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Preparing for Educational Inquiry Portfolio

Module description

Understanding the relationship between theory, research, policy and practice is at the heart of this module.  Not only will you develop many of the same skills required when following the ‘traditional’ dissertation route, but you will also be able to harness your enterprising and employability skills through the creation of an artefact or resource related to an aspect of practice.  By taking this module, you will develop your planning, researching, and problem-solving skills as well as your ability to think critically and creatively regarding the creation of an authentic practice-based artefact which is relevant to a current issue in education.

We are using the term ‘artefact’ to refer to something which is designed and created by you and is relevant to an area in education practice.  Examples of practice-based artefacts or resources could be:

• the creation of a series of resources or teaching interventions aimed at supporting a specific group of students eg mature students in HE, or school-aged students with a specific learning difficulty
• or the design of a MOOC focused on a specific topic area eg decolonisation, or sustainability education
• or design a campaign aimed at school-aged students relating to a current key issue in education.

This module is an alternative to EFPM308 for students on full-time MA Education programmes (SEN; Leadership and Management in Education; International Education; Technology, Creativity, and Thinking; Creative Arts.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to develop your knowledge and skills required to:

• Identify a practice-based ‘problem’ / issue
• Develop and review project aims and objectives
• Review and synthesise relevant academic literature to support your understanding of the problem
• Apply theory, research, and policy to an aspect of practice by designing and creating a practice-based artefact / product
• Critically evaluate the final artefact and the project management and learning processes

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Critically evaluate current research and academic literature in a chosen area of study
• 2. Demonstrate originality in the application of theory, research, and policy to create an artefact or product
• 3. Critically reflect on and evaluate the project and learning process

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate a critical awareness of a current problem in education or professional practice;
• 5. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the relevant knowledge and skills applicable to the creation of an ‘artefact’ or project.
• 6. critically reflect upon and evaluate your own understanding of current issues and debates in education and those of others

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. undertake both directed and independent study to recognise, justify, and analyse key ideas in the literature and relate these to research, theory, policy and practice
• 8. Develop project management skills: problem solving; critical thinking; digital literacy, and respond creatively to potential challenges

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover the following topics:

• How theory, research, and policy can inform practice
• How to undertake a needs analysis to identify a practice-based ‘problem’ or issue
• How to read relevant literature sources and write a literature review
• How to plan, manage, and design a research project with a practical component
• How to plan and create an artefact / product linked to the literature review and research ‘problem’
• Explore how theory, policy, and research can be applied to an aspect of practice
• Develop knowledge and experience of critically reflective practice

This module encompasses 3 interrelated phases:

Term 1: an initial preparatory phase where you begin to identify a practice-based ‘problem’ or issue and undertake a needs analysis to support your justifications for why your artefact / product is needed

Term 2: This phase involves developing your knowledge of the ‘problem’ further by reading relevant literature associated with your chosen topic.  This will then lead into writing a literature review on the issue

Term 3: This phase focuses on creating the final product and a critical evaluation of the project management and learning process.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Cooksey, R., & McDonald, G. (2019). Surviving and thriving in postgraduate research. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
• Cottrell, S. (2003). The Study Skills Handbook (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave

Key words search

• Cooksey, R., & McDonald, G. (2019). Surviving and thriving in postgraduate research. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
• Cottrell, S. (2003). The Study Skills Handbook (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave