knowledge) Understand how to develop and implement organisational strategy and plans, including approaches to resource and supply chain management, workforce development, sustainability, taking and managing risk, monitoring and evaluation, and quality assurance. Know how to manage change in the organisation.
Operational Strategy
(Skills) Support the development of organisational strategies and plans. Develop and deliver operational plans; being able to set targets and KPIs, manage resources, and monitor and measure outcomes to establish operational effectiveness, efficiencies and excellence. Produce reports that clearly present information and data, using a range of interpretation and analytical processes. Gain wide support to deliver successful outcomes.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Project Management
(Knowledge) Know how a project moves through planning, design, development, deployment and evaluation. Understand risk management models and reporting, risk benefit analysis and H&S implications.
Project Management
(Skills) Plan, organise and manage resources in order to achieve organisational goals. Identify key outcomes, develop and implement plans and monitor progress, and provide reports as required. Proactively identify risk and create plans for their mitigation. Able to initiate, lead and drive change within the organisation, identifying barriers/challenges and how to overcome them. Ability to use widely recognised project management tools.
Business Finance
(Knowledge) Understand financial strategies, including budgets, financial management and accounting, and how to provide financial reports. Understand approaches to procurement and contracting, and legal requirements. Understand commercial context in an organisational setting and how this changes over time.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Business Finance
(Skills) Managing budgets, controlling expenditure and production of financial reports.
Sales and Marketing
(Knowledge) Know how to create marketing and sales strategies. Know how to segment and target relevant markets and customers (global and local), analysis of opportunities and ways to market. Understand the need for innovation in product and service design.
Sales and Marketing
(Skills) Use of customer insight and analysis of data to determine and drive customer service outcomes and improve customer relationships. Creative approaches to developing solutions to meet customer needs.
Digital Business & New Technologies
(Knowledge) Understand approaches to innovation and digital technologies and their impact on organisations, and how their application can be used for organisational improvement and development. Understand innovation and digital technology’s impact on data and knowledge management for analysing business decision-making.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Digital Business & New Technologies
(Skills) Able to identify service/organisational improvements and opportunities for innovation and growth, using qualitative and quantitative analysis of information and data and benchmarking against others.
Communication
(Knowledge) Understand different forms of communication (written, verbal non-verbal, digital) and how to apply them. Know how to maintain personal presence and present to large groups. Awareness of interpersonal skills of effective listening, influencing techniques, negotiating and persuasion.
Communication
(Skills) Communicate clearly, effectively and regularly using oral, written and digital channels and platforms. Use active listening and open questioning to structure conversations and discussions, and able to challenge when appropriate. Manage and chair meetings and clearly present actions and outcomes. Ability to apply influencing and persuading skills, to the dynamics and politics of personal interactions.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Leading People
(Knowledge) Understand different inclusive leadership styles and models, how to develop teams and support people using coaching and mentoring approaches. Understand organisational culture and diversity management.
Leading People
(Skills) Able to articulate organisational purpose and values. Support the creation of an inclusive, high performance work culture. Enable others to achieve by developing and supporting them through coaching and mentoring.
Managing People
(Knowledge) Know how to manage time, set goals, prioritise activities and undertake forward planning in a business environment with a focus on outcomes.
Managing People
(Skills) Able to build teams, empower and motivate others to improve performance or achieve outcomes. Able to delegate to others, provide clear guidance and monitor progress. Ability to set goals and accountabilities.
Developing Collaborative Relationships
(Knowledge) Understand approaches to stakeholder, customer and supplier management, developing engagement, facilitating cross functional working and negotiation. Know how to shape a common purpose, as well as approaches to conflict management and dispute resolution
Developing Collaborative Relationships
(Skills) Able to build rapport and trust, develop networks and maintain relationships with people from a range of cultures, backgrounds and levels. Able to contribute within a team environment. Effectively influence and negotiate, being able to have challenging conversations and give constructive feedback. Work collaboratively with internal and external customers and suppliers.
Awareness of Self and Others
(Knowledge) Know how to be self–aware and recognise different learning styles. Know how to use emotional and social intelligence, and active listening and open questioning to work effectively with others.
Awareness of Self and Others
(Skills) Able to reflect on own performance, identifying and acting on learning and development needs. Ability to understand impact on others. Can manage stress and personal well-being, and confident in knowing core values and drivers.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Management of Self
(Knowledge) Know how to manage time, set goals, prioritise activities and undertake forward planning in a business environment with a focus on outcomes.
Management of Self
(Skills) Able to create a personal development plan, and use widely recognised tools and techniques to ensure the management of time and pressure effectively, and prioritisation and strategic alignment of activities.
Decision Making
(Knowledge) Know how to undertake research, data analysis, problem solving and decision-making techniques, and understand the values, ethics and governance of your organisation.
Decision Making
(Skills) Use evidence-based tools and ethical approaches to undertake problem solving and critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation to support decision making.
Area of the standard
Learning Outcomes Takes Responsibility Drive to achieve in all aspects of work. Demonstrates resilience and determination when managing difficult situations. Seeks new opportunities underpinned by commercial acumen and sound judgement.
Inclusive Open, approachable, authentic, and able to build trust with others. Seeks the views of others and values diversity internally and externally.
Agile Flexible to the needs of the organisation. Is creative, innovative and enterprising when seeking solutions to business needs. Positive and adaptable, responding well to feedback and need for change. Open to new ways of working and new management theories.
Professionalism Sets an example, and is ethical, fair, consistent and impartial. Operates within organisational values and adheres to the requirements of relevant professional bodies.
Appendix C
ACTION PLAN
Apprenticeship standard (to be inserted direct from the standard). This is not part of the word count Agreed objective to meet this standard (what are you intending to do). How will this develop you professionally? Why is this important from an organisational strategic perspective?
Knowledge
Skill 1
Skill 2
Behaviour
Assignment Marking Rubric
Distinction
1st Class honours
Above 70% Merit
Upper second class
60-69% Pass
Lower second
50 -59% Bare pass
Third
40-49% Marginal Fail
Less than 39%, more than 30% Fail
Less than 29%
Knowledge and Understanding
30% of overall mark
(Knowing and understanding enough to select a variety of relevant concepts and knowledge and relate them to each other)
Note each FHEQ level requires greater engagement with concepts
Well researched, creatively selected and highly relevant concepts, and other sources of knowledge and understanding, within (intra) module and across modules (inter) modules, are related to each other in complex ways that are clear, specific, creative and insightful for practice. An understanding of the different assumptions (schools of thought) underlying the selected concepts is highly visible. The differing assumptions, very directly and overtly, drive the relationships created between concepts. Relevant and carefully selected concepts, and other sources of knowledge and understanding, are related to each other in interesting, clear and creative ways that include some effective inter module relationships.
An understanding of the different assumptions (schools of thought) underlying the knowledge selected is visible. These differing assumptions are often used in creating the relationships created between concepts.
Reasonably relevant concepts and other sources of knowledge and understanding are related to each other in ways that are sometimes interesting, clear and creative. Selection of inter module concepts is either missing or of limited use.
An understanding of the assumptions (schools of thought) underlying the knowledge selected is not seen or, if it is, is not used effectively to create relationships between the concepts.
A few concepts are selected from a restricted body of knowledge. Relationships between these concepts are made but lack clarity and/or specificity and/or and creativity.There is no effective use of concepts, knowledge or understanding across modules (inter).
Understanding of the assumptions underlying the knowledge selected is not seen in any valuable form. Whilst there is some suggestion of an understanding of concepts and knowledge, it is insufficient to be considered professional.
The works involves far too much description, rather than understanding of, and engagement with, the concepts.
There is no, or very little, evidence of relevant knowledge and understanding.
The work largely, if not exclusively, involves describing what happened in ways that are not easy to understand by the reader.
Distinction
1st Class honours
Above 70% Merit
Upper second class
60-69% Pass
Lower second
50 -59% Bare pass
Third
40-49% Marginal Fail
Less than 39%, more than 30% Fail
Less than 29%
Skills
30% of overall mark
(Intellectual processing and articulation of practise, considered and scholarly action and learning leading to self- managed professional development)
Note each FHEQ level requires engagement with greater levels of organisational complexity
The argument flows, creating insights from intertwining knowledge and highly varied evidence of practise.
Counter-arguments and multiple perspectives are discussed and impact on action precisely presented.
Analysis, evaluation and synthesis creatively generate new perspectives on complex areas of organisational life. New and innovative actions are critically discussed in-depth from different perspectives. Thinking acknowledges the dynamic nature of management.
Complexity is embraced comprehensively in terms of value conflicts, dilemmas, paradoxes, uncertainties and risks, from which you constantly learn.
Presentation is highly professional; it innovatively communicates how the thinking connects with action and growth and serves to help professional development.
The argument flows, creating insights from intertwining knowledge and varied evidence. In places, counter arguments and multiple perspectives are discussed to reveal what impact they have on action.
Analysis, synthesis and evaluation are used to understand different perspectives and actions, often articulating the impact of the complexity on action.
Complexity is embraced in ways that effectively access that complexity. More engagement with more difficult areas would add marks.
Presentation is professional, communicating, with impact, your level of processing and professional development. More innovative presentation would add marks.
The argument frequently creates insights, but areas are too descriptive. Elements of analysis, evaluation and synthesis are present.
There is an attempt at considering and involving different perspectives and counter-arguments.
How the analytical and conceptual processing results in action, sometimes lacks analytical and conceptual depth/and or breadth. Making better connections between thinking and action would add marks.
More complexity could be accessed, either by using a more sophisticated argument or by turning that argument into more action.
Presentation is professional as your articulation of what you are facing and your professional development are accessible to the reader. More precise, pithy and engaging presentation would add marks.
The argument has limited elements of analysis, evaluation and synthesis. Counter-arguments are lacking. Different perspectives are lacking.Insights and action are sparse and weak. A few parts are strong enough to begin to convince the reader and have impact.
The view point lacks processing of the more complex area(s) of the practise and its relationship with action, learning and professional development.
Presentation is barely professional with the receiver/reader needing sometimes to work hard to see how you are processing your thinking and engaging fully with others, and with action to manage your professional development.
Your work is not thought through in how it uses knowledge to create insights, plans and actions. Holes appear in the flow of what you are saying, or the flow is absent, making your thinking and action difficult to understand.
Analysis/evaluation/
synthesis is insufficient and not compelling in how it links to action, learning and professional development.
Complexity is not accessed creating action that is trivial. A more sophisticated view of practise needs to be articulated.
Presentation is not professional. It does not easily allow the marker to understand what you are communicating, or to access what you are thinking and doing in sufficient detail. Your practise is not articulated in a scholarly way.
Your work shows very little, if any, thinking and/or evidenced compelling action. There is little, if any, analysis, evaluation or synthesis of your practise to drive that informed, scholarly and reflective action.
Presentation does not communicate ideas and events. The marker is largely lost.
Distinction1st Class honours
Above 70% Merit
Upper second class
60-69% Pass
Lower second
50 -59% Bare pass
Third
40-49% Marginal Fail
Less than 39%, more than 30% Fail
Less than 29%
Behaviours
30% of overall mark
(Behaviours that allow knowledge to created and used in ways that promote professional development)
Note each FHEQ level requires greater independence as regards professional development