Close
Description
What is Education? Introduces students to key debates and topics within the diverse field of education studies. The module is centred around six questions posed by Fielding & Moss (2011) which encourage a more critical and nuanced understanding of education and its purpose and role within society. For example, the module covers topics such as learning theories, pedagogical approaches, teacher education, alternative education, social reproduction, inequalities in education and the aims of education.听听
This module is taught over 10 weeks with both a lecture and a seminar each week. Lectures are taught by the module team as well as expert guest lecturers from the IOE. On this module, we mainly use a flipped classroom approach to teaching and learning. This means that instead of 'delivering' the content in the lecture session, we ask you to engage individually with the required readings before the seminar, and a recorded lecture before the 'Discussion with the Lecturer' (which is what many would call the lecture). Seminars are led by staff from the MA Education programme. Each week there will be a total of 3 hours of contact time (1.5 hours of lecture/large group discussion and 1.5 hours of seminars).听听
Indicative lecture topics (based on module content in 2023/24, subject to possible changes) include:听听
-
Interrogating Education and Learning theories听
-
Pedagogical approaches听
-
Teacher education听听
-
Alternative education听
-
Aims of education/curriculum听
-
Climate change and sustainability education听
-
Inequalities in education听听
-
Social reproduction听听
-
The psychosocial听听
This module aims to:听听
-
Introduce students to, and equip them to evaluate, the key ideas, research, policies and ideologies that have helped to shape the fields of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment within their national contexts.听
-
Examine and evaluate the ways in which educators have responded to national and local contexts in developing their curricular and pedagogical approaches.听
-
Examine and promote critical engagement with the debates about the aims and practices of education in national and international contexts, and how it reflects diversity and consideration of the learner.听
-
Consider the impact on social justice of different approaches to education, and to explore and evaluate those approaches intended to develop more inclusive provision.听听
-
Consider the role of education in social reproduction.听
-
Consider radical critiques of the education system from psycho-social positions.听
-
Explore the roles of participants and educators in education.听听
-
Consider the nature and scope of the professional roles of educators in education.听
A graduate of this module is expected to have developed:听
- 听听A critical understanding of a range of perspectives that can influence how societies and individuals understand and practice education.听
-
An enhanced understanding of post-graduate scholarship and research: how to read, engage with debates, and present arguments that enquire into and use theoretical perspectives and experience appropriately.听
The reading list can be accessed here: 听
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 8th April 2024.
听