2023/24 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

EDUC1213 Contemporary Issues and Debates in Education

20 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Dr Christopher Ostrowdun
Email: C.Ostrowdun@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This dynamic and responsive module draws on contemporary debates about education to introduce you to key ideas and issues in educational research and practice. Over the module you will explore the political and pedagogical challenges facing schools and educational systems by looking at issues currently under discussion in the wider world. You will learn about the wider social issues in engaging all communities with education and consider how this impacts on learners. How children and schools are measured will be discussed with a focus on the underlying pedagogy behind these practices. You will consider and compare educational systems from other parts of the world to allow you to critically engage with UK practices.

Objectives

This module explores the contemporary challenges facing schools and educational systems. The focus of this module is to examine how the education system meets with the changing landscape of political, cultural and social expectations. Within this a focus on current research will explore models of educational pedagogy and apply this to current educational practice. The module aims to be flexible and responsive to the changing contexts of education and educational research.
Specifically it aims to
- Explore emerging ideas within academic research, the media, policy and practice in relation to education
- Critically evaluate research and practice in relation to key debates in education
- Explore how educational systems respond to conflicting motivations in educational research and policy
- Support students in exploring a number of positions in relation to key debates in the study of education

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
- Identify and understand the wider implications of educational research and policy;
- Demonstrate a critical engagement with contemporary issues in research into education;
- Demonstrate an ability to select and justify appropriate source and support materials;
- Demonstrate an ability to develop and sustain a research informed argument;
- Evaluate source materials and demonstrate an awareness of suitability and reliability

Syllabus

Indicative syllabus

Exploration of a range of debates about questions such as:

How do your political and social beliefs influence your views on education?

How long should compulsory education last

How should schools take account of religious faith?

How should schools take account of ‘ability’

Who should decide what should be taught?

To what extent should schools teach about sex and relationships?

What should be the role of the state in education?

What types of schools should we have?

Should some people be educated separately from everyone else?

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	2.00	22.00
Seminar	3	1.00	3.00
Independent online learning hours			22.00
Private study hours			153.00
Total Contact hours			25.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students will be required to prepare for lectures and seminars by completing weekly required reading. Students are expected to use private study time for wide reading and research around the set topics and to prepare questions for lectures and seminars.
Students will be required to use private study time to prepare for and reflect on the online debates.
After extensive research, planning and preparation they will prepare and submit their assessments using the VLE.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored via their contribution to lectures, seminar discussions and reflective log.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2000 words	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 15/09/2023

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD