Educational Policy and Practice (5cr)

Objectives

This course will examine how educational policy is developed and implemented at the macro level and the relationship between the social, political and economic environments. It will also examine how these policies are enacted at the micro level within educational institutions and classrooms. It will also address the impact of international NGOs and measures on policy development as well as the impact of political ideologies. The relationship between educational research, think tanks and the shaping of educational policies will be examined.

After completing the course, the participants will be able to:

- appraise the various dynamic process in which educational policies are developed, implemented, and evaluated
- evaluate the impact of various stakeholders on the formation and development of educational policy
- critically compare and contrast the design and implementation of educational policy in different contexts
- formulate and justify their own positions with regard to educational policy and practice in their own context

Content

A historical reflection on the purpose of education and schooling.
The politics of reform and disruption.
The problems of implementing education research into practice.
The social, historical, political and economic impact of education and educational policy.
The challenges and changes facing education in the 21st century and the need for reform.
The impact of traditional stakeholders and the emergence of new drivers for reform.