Undergraduate Course: Educational Studies 1a: Introduction to Education and Education Research (EDUA08105)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This introductory 20-credit course introduces education as a subject of study in its own right and is structured around two central and interwoven strands: past and current perspectives on education and its role in the 21st century; and an introduction to research and its importance to education and educational inquiry. In addition, a core part of the course which is embedded in all teaching and learning activities is a focus on academic literacies, which is supported by an introductory unit on learning at university.
Four half-days will be spent in schools during the second part of the semester, providing students with the opportunity to observe and familiarise themselves with schools as educational institutions 'from the other side of the teacher's desk': this opportunity will allow students to contextualise course content in the professional setting of the school. |
| Course description |
The course begins by examining education and its purposes from historical and current perspectives within different disciplines. Starting from a critical engagement with students¿ own learning experiences, there will be an examination of how childhood and adolescence have been and are currently represented. Central to this will be an introduction to different theories of learning, how assessment shapes learning, and a consideration of learning within higher education. Attention then turns to the reasons for, and consequences of, inequalities in education and learner attainment and the negative impact that such inequalities have on learners and their learning.
Students will be introduced to these topics through key texts and research publications and will begin to engage with research by asking the following key questions: What is research? Why is research important to education and educationalists? How do we learn from, about and through research? What are the main research approaches? How do we decide which are the most appropriate? How do we decide if research is useful? What is meant by ¿practitioner enquiry¿ and why has this term become influential in Scottish education? In this way they will gradually begin to acquire and develop the skills required to evaluate research.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 241 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
External Visit Hours 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
142 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 100%
The written assignment will be an essay. It will be supported by two formative tasks and one summative task which provide an opportunity for students to practise, and receive feedback on, some of the skills and stages associated with successful essay writing. The intention is for the bulk of feedback to be given in response to the three in-semester tasks. Feedback on the final essay will be brief and will be ipsative in nature.
1. Students will submit a short written piece making use of evidence (from set articles, additional reading and their own personal/professional experience) to develop a single line of argument (750 words). Submitted in week 7: worth 25% of the final course mark.
2. The final assignment will allow students to draw from what they have learned from the tasks undertaken in weeks 3, 6 and 9 and on the reflective journal they have maintained throughout the course. They will be given key articles/papers from Educational Studies and will be asked to discuss how the content from two of these papers relate to their personal experiences to date. They will be required to present a critique using experiences from their PEP school visits and the reading, writing and reflective skills they have developed throughout the course (2250 words). Submitted during examination diet; worth 75% of final course mark.
Both assignments will be marked out of 100 and then aggregated as above. Students need to attain 40% aggregate to pass the course. Compensation is allowed between elements subject to attainment of at least 35% in the final assignment.
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| Feedback |
Formative Task 1: Students will submit notes which demonstrate analytical engagement with a set paper
Formative Task 2: Students will submit an outline essay plan for the final essay showing the development of coherent lines of argument
Students will be required to keep an online reflective journal . This task will be scaffolded and will reflect the course content for the week and the relationship between different elements of the course. The purpose of this ongoing task is to help students to develop as critical and reflective readers and writers who are able to give and receive appropriate feedback.
The reflective journal is not counted towards the summative mark. However, tutors will regularly access these journal entries to promote student engagement in the kinds of reflection and criticality which will prepare them for the written summative assessments. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical engagement with the academic content of the course and consider this in light of their own experiences as learners through production of a weekly journal.
- Demonstrate an understanding of different theories of learning, and of the internal and external factors which can impact adversely on successful learning
- Identify and explain the causes and impact on learners of inequalities that many learners face and begin to consider ways to address such inequalities
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the value of educational research
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of qualitative and quantitative research and identify the key differences between them
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Reading List
Bartlett, S. & Burton, D. (2012). Introduction to Education Studies. (3rd ed.). London, Sage.
Bryce, T. G. K. & Humes, W. M. (Eds.). (2008). Scottish Education. 3rd revised edition. Edinburgh: EUP.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in Education. (7th ed.). London, Routledge.
Dufour, B. & Curtis, W. (Eds.) (2011) Studying Education: an introduction to the key disciplines in education. Maidenhead, Open University Press.
Smith, E. (2012). Key Issues in Education and Social Justice. London, Sage.
Wood, K. (2011) Education: The Basics. Abingdon, Routledge.
Wyse, D. (2012). The Good Writing Guide for Education Students. (3rd ed.). London, Sage. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Mike Jess
Tel: (0131) 312 6001x278
Email: Mike.Jess@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Lyndsey Black
Tel: (0131 6)51 4191
Email: lyndsey.black@ed.ac.uk |
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