Education Studies
| Module title | Education Studies |
|---|---|
| Module code | EFPM914 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Shirley Larkin (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 150 |
|---|
Module description
Have you ever wondered what education is for, who it serves, or who decides how it should be organised? This module will enable you to take a critical and questioning approach to a number of issues in education and to further develop an engaged and informed understanding. You will be encouraged to explore different issues by adopting different disciplinary lenses (historical, philosophical, psychological and sociological). The module will focus on how these different lenses approach educational issues. This module provides an important foundation for further study on our other MA Education modules and will be accessible for current and future educational professionals alike.
Content Notice
On this module, we may deal with issues around mental health; special educational needs; disability; gender; identity; sexuality; ethnicity; race; political issues; religious issues; Imperialism; colonialism; age; class; social deprivation; poverty; unemployment; human relationships
Please be advised that some of the material on this module may be upsetting. Details of the content for each week of the module can be found in advance on the ELE page.
These subjects can be particularly challenging for students who have personal experience of the issues. If you need specialist support in dealing with the consequences of any issues you can - contact Wellbeing Services at Streatham
There are no pre-requisites to this module. You may be asked to read material in advance of the taught session.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module has the following principal aims:
- To enable you to develop a strong understanding of the core approaches which underpin education, in order for you to be able to recognize the particular and distinct contributions that they make to this field of study
- To advance your understanding of education as a complex, holistic, multi-dimensional field
- To enable you to draw upon these disciplinary perspectives in a confident, structured and imaginative manner, in order to address a range of key educational questions
- To provide you with the theories and analytical critical skills needed in order for you to apply these critical perspectives to your own areas of professional or research interest and to the other key educational phenomena, processes or practices which you will encounter during the rest of your MA study
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Describe, discuss and distinguish between the different disciplinary approaches (sociology, psychology, philosophy and history) which underpin education studies
- 2. Draw on these different approaches to critically analyse a selection of key topics in education
- 3. Confidently apply these different disciplinary perspectives to an area of research or professional interest
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Critically engage with relevant sources of literature and current debates
- 5. Demonstrate ability to apply theoretical insights to a research problem or professional practice and to suggest a conclusion supported by relevant arguments
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Engage in critical and reflective debate
- 7. Synthesise and organize key ideas to present an argument
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Why are we here? Education – a historical perspective.
- What is education and what is its purpose (philosophy)?
- Psychological approaches to learning
- Education in whose interests (sociology)?
- Additional perspectives on education – the contribution made by economics, cultural studies or international education
- Application of these perspectives to major educational issues (e.g. race, ethnicity, gender and social class inequalities, learning, and inclusion)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 270 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 30 | 10 x 1.5 hour lectures, 10 x 1.5 hour seminar/workshop sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Directed reading related to topics discussed in the module |
| Guided Independent Study | 120 | Directed study e.g. creating a personalized reading list; preparing for academic tutorial; preparing for seminars; responding to seminar activities; contributing to online discussions |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Preparation for assignments and further independent reading |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 1,500 words | 1-7 | Written tutor feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 100 | 3,500 words | 1-7 | Written summative feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | Written assignment (3,500 words) | 1-7 | 6 weeks |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Dufour, B. & Curtis, W. (eds.) (2011) Studying education: an introduction to the key disciplines in educational studies. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Furlong, J. (2012) Education: An Anatomy of the Discipline, Rescuing the University Project. London: Routledge.
Lauder, H., Brown, P. and Halsey, A. (2009) ‘Sociology of Education: critical history and prospects for the future’ Oxford Review of Education 35, 5, 569-85
Phillips, D. & Schweisfurth, M. (2014) Comparative and International Education: an introduction to theory, method, and practice, 2nd edition. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Hayes, D. (ed) (2004) The Routledge Falmer Guide to Key Debates in Education, London, Routledge.
Sheehy, N. (2003) Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology, London, Routledge.
Ball, S.J. (2004) The Routledge Falmer Reader in Sociology of Education, London, Routledge Falmer.
Scott, J. (2006) Fifty Key Sociologists: The Contemporary Theorists, London, Routledge.
Black, J. & Macraild, D. (2000) Studying History, Basingstoke, Palgrave.
Jones, K. (2003) Education in Britain. 1944 to the Present Day, Cambridge, Polity.
Baggini, J. (2002) Philosophy: Key Texts, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
During, S. (2007) Introduction in The Cultural Studies Reader (3rd Edition), London: Routledge
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 25/05/2018 |
| Last revision date | 21/03/23 |
