Module description
What can we learn from comparing education systems, schools or teachers? International comparisons in education have risen to prominence in the post-World War II period and have gained significant influence in the education policy discourse.
This module introduces students to the multi-disciplinary field of international and comparative education. Students will be familiarised with the epistemological underpinnings and methodological approaches of the field and the challenges of international and comparative research that, being closely tied to international political and economic developments, has undergone many changes in the past decades. For example, much of the research in the field has shifted from its positivistic-empirical beginnings to a qualitative and postcolonial approach. Students will gain insight into the merits, purposes, challenges, significance and limitations of comparative education in understanding, shaping and enacting educational policy and practice.
The module will address some of the key issues in the field of international and comparative education, such as the tensions between global policy agendas and local contexts, the challenges of policy borrowing and international assessments of learning outcomes, and the role of international and supra-national organizations such as the European Union in harmonizing and standardizing education policy.
Assessment details
- 1 x 3,000 word assignment (70%)
- Narrated Presentation – completed in groups of up to 4 students (15 minutes) (30%)
Educational aims & objectives
The aim of this module is to enable students to develop international perspectives on issues in education policy and practice through the informed use of methodologies underpinning the multidisciplinary field of comparative education. The module will be available to MA education students and MRes education students while the programme continues. The emphasis on international perspectives and supporting methodologies is intended to contribute to students' wider programmes of learning and their research projects. The module will provide an opportunity for professional exchange between students, tutors and, where relevant and feasible, guest speakers with international perspectives.