Educational Practice and Innovation MSc

This new and unique programme will appeal to a broad spectrum of teachers and educational practitioners across the educational sectors but particularly at the post-compulsory level in HE, FE and adult education.

The central theme of the course is the focus on educational innovation in post-compulsory education and training. There are two broad strands covered: i) policy and practice and ii) research and theoretical perspectives.

A key philosophy of the course is to align the course content with your own professional practice. As such, you will be able to specialise in a number of directions through your choice of designate units and the nature of the focus of your dissertation.

Dr Martin Dyke

Adrian C Halnan
Dr Jane Seale
Dr Ros Foskett
Alan Harding
Professor Alison Fuller

This programme aims to develop your understanding of the context and nature of educational practice and innovation across post-compulsory education; explore the impact of policy on practice; recognise different forms of innovation in learning and teaching and enable you to take a critical approach to interrogating different forms of innovation and associated claims ; develop informed judgements and critical thinking in the context of educational practice ; explore the barriers to and enablers of change in educational innovation; critically evaluate knowledge claims in group settings and develop an area of specialism in Post-Compulsory Education and Training. Having successfully completed this programme you will have a clear understanding of the nature of post-compulsory education and relate this to your own particular sector and areas of interest; be able to critique and analyse the factors which impact on educational innovation within the system and the relationship between policy and practice; be able to implement or advise others on implementing educational innovations and evaluate the outcomes and be able to develop and manage projects and research activities.

The programme may be followed full time for one year or part time for two. Students will study six units, each valued at 20 credit points and a 60-credit dissertation.

We offer a core plus electives structure. The core will deliver the knowledge and understanding of learning and teaching issues across the post compulsory education and training sectors. There are three mandatory core units including:

• Context of Post-compulsory Education and Training
• Educational Research Methods
• Applying and disseminating educational innovation and practice

You will then choose your three additional units in specific themes such as Higher Education, Post-Compulsory Education and Training, ICT or Research Methods. Designated units, some offered only in semester one or two, include the following:

• Teaching and Learning Innovation
• Managing quality in UK post-compulsory education and training
• Managing change in post-compulsory education and training
• Principles of Computers and Learning
• Software Design and Evaluation for Teaching and Training
• Curriculum change and innovation
• The availability of individual electives is subject to change

You will also have the opportunity to attend a series of workshops which cover general research skills, including study skills, bibliographic and ICT skills. The course will be supported by a virtual learning environment, with course details, resources, relevant links and the use of discussion forums to support specific aspects of the course.

A mixed-mode of teaching and learning will be adopted, including face-to-face seminars, student group work, presentations and appropriate use of ICT. You will gain hands on experience of the design and trialling of research instruments and make individual presentations and design and lead workshop activities in pairs or individually. You will be expected to provide peer feedback and support on these elements. Formative assessment will be provided by your unit tutors, who will offer you a schedule of tutorials to support the planning of course work portfolios. You will be assigned a personal tutor from the beginning of the programme that will meet with you regularly to review your overall progress, advise you on specialist issues and set targets for your future learning.

Download or print the Education Practice and Innovation course specification

Assessment will be by coursework and dissertation. The overall coursework portfolio will comprise 24,000 words or equivalent (6x 4,000 words), along with a dissertation of 16,000 words. Assessment will focus on linking the content of the course to the students’ own personal and professional experiences and will also include essays and oral presentations.

Entry will normally be a first degree or degree equivalent in an appropriate discipline alongside additional professional experience as an education or working practioner.

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