ED60273: Educational policy: theory and practice
[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]
Academic Year: | 2023/24 |
Owning Department/School: | Department of Education |
Credits: | 18 [equivalent to 36 CATS credits] |
Notional Study Hours: | 360 |
Level: | Doctoral (FHEQ level 8) |
Period: |
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Assessment Summary: | CW 100% |
Assessment Detail: |
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Supplementary Assessment: |
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Requisites: | |
Learning Outcomes: |
As a result of the development of the above understandings students will be able to:
(i) critically examine policy initiatives from a range of theoretical perspectives; (ii) appreciate the cultural and institutional constraints upon policy-making; (iii) evaluate the evidence for, and against, the effectiveness of specific policies; (iv) provide an alternative, feasible policy proposal to one currently in use. |
Aims: | The unit's aims are to provide students with an understanding of:
(i) the relationship between, and recent changes in education, economy, culture and society; (ii) the ideological, cultural, economic and comparative sources of educational policy; (iii) theories which seek to explain the educational policy making process; (iv) the institutional factors e.g. the organisation, culture and politics of relevant state departments and agencies, which shape educational policy; (v) the factors leading to convergence and divergences in different national contexts; in particular, those relating to economic competitiveness; (vi) the role and place of policy importation; (vii) theories concerning the impact of policy at various levels of the educational system. |
Skills: | (i) Apply a systematic and coherent approach to critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of ideas, information and issues that is well-grounded in existing educational research and literature (intellectual skill)
(ii) Identify, conceptualise and communicate original and well-grounded insights and responses to important issues of educational policy and practice that demonstrate advanced scholarship (practical skill) (iii) Identify, conceptualise and communicate original and well-grounded insights and responses to important issues of educational policy and practice that demonstrate advanced scholarship (professional, practical skill) (iv) Use networked learning technologies as a means of developing one's own professional practice and scholarship (transferable skill) |
Content: | Section 1: Changes in Education, Economy, Culture and Society
(i) The Post-war settlement in western societies. (ii) Post-industrialism and the global economy. Section 2: The Sources of Educational Policy (i) The influence of social change and ideology on educational policy. (ii) A comparative analysis of divergence and convergence in educational policy. (iii) Policy importation: an analysis of the issues. Section 3: Institutions and Policy Development (i) An overview of theories seeking to explain the policy formation process. (ii) The organisational agendas and constraints on the policy formation and delivery process. Section 4: Evaluating Policy Outcomes (i) Theories of policy implementation. (ii) Case studies of the policy implementation process. (iii) Assessing the outcomes. |
Course availability: |
ED60273 is Compulsory on the following courses:Department of Education
ED60273 is Optional on the following courses:Department of Social & Policy Sciences
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Notes:
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