EQ107

Year 1

Core Module BA Education Studies

Term 2

10 Weeks

3 Hours

15 CATS

1x 2 Hour Exam

What is this module about?

This module interrogates contemporary trends within education and the social values they reflect. The module will approach the topic of education through many contrasting perspectives. It will encourage you to critically appraise the social, cultural and political factors that affect students, teaching professionals, parents and other key stakeholders as they negotiate and participate in the contemporary education 'offer' provided at a local, national and international level. Key practical approaches and philosophical perspectives will be introduced and debated as you consider how factors such as inclusion, equality, diversity, community, religion, attainment, quality, excellence, economic growth and political instability interact within contemporary education systems.

Key areas to be debated include:

• (i) Why educate?
• Why go to school?
• Does politics help or hinder educational policy and practice?
• How is education leadership conceptualised within different models of education?
• Do schools work? In what ways do different institutions, organisations, communities and faith groups approach evaluating this matter?
• Is too much asked of schools? Is too much asked of pupils? Is too much asked of teachers?
• What will schools be like in the future?
• How do factors relating to multiculturalism, diversity and equality affect different people's and communities' experiences of education policy and practice?
• How do different education models prepare pupils for adult life? In what ways do contrasting curriculums explore concepts such as spirituality, morality, becoming a responsible citizen, becoming employable and/or achieving economic independence?
• Where can issues relating to educational inequality and exclusion be identified within contrasting models of education and which communities, would evidence suggest, become most directly and consistently affected by such factors?
• Where can effective tactics for tackling exclusion and gaps in attainment be identified as having achieved a degree of success and impact?
• What do different curriculums promote as essential and non-essential subject matter? Who is considered eligible to make decisions within this area? Where can decisions within this area be seen to have created tension, inequality and controversy?