Modules
Leading Education
Designed to deepen your understanding of educational leadership both nationally and internationally. Engage in theory and wider research with relation to leadership and management, including change management, performance evaluation and improvement planning. You’ll use key indicators and knowledge and understanding of benchmarking performance in order to identify an area of practice that would benefit from improvement. This practice does not necessarily need to be within your own organisation and can be linked to education in a broader sense. By the end of the module, you’ll have a rooted understanding of key principles within educational leadership, leadership for social justice and the importance of context within leadership.
Exploring Educational Research
Designed to familiarise you with the various research approaches that you may read about, critique and use during your Master’s course and beyond. It’ll provide a forum for exploring, discussing and evaluating different types of educational research. You’ll have the opportunity to: look at a range of research methodologies; to find, read and review research studies; and to discuss the relevance of research for practice in education across different sectors (from birth to life-long learning). You’ll be encouraged to learn about research methodologies and methods through critical reflection on published work.
Specialist Studies in Learning and Teaching
Build on developments in learning technologies by providing you with the opportunity to explore the context and issues of the pedagogy of technology-enhanced learning. Following an initial consideration of learning, teaching and assessment issues and practices of technology-enhanced learning. Consider issues underpinning the development and design of learning materials for electronic delivery such as multimedia learning and learning using different learning technologies. Particular attention will be paid to developing, monitoring and evaluation skills and procedures to ensure the quality and appropriateness of a flexible technology-enhanced experience. E-learning or technology-enhanced learning can be defined as the use of electronic technology and media to facilitate, support and enhance learning, teaching, assessment and research. You’ll take this module if you join us in January.
Developing Educational Research
You’ll be supported to develop high a quality research proposal to implement for your postgraduate major project. A workbook approach will guide you through the various elements that need to be considered during the process of planning and preparation for a small-scale educational research study. There will be opportunities to discuss your ideas with your tutor and peers and to present your developing research proposal for feedback. You’ll also learn by giving constructive feedback to your peers. By the end of the module you’ll be prepared to submit an application for ethical review, to the appropriate research ethics panel, and to embark upon research for the postgraduate major project.
Postgraduate Major Project in Education
The Major Project enables you to demonstrate your ability to raise significant and meaningful questions in relation to your specialism which may involve working at the current limits of theoretical and/or research understanding. It’ll involve the ability to develop solutions to ethical dilemmas likely to arise in your research or professional practice. Gaining an understanding of an appropriate methodology, appropriate methods and an ability to draw meaningful and justifiable conclusions from information that may be complex or contradictory. Expand or redefine your existing knowledge, to develop new approaches to changing workplace situations and/or to contribute to the development of best practice. You’ll communicate these processes in a clear and elegant fashion, and evaluate your work from the perspective of an autonomous reflective learner. Research topics will be negotiated with your appointed supervisor. The project may take the form of a written dissertation, a formal presentation and full research paper, an exhibition, a performance, an artefact or the development of software, or other written, aural or visual material. The project may be formed from a combination of these modes but will normally include a written component.
Assessment
Instead of sitting exams, you’ll benefit from individual and collaborative assessments, including research projects and presentations. You’ll also complete an extended evaluation of issues applied directly to your specific interests and context.
