Module EDUC2351: Higher Education: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion

Department: Education

EDUC2351: Higher Education: Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To explore the relationship between higher education, inequality and society.
• To enable students to appreciate critically the issues and debates with regards to widening participation in higher education (UK context).

Content

• The course will centre on a number of key issues, such as:
• Historical context of higher education;
• Purpose and value of higher education;
• Higher education and social access: social class, gender, ethnicity, disability;
• Policy and widening participation in higher education;
• Media and widening participation in higher education;
• Theoretical perspectives to inclusion and exclusion.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge and understanding of historical and value contexts of higher education;
• Knowledge and understanding of different views on the way in which social class, gender, ethnicity and disability have been seen as (both historically and currently) impacting upon patterns of participation in Higher Education (HE);
• Knowledge and understanding of a range of theories that seek to explain why certain groups in society have not only been traditionally excluded from HE, but have differential experiences of the system.

• an ability to discuss such questions as, what is the meaning of higher education? Who goes to university? To what extent is higher education a vehicle for social change?
• an ability reflect on their own value systems and development;
• an ability to question concepts and theories encountered in their studies of education;
• an ability to utilise a range of relevant primary and secondary sources, including research-based, media and policy texts, in order to understand the issues of widening participation in higher education.

• an ability to think critically and independently;
• an ability to acquire complex information of diverse kinds in a structured and systematic way;
• an ability to construct and sustain a reasoned argument;
• an ability to work as part of a group;
• an ability to communicate effectively with appropriate use of specialist vocabulary;
• an ability to use ICT and a variety of library and IT resources;
• an ability to improve their own learning and performance, including the development of study and research skills, information retrieval, and a capacity to plan and manage learning, and to reflect on their own learning;
• an ability to work to deadlines.

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

• Teaching will consist of a mixture of lectures and seminars.
• Lectures will introduce key ideas and knowledge.
• Seminars will provide opportunities for discussion and detailed exploration of key issues.
• Much of the work in seminars will be student-led, using a range of structured and supported activities.
• Students will have the opportunity to take part in, and receive feedback on, a range of activities.
• Students will be provided with a study guide which will contain some key readings, guidance on the activities to be undertaken throughout the course and provide links to further references and sources of information.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Students will be encouraged to submit an outline of the essay (maximum one side of A4) and an outline of the written assignment (maximum one side of A4) in advance to the summative assessment deadlines. Students will also receive formative feedback on their project ideas via seminar discussions and presentations.

■ 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