1. since it meant convincing revenue generators.
Risk was great as the stakes were high.
Our thanks to Strathclyde tutors who supported
and encouraged us irrespective of risks. After
much deliberation, the plan was put to action.
While my group members carefully introduced
academic changes, an opportunity arose to avail
a three months stay in Glasgow, as part of
Postgraduate Diploma programme, opening
avenues to investigate similar projects in UK.
With renewed spirits, workshops were organised
for parents addressing queries arising due to
changes in school curriculum.
Initially, Knight’s Armour was required for
protection, but mutual fear gradually dissipated
as comprehension developed.
This project not only enhanced student
motivation, but also proved as an indirect
medium for parental instruction, not forgetting
financial benefit reaped due to good repute in the
community.
Today, TCS has a comprehensive policy across
the network, encouraging Headteachers to be
innovative in introducing activities for parental
involvement.
Last decade has seen much advancement in
TCS, of which this is just one example. It is a
matter of great pride for experienced staff who
experienced the metamorphosis and contributed
to the evolution of current policies and practices
in our organisation.
A Project Success Story
by Safinaz Adnan
Advanced Professional Studies
Newsletter
Issue 2, June 2009
This partnership was the catalyst that set wheels
rolling towards ‘change’ in Education
Management in Pakistan. The turning point
generated a paradigm shift from ‘teacher
centered to student centered learning,’ facing
stakeholders with uncertainty, apprehensions and
challenges.
It gives me great pleasure to share the success
story of a small nursery school’s effort towards
making change acceptable with ‘Parents’ who are
beneficiaries of modern teaching strategies.
School Development Planning (SDP) was a new
concept in Pakistan, requiring needs identification
and problem solving by practitioners.
An ambitious project on ‘Parental Involvement’
was initiated by our group of five nursery
teachers, incepted during Postgraduate
Certificate Course in Advanced Professional
Studies in summer of 1998.
While colleagues concentrated on revamping
‘teaching and learning,’ our group struggled to
find ways to make the change acceptable among
parents, who are products of ‘chalk and board’
and excessive written work. It was a
magnanimous task demanding intense planning,
In 1996, the University of Strathclyde (UoS)
entered in to an alliance with The City School
(TCS, a private chain of schools across
Pakistan and beyond since 1978).
Parents… from rivals to partners

2. doing a Masters Degree in Advanced
Professional Studies.
This was attractive to me because it had a
’building block’ approach where I initially focused
on the Diploma and when I had completed the
necessary modules continued on the next
stage.......the MSc.
I was able to sit down with the Course Director
and plan a route through the programme which
saw me benefit from approved prior formal
learning (APFL) and undertake work based
learning agreements (WBLA) as well as complete
the preparation and planning module for post
graduate study.
The assessments, the necessary reading
materials/books and the timescales for
submissions were also negotiated and agreed
with the Course Director.
The WBLA have been closely linked to my every
day professional practice, the work I undertake
and the responsibilities I have. It just seems to
make so much sense that the work I am doing
everyday involving planning, implementing and
reviewing is recognised and valued in an
academic context.
The whole approach has been flexible and
completely tailored to my work situation. I have
been individually supported with options for
opting into ‘taught’ sessions with other students
where it ‘fitted’.
Staff in the Professional Development Unit (PDU)
have guided me through the process, sorting out
meetings with my Tutor or the Course Director
and providing the necessary paperwork and
information each stage of the way.
At this point in time I am now exploring options
for my Professional Enquiry and Development
Project and on successful completion will have
reached my goal of an MSc.
while my friends are still
‘talking’ about doing the
conversion course.
By Anne-Marie Monaghan
To be honest deciding
to go back to university
wasn’t something I had
thought long and hard
about. In fact it was
almost an impulsive
reaction to a set of
circumstances that
meant I couldn’t
physically do the
things I normally did. I
had just had some
major neck surgery
and was a bit worried
about doing something
constructive while
recovering.
I had a couple of friends who had ‘talked’ about
going back to Strathclyde University and doing
the extra modules necessary to convert their
diploma in Youth and Community Work to a BA
degree.
Out of curiosity I decided to enquire because
there had been occasions throughout my
professional career when I had considered
undertaking further study but being a full time
working mum came with its own demands and
usually won!
After some discussion (and receiving much
encouragement) with staff in the Department of
Community Education I decided to go ahead.
There were options of distance and online
learning but I decided to actually attend the
classes as I had time to do this.
It was a tremendous experience and gave me a
real appetite for more! I graduated in June 2006
with a BA which was 21 years after my initial
graduation with a Diploma in Youth and
Community Work from Jordanhill College. It
caused a stir in the Monaghan household as it
was closely followed by my daughter’s graduation
from Glasgow University.
Having had such a positive experience I did
make a conscious decision that I would like to
continue to study but I had a job to return to and
whatever I did still had to ‘fit’ with that. Some
more helpful advice from the Community
Education staff saw me pursue the option of
New Staff / Student Representative

3. Preparation and Planning
This module provides support through
experiential and learner centred approaches
towards the goal of encouraging students to
become independent learners. They are
introduced to analysing their development needs,
study skills, group working, research methods
and literature searching and planning exercises
to assist in module selection. As the outcome of
the module students have to produce a rationale
for their learning proposal, justified in terms of
relevance to professional needs, coherence,
progression and intended outcomes. This
becomes a written learning contract, which can
be modified if circumstances change.
Dates: Tues 25th
August, Tues 1st
September &
Tues 8th
September 2009
5.30pm-8.00pm
Effective Community Work
By Valuing the Community
Development process, this
course seeks to ensure
that participants are
confident about their
practice in the current multi
-agency setting. The aim
of the course is to support
participants to critically analyse and articulate
elements of good practice.
This course is targeted to those qualified in
Community Education and related fields.
Participants will draw on examples from fieldwork
practice and link these to theory and the policy
context.
Dates: Tues 20th
October, Tues 27th
October,
Tues 3rd
November, Tues 10th
November
2009 plus one Saturday to be arranged
4.30pm-7.00pm
Sinead Joy who is currently undertaking her Diploma in Health Education
Health Promotion was due to meet with Andrew Hosie, Course Director to
discuss her study plans. When Sinead did not appear for the meeting,
obviously we were concerned and telephoned to ensure that everything was
alright. Sinead returned the call to inform us that the reason for her not
turning up for the meeting was because she had given birth to twin boys!!
Up & Coming Modules
Congratulations
We can report that Kieran and Alistair Joy were born on April
27 2009, only 5 weeks early but healthy and happy. Kieran
was born at 5lbs 3oz and now is a healthy 6 lbs! Alistair was
born at 4 lbs 7 oz and is now a full pound heavier. They spent
two weeks in Paisley RAH in the Special Care Baby Unit.
Sinead and her husband Richard (also a graduate from
Strathclyde University) would like to thank the wonderful staff in
the Special Care Unit and the maternity ward for all
their brilliant care. Both boys are home now and getting lots of
attention from grandparents, family and friends. The whole
family is looking forward to many new adventures together.

4. Contact Details
If you have any questions regarding the
Advanced Professional Studies programme,
please do not hesitate to contact the Course
Director or Secretary on:
Course Director - Andrew Hosie
T: 0141 950 3584
E: a.hosie@strath.ac.uk
Course Secretary - Linda Nicolson
T: 0141 950 3611
E: linda.nicolson@strath.ac.uk
Staff / Student Representative
If you have any comments you wish Anne-Marie
to take forward to the Course Team, please
contact annemarie.monaghan@strath.ac.uk
Professional Development Unit
University of Strathclyde
Faculty of Education
76 Southbrae Drive
Jordanhill G13 1PP
Telephone: 0141 950 3611
Fax: 0141 950 3210
Email: pdu@strath.ac.uk
Website: www.strath.ac.uk/pdu/facultycourses
Until Next Time…
We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our
Advanced Professional Studies Newsletter and
found the information featured useful.
Look out for the next issue in DECEMBER
Exam Board
The Board of Examiners will meet on:
APS - Thursday 10th September 2009
Dates For Your Diary
If you would like to submit an article to the APS Newsletter please contact linda.ncolson@strath.ac.uk