| Unit name | Quality and Improvement in Education |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM5207 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. McNess |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit is designed for those interested in designing, managing and delivering quality education in all fields. It will review research and experience relating to effectiveness and improvement in educational settings and consider the implications for policy and practice. It will focus on research into the organisational factors that correlate with effective outcomes in both developed and developing countries and consider strategies for promoting quality and improvement at local, national and organisational level. Students may be invited to present case studies based on their experience and critically reflect on the usefulness of the theoretical and conceptual ideas discussed.
Aims:
The broad aim of this unit is to review selected research and theory relating to quality in education and, school effectiveness and school improvement and to consider the implications for policy and practice in different countries/cultures and different school/college contexts.
On completion of the unit students will be able to:
Given the nature of the programme, teaching is organised into an intensive 3-day event during which there are a combination of teaching strategies, which may include whole group lectures, visiting speakers, case studies, critical analysis of key readings, group discussions and student presentations.
The needs of a wide range of students, including those with disabilities, international students and those from ethnic minority backgrounds have been considered. It is not anticipated that the teaching and assessment methods used will cause disadvantage to any person taking the unit. The Graduate School of Education is happy to address individual support requests as necessary.
As participants will take this unit in the Autumn term, and in order to support those who are less familiar with academic writing, assessment will be in two parts:
The first will be a 1,000 word essay which draws on students’ limited exposure to the literature and their own professional experience to discuss concepts of quality and effectiveness in education. Students will then receive formative feedback during the term to help them in planning their work for formal assessment.
The second will be a 3,000 word essay which will assess students’ critical understanding of the literature on quality, improvement and effectiveness, and their ability to discuss the implications of the theories and concepts in relation to their own professional practice. This will be formally assessed for credit
Formative assessment will also be provided in the form of detailed feedback on draft outlines, during individual tutorials, and in discussion of student presentations.
Harber, C. and Davies, L. (1997) School Management and Effectiveness in Developing Countries: the post bureaucratic school, London: Cassell
Harris, A., Bennett, N. and Preedy, M. (eds) (1997) Organisational Effectiveness and Improvement in Education, Buckingham: Open University Press
Macbeath, J. and Mortimore, P. (2001) Improving School Effectiveness, Buckingham: Open University Press
Scheerens, J. Glas, C. Thomas, S. (2003) Education Evaluation, Assessment and Monitoring: A systematic approach, Lisse, the Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger
Slee, R., Weiner, G. and Tomlinson, S. (1998) School Effectiveness for Whom? Challenges to the School Effectiveness and School Improvement Movements, London: Falmer Press
Teddlie, C. and Reynolds, D. (2000) The International Handbook of School Effectiveness Research, London: Falmer Press
