EDUC 6550 - Educational Policy Studies
North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code EDUC 6550 Course Educational Policy Studies Coordinating Unit School of Education Term Semester 1 Level Postgraduate Coursework Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Incompatible EDUC 7053NA Educational Issues in a Global Community Assessment Poster or presentation 30%, essay 60%, Participation 10% Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Joyleen de Leo
Joyleen DeLeo
Ph: +61 416 274 177
Email: joy.deleo@adelaide.edu.auCourse Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1 Identify education policies and analyse the impact of these on education and practice and the role of effective leaders in informing, shaping and implementing educational policy 2 Examine underlying themes of change and implementation challenges in domestic and international environments and examine the impact of various reform strategies on teaching capacity, accountability, resources and learning 3 identify diverse, local and global factors influencing education policy and analyse policy documents from a sociological, comparative and historical perspective University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Deep discipline knowledge
- informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
- acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
- accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
1, 2, 3 Critical thinking and problem solving
- steeped in research methods and rigor
- based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
- demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
1, 2, 3 Intercultural and ethical competency
- adept at operating in other cultures
- comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
- able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
- demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
2, 3 -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Three-hour lecture-tutorials including group work with numerous opportunities to discuss international standard setting documents, policy development and educational policies from various countries. Sessions will include guided and open discussions, practical activities relating to educational policy at national and local institutional levels.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
Total 156 hours comprising:
36 hours contact time
48 hours reading
8 hours online review of My Uni materials/notices
24 hours research & preparation for active weekly discussion & one slide presentation
40 hours research and preparation of major written assignmentLearning Activities Summary
Schedule Week Topic Lecture Learning Outcomes Week 1 Introduction to Course
Policy – definitions, types, structureWhat is policy? Distinguish from strategies, action plans, guidelines and procedures.
What is the purpose of policy? What is shaped by policy?
Discuss different policy levels.
Common features and structure of policy documents.1 Week 2 Policy process – Educational Policy Development Who formulates and contributes to policy development? (Governance)
How is policy formulated? Processes and contexts. Role of Government, public officials, educators.
Policy Development Cycle and Evaluation.
Factors to be considered in integrated policy development – unintended consequences.1 Week 3 Evidence & Research-based & practice-driven policy development Sources of evidence. Types of research. Sources of good practice.
What role do research, evidence from student results, and the outcomes of educational program evaluations have on policy development?
How can educators contribute to research to inform policy change?1 Week 4 Historical perspectives and change Factors influencing change in educational policies – Locally and Globally in the past and present.
Factors & drivers influencing education policy today.
Futures Thinking applied to educational policy development.2 Week 5 International perspectives and forces for change Key international standard-setting agencies & documents.
Values and priorities expressed in international documents.
Comparative International Education Policy contexts and documents.
Impacts of global factors on education policy.2 Week 6 National and local perspectives on educational policy and their impact on education Examine priorities and values in national, state and local education policy documents.
Identify features of local education policy documents.
Comparisons between educational policy documents in Australia and other countries.
Similarities and differences between the approaches and emphases and reasons for these.2, 3 Week 7 Quality teaching and learning Quality teaching & learning.
PISA Test results and how they affect education policy.2, 3 Week 8 School-based policy Examine examples and discuss Week 9 Developing implementing and evaluating policy at the school level What type of policy is developed nationally and what is developed in the local school?
How do approaches differ from national policy processes? Who is involved? How is it evaluated?
Impacts of local current/recent policy reforms
Nature of current/recent local reforms and reasons for their introduction?
Difference between incremental change and reform.1 Week 10 Student presentations Current contentious Issues in education policy
Student presentations and facilitated discussion on selected policy topics1, 2, 3 Week 11 Student presentations Student presentations and facilitated discussion on selected policy topics 1, 2, 3 Week 12 Student presentations Student presentations and facilitated discussion on selected policy topics 1, 2, 3 Week 13 Research for written assignment 1, 2, 3 -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome Participation:
students engage in interaction in class activities and sharing of materials and informationFormative Ongoing during lectures/tutorials 10% 1, 2, 3 A solo presentation using power point (10 mins) and facilitation of group discussion (5 minutes) Formative and Summative Weeks 10-12 30% 1, 2, 3 Written assignment 3000 words Summative Week 15 60% 1, 2, 3 Assessment Detail
Participation – students are required to attend at least 80% of lecture tutorials and to participate actively in class discussion.
Power point presentation of a present a significant educational policy issue in a specific context during class for 10 mins followed by questions and facilitation of class discussion (5 mins)
Major Written Assignment (3000 words) on one of the topics below:
1. Analyse one or more education policies relating to a chosen area with reference to relevant international and/or national standard-setting policy documents, and identify where the policy standards and values are/are not reflected.
OR
2. Compare and contrast the education policies relating to a chosen area with those in another State or country and analyse the possible reasons for the differences and potential consequences of such differences in each context.
OR
3. Negotiate a topic with your lecturer.Submission
Submission is online through MyUni.
Assessment pieces submitted late will receive a 5% deduction per day past the due date except where prior approval is sought and granted in writing beforehand.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
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- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
- YouX Student Care - Advocacy, confidential counselling, welfare support and advice
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Elder Conservatorium of Music Noise Management Plan
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.
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