Education and Training Policy

Module Title	Education and Training Policy
Module Code	25-6019-00L
Semester of Delivery	See Module Information Table
Mandatory/Elective/Option	See Module Information Table
Level	6
Credit Points	20
Assessment Mode Weighting	CWEX100
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Class Contact Hours
Average Weekly	1.5
Directed Learning
Average Weekly	5
Module Leader	Jim Chandler
	Sheffield Business School
Module Banding	A
Approval Status	Validated

Rationale

Education and Training is an essential process for the replication and enhancement of public and private sector organisations. The success and efficiency of delivering training is widely seen as a vital factor in the growth of the economy and the well being of individuals. Education policy is, consequently, a central concern for the Government and a major source of administrative employment in the public and private sectors.

Summary of Aims

To provide students with an understanding of the social, political and managerial issues that affect the provision of education and training in Britain.

Anticipated Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the structure of the systems for education and training in Britain and of the policy processes that develop and sustain these systems.
2. Show an appreciation of the ideological and socio-economic factors that underlie the policies of the recent Governments.
3. Have an understanding of how these ideological and socio-economic factors are shaping the development of the systems of education in Britain.
4. Show a capacity to analyse a policy sector on the basis of extensive analytic reading and media based research.
5. Show a capacity to convey understanding in written and oral presentations.

Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods

Teaching will be conveyed through

1. Lectures designed to provide an overview of the material and issues to be covered by the course. These will also be designed to raise controversial issues in order to stimulate debate and argument both in and outside the class.
2. Seminars which will be based on issues that arise from the lectures and these subjects are listed in the course outline. Each student will be expected to give a presentation in the seminar on one of the listed topics in order to initiate discussion and debate.
3. The course will be supported by class notes and an extensive bibliography. It is expected that students will acquire an understanding of issues in this sector that goes beyond the material that can be delivered in class. Bibliographic material will be extended to inter-net sources, especially for recent Government statements on policy.

Assessment and Feedback Strategy

Students will be assessed through 50% formative coursework and 50% summative examination assessment.

The formative assessment will be based on written work and also an oral presentation to ensure that students can communicate their ideas through a variety of means.

Students will receive feedback from written comments on both their written and oral presentations and when required through surgeries with the tutor.

The summative assessment will be designed to ensure students can relate elements of their understanding of the education system together and to demonstrate a comprehensive and consolidated grasp of the subject.

Module Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criterion	Level descriptors
		fail	PASS	2.2	2.1	First
Outcome 1	Coursework assignments and examinations	No, or very poor, evidence of knowledge or understanding	Poor level of knowledge and understanding	Moderate level of knowledge and understanding	Good level of knowledge and understanding	Excellent level of knowledge and understanding
Outcome 2	Coursework assignments and examinations	Little or no appreciation of socio-economic or political factors	Sketchy appreciation of socio-economic or political factors	Acceptable appreciation of socio-economic or political factors	Sound appreciation of socio-economic or political factors	Very sound appreciation of socio-economic or political factors
Outcome 3	Coursework assignments and examinations	Little or no appreciation of the impact of socio-economic or political factors	Barely adequate appreciation of the impact of socio-economic or political factors	Moderate appreciation of the impact of socio-economic or political factors	Effective appreciation of the impact of socio-economic or political factors	High level of appreciation of the impact of socio-economic or political factors
Outcome 4	Coursework assignments and examinations	Little or no evidence of research and analysis	Sketchy or weak research and analysis	Reasonably effective research and analytical competence	Good research capacity and ability to analyse data	Capacity to conduct extensive research and a high level or critical analysis
Outcome 5	Coursework assignments and examinations	Poor capacity to convey understanding either orally, visually or in writing	Fairly poor skills in conveying understanding either orally, visually or in writing	Effective capacity to convey understanding either orally, visually or in writing	Good competence to convey understanding either orally, visually or in writing	Excellent ability to convey understanding either orally, visually or in writing

Indicative Content

• The philosophy of education
• Theories on the purposes of education...education for the individual or for the State and society
• The development and structure of the British education system
• The Schools System
• The National curricula
• Further Education
• Higher Education
• Vocational training
• Life-long learning
• The role of business within the education system.
• Accountability and Quality management
• Professionalism in Education
• Policy making and financing the education system

Indicative Reading

Lawton, D. The Tory Mind on Education 1979-1994, Falmer, 1994

Meighan, R. and Siraj-Blatchford, I. A Sociology of Educating, 3rd ed., London, Cassell

MacKinnon, D., Statham, J., and Hales M., Education in the Moduleed Kingdom: Facts and Figures, 2nd ed, Open University Press, 1996

Trowler, P., Education Policy, 1998, Eastbourne, Gildredge Press.

Web Sites

http://www.tes.co.uk/

http://www.thesais.co.uk/

http://www.defee.gov.uk/

http://ofsted.gov.uk/

http://hefce.ac.uk/