ED2BEP-Contemporary Education and Policy

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Richard Harris
Email: r.j.harris@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module will cultivate students’ understanding of the UK’s post-war public policy context within which education is a part. It will promote the use of critical thinking in order to explore political, historical, societal and philosophical debates aboutÌýeducation in society. Ìý

Aims:

This module will encourage students to see education from an historical and political context, with reference to legislative and policy developments. It will consider the reasons why certain policies exist and what debates are associated with these policy areas, and what alternative perspectives exist.Ìý

Assessable learning outcomes:

• Identify and explain how some key areasÌýof policy and legislative changes in education have developed


• Identify factors impacting policy development and implementation in education


• Critically evaluate the factors that impact on policy decision making in relation to a range of policy areas


• Critically analyse alternative policy options
  
  

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:

The following content is indicative as the content may differ depending on current policy developments:

• Exploring the purpose of education


• How school curriculum policy is shapedÌý


• Policy making in informal education settings


• Policy making in formal education beyond schools


• Challenges of policy enactmentÌý

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures, discussion groups, small group tasks and online contributionsÌý