Gain a clear understanding of educational issues within local, national and international contexts whilst appreciating the significance and impact of these to educators and educational systems

This course is suitable for students who either have a background in education or who are seeking to understand education within its broad contexts. This is a full-time course and is not suitable for students who are seeking a part-time professional development course.

Student profile: Monireh Partovi, graduation ceremony, January 2010

This course is flexible and popular modular course that will provide you wit opportunities for extended academic study that you can tailor to meet your professional development needs and research interests.

Course aims and benefits

The overriding aim of the course is to identify and meet your professional and personal development needs, which is achieved through the students' selection of modules of interest to them. The course will provide you with a clear understanding of the nature and significance of educational issues and will examine the ways in which research in education might illuminate these issues. The course is taught by academic staff, who have published widely in academic and professional journals, and who have a specialist interest in the modules they are offering.

Course Specific Modules

A key facet of the Educational Studies Course is the link between a theoretical and practical understanding of education issues whilst developing an appreciation for the role that research plays in our understanding of educational issues. All students enrolled on the MA in Educational Studies course will complete a core module in Foundation Research Methods (30 CATs) that will provide research training for the course.

All students enrolled on the Educational Studies course will complete a module in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (30 CATs). The module provides a foundation for understanding the contexts of education.

Students may then select two optional modules (30 CATs each) from the modules offered across the taught MA programmes within the WIE to suit their personal and professional development needs. One of these two modules MUST include an optional module offered by the MA in Educational Studies programme.

Students will then complete a 20,000 word dissertation under the supervision of a member of academic staff (60 CATs).

CORE MODULES

Foundation Research Methods (FRM) (30 CATS)
The module provides students with generic knowledge, skills and understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues involved in conceptualising and designing educational research. It includes both general and specific aspects of research training including key dimensions of qualitative and quantitative research, their applications, understanding of relational aspects between them, and appreciation of the politics and ethics of doing educational research. FRM has been designed to contextualise educational research, in terms of its theoretical, epistemological and methodological underpinnings, for a broad cross section of students, enabling them to understand different facets of educational research in an integrated and coherent fashion. The aim of the assessment methods is to lead to research design and dissertation planning in Term 2. In addition practical skills are built into FRM, through workshops, seminars and tutorials, designed to develop library, software, web and applied IT search skills, and research skills relevant to students’ needs and interests.

This module is available as a standard module delivery, online and a week Summer School.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment (30 CATS)

This module focuses on fundamental elements of education: effective teaching; how learning takes place and the contribution of assessment to these processes. It is likely to be of particular interest to those who have a first degree undrelated to education who may wish to enter a career in education. This module will become core module in 2012/13.

Dissertation (60 CATS) -
All students also complete a 20,000 word supervised dissertation (60 CATS) that utilizes the research training received through Foundation Research Methods.

OPTIONAL MODULES - Educational studies field (30 CATs each)

Foreign Language Teaching Pedagogy and Methodology
This module provides teachers (or prospective teachers of all modern foreign languages with the opportunity to extend their academic study and professional development in their specialist subject. The focus is on the theories behind foreign language teaching and learning, and the problems and controversies encountered when implementing thsoe theories. The module encourages students to think critically about what methodology is recommended by theorists and researchers and how such theories may benefit or hinder learners in their language development. This course leads to a greater understanding and improved practice of day-to-day MFL teaching in the classroom.

Learning and Information and Communications Technology

The aim of this module is to look at some of the important theories of learning, adn then to consider the ways in which theory might or might not underpin the use of ICT which is made in schools today. We begin by looking at some theories which may be familiar already and move on to consider the less well known area of constructionism, not to be confused with constructivism, which is also studied. The module content also includes considerations of learning styles and pedagogy as they relate to the increased use of ICT in schools. The entire module is based firmly on considerations of classroom practice, and children's learning.

Special Educational Needs: Pedagogy, Policy and Practice

This module has been designed to provide a brief overview of special educational needs (SEN) and inclusive education, addressing SEN issues related to pedagogy, policy and practice. We will review teaching practices and instructional approaches, and also explore the degree to whic these are 'special', or rather practices based on sound, research-based evidence of effective teaching for all children.

Specifically, the aims of this module are to:

• provide knowledge and understanding with regard to areas of need such as specific learning difficulties (developmental dyslexia and dyspraxia), autistic-spectrum disorders; language difficulties, as well as the educational needs of gifted and talented children;
• explore the notion of 'working with parents and other professionals', as well as issues of inter-professional collaboration;
• understand the implications of educational research and the way it shapes policy and practice with regard to special educational needs;
• investigate, through readings of current research, the effectiveness of inclusive education programmes.

A MODULE FROM OTHER MASTERS MAY BE TAKEN AS OPTION - SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

The Course Director for the MA in Educational Studies is Debbie Sabric

Tel: +44 (0)24 7652 4412; E-mail: d.a.sabric@warwick.ac.uk