Module EDUC40630: Policy Studies: Educational Reforms in Britain and Abroad

Department: Education

EDUC40630: Policy Studies: Educational Reforms in Britain and Abroad

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To develop critical understanding of ways in which educational policy relates to the organisation of education.

Content

• The Policy Studies module is concerned with the analysis of the process of education policy-making, and a critical reflection on education policy reform, evaluation and research.
• In the twentieth century, a series of crises including a breakdown of a consensus on education and its purposes, the challenge of unemployment, the continued stratification of society and a credentialist spiral provoked a number of responses. These included the marketisation of education, state-mandated reforms and standardisation, inspection, accountability and consumer satisfaction, re-emphasis on standards and competitiveness for a world economy and the need for lifelong learning. The Policy Studies module offers an analytical study of these and other major policy issues.
• We will ask whether certain features of modern societies threaten ‘liberal education’, and, if they do, whether educators and education policy should play a part in resisting these threats. We will explore, among other things, globalization, marketisation leading to the commodification of both education, confused thinking behind so-called ‘fair selection’ policies especially for higher education, and aspects of the audit culture in the developed world that manifest themselves in the ‘assessment for accountability’ high stakes educational policy that still prevails in England.
• We will look closely at attempts made to evaluate education policy in general and specific policies in particular. There will be a focus on the range of research designs which are amenable to education policy evaluation. A number of case studies will be explored in depth (for example: evaluation of higher education (HE) widening participation policy initiatives; monitoring performance; equity and inequity, curriculum reform; access to opportunities; and the poverty gradient and other gaps). There will be an opportunity to develop skills in critically appraising the ways in which policy innovation has been evaluated in the UK and elsewhere. The relationship between policy, practice and research will also be critically examined.

Learning Outcomes

• Critical understanding of theories to examine policy; the influence of the New Right on educational policy; alternative value systems in education.

• By the end of the module, students will be able to:
• critique and evaluate education policy drawing upon policy studies literature
• relate the study of education policy to its social context.

• Demonstrate the ability to research literature, including for example: searching, synthesising, summarising and critiquing literatures;
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate educational research;
• Use ICT when presenting assignments;
• Organise and plan;
• Formulate, analyse and solve problems;
• Learn independently.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Through lectures and seminar teaching supported by Study Guide resources. The Study Guide includes preparation for and follow up to teaching activities. This directed independent work is an important part of the module. Lectures enable the ideas of the module to be considered. Seminar work enables students to develop their understanding of the ideas and consider them in a range of professionally relevant contexts. Activities in seminars include a variety of active learning approaches including discussion, group work, presentations, question and answer sessions, individual tasks. A Bulletin Board on DUO enables staff and students to continue their interaction between teaching sessions. Preparation for the assignment involves students in wide reading and critical reflection on ideas of the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Presentation (individually or as part of group) of readings on one of the seminar themes. Verbal feedback is given to students' contribution during class teaching sessions. Staff can be contacted for individual help. Written formative feedback is provided for the academic outline of the assignment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University