Education

Research Methods (20 credits)

In this module you develop knowledge of a range of research approaches, methods and techniques and consider ethics in education research. You have an opportunity to develop your own research skills through preparatory work for your dissertation study.

Developing MA Literacies (20 credits)

The module aims to prepare students to develop the critical and reflective skills to participate confidently in their academic community as a researcher-practitioner. It will support you in developing the academic writing and critical reading skills to engage successfully in MA level study.

Learning and Development in Childhood (20 credits)

Through this unit of study, students will explore contemporary theories of social and cognitive development and their implications for children's formal and informal learning. Alternative explanations of developmental processes will be discussed drawing upon research evidence and students own observations from a range of settings. Students will reflect on the impact of the social and cultural contexts of development and learning and interrogate the cultural assumptions of developmental models. From a sharing of these individual enquiries, the group will reflect on the implications of their findings for the experiences and opportunities provided for young children.

Diversity and Achievement (20 credits)

This module will analyse the factors that are predictive of educational success and failure for children and young people, exploring the implications of this analysis for school policy and practice.  These factors will be considered at the level of the individual child, the family, the school and the neighbourhood, using data from case study material and drawing in part on students’ individual working contexts. Issues of class, gender, disability and ethnicity will be considered. This analysis at the level of an individual in a particular locality will be compared to educational outcomes from national and international data sources.

Mind and Brain (20 credits)

This module explores previous and present developments within the field of educational neuroscience. The module will begin by exploring developmental changes that occur throughout the lifespan. Current insights from the field of cognitive neuroscience will be explored in relation to a number of specific educational issues which have implications for educational practice. The module will engage with philosophical exploration and deliberation over the relationship between mind, brain, self and body.

The Inclusive Curriculum (20 credits)

This module, relevant for primary, secondary, and further and higher education practitioners and students, explores key aspects of curriculum design and delivery in relation to access, equality of learning opportunity and inclusion. There will be a particular focus on the ways in which cultural values influence curriculum content and organization. You will have an opportunity to critically engage with theories of internationalising and decolonising the curriculum.  

Leading and Managing People in Education (20 credits)

This module brings together a range of themes and concerns in the management of staff in educational organisations. Drawing on national and international examples, it combines theoretical perspectives with practical concerns about staff management and development. 

Leading Change in Education (20 credits)

This module builds on the experience of course members as observers of, and participants in, the management of change in the education sector. Drawing on national and international examples, it combines theoretical perspectives with practical concerns about organisational transformation in education.

Children’s Literature Through the Ages (20 credits)

This module aims to develop students' understanding of the ways in which societal constructs of childhood can be manifest in texts for children, for example: children at war, children at school. It will explore a range of texts available in the 21st century including comics, novels in verse form, literature in translation and interactive texts. Classic texts for children will be explored, as will traditional tales through texts ranging from Grimm to Disney. Ideology in children's books will be explored.

Reading for Pleasure in the Primary Classroom (20 credits)

This module aims to develop students' understanding of the 2014 National Curriculum, particularly in relation to 'Reading for Pleasure'. It aims to develop understanding of how texts are constructed using a range of narrative modes. The module will draw on current research on reading for pleasure and will be grounded in using reader response theory as a guiding principle. Throughout the module, implications for teaching writing will also be considered. Students will have the opportunity for practical work and for developing partnerships with outside agencies.

Multilingual Learners (20 credits)

This module focuses on children in English-speaking schools, whose first language is not English. It aims to draw on current practice, research, case studies, websites and professional networks, enabling students to:

• Analyse the development of children in second languages settings: case study analysis
• Identify theories of bilingualism, translanguaging and dynamic language
• Appreciate the links between first and second language, identity and self-esteem: the emotional experiences of the EAL child
• Evaluate teacher, teacher assistant, parent, and whole school responses to the EAL child
• Theorise practice and pedagogy: what beliefs, theories and attitudes to language and the EAL learner underpin teacher choices?
• Evaluate and critically compare policies connected with the teaching, learning and integration of the EAL child into the mainstream school
• Evaluate, adapt and create resources and materials for their fit with the needs of the EAL child

Independent Study: Investigating Practice (20 credits)

This module offers you opportunity to engage in independent study of a topic, issue or area that is not available elsewhere within the course. You will, in consultation and negotiation with a tutor, identify a topic, issue or area of personal or professional interest and relevance and then draw up a course of independent study, which may include library and practical research. The project can be assessed through either a report or a portfolio of work. This might include the development of pedagogical approaches or curriculum materials or investigations into the achievement levels, or the opportunities provided, for particular groups of learners. It could also include the development of professional practice through shadowing others or engaging in collaborative work across organisations.