From 1982 to 2020, Mark K Smith was a member of teams developing programmes, and learning materials, for students training to be informal educators, community learning and development practitioners, youth workers, and social pedagogues. He was also the Rank Research Fellow and Tutor at the YMCA George Williams College (1990-2014).
His most recent course development activities (2014-2020) included a major rework of two first-year, two second-year, and one third-year 20-credit degree modules for the YMCA George Williams College/Coventry University Children, young people and families – BA Hons programme. He also developed two new modules – working with systems and networks (year 2), and critical theory (year 3). Each module had a study guide and a reader with 24 readings. These materials were available in different formats – print, screen, phone and an A4 Open Dyslexic version. They could also be available as kindle and epub versions.
Another element of this work was to work within a team building a new level 3 Children, young people and families programme. It led to a recognized Access to Higher Education qualification plus a qualification in youth work, social pedagogy and community learning and development. A particularly interesting element of this programme was the development of a strand for those working in specialist education settings and pupil referral units wanting to develop as social pedagogues.
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