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Demonstrate an intermediate understanding about the neoliberal English model of education

Assessment

introduction to the MODULE                                                                                

Education is central to government policy and affects us all, irrespective of whether we are students, teachers, policy-makers, employers or parents. This course offers you the chance to explore contemporary (meaning current) issues in education from a global perspective. It is a highly innovative module that draws strongly on the educational aspects of sociology, politics and comparative education. You will be at the forefront of national and international educational developments.

This module challenges you to be critical, and this is specifically in the context of making sense of the current education reform agenda in neoliberal England by understanding the ideology of the Coalition Government. Once you are introduced to the basics of neoliberalism and how it drives education policy in England, you will deepened this knowledge by comparing to the social democratic model of education, and finally the socialist one. By the end of the module you will have a solid critical understanding of i) what’s going on in education, ii) how things are changing; and, iii) how you can make sense of why it’s happening.

This module has been specifically designed to explore a range of contemporary comparative issues in the ever-changing field of education. You will develop key skills and the practical and theoretical knowledge gained will allow you to be effective practitioners in all future employment and training settings.

It is highly stimulating module that encourages you to step outside of your comfort zone and be critical. As one student evaluation remarked the strength of the module is:

“How different the module is and stimulating. It helped me to learn about my own education and the world around me”.

Another student succinctly summarised the module as:

“Learning about other countries education systems opened my eyes to see that there are other systems”.

Another student captured the essence of the module:

“It teaches us to be critical and encourages us to take a world view, rather than seeing the English education system in isolation”.

This is a stimulating and challenging module and students are strongly encouraged to get ahead by:

-Seeing the education news everyday (The Guardian and the Times Higher magazine are highly recommended)

-Doing lots of background reading from the recommended sources below

This guide covers the mains cores aspects of the study, but you are expected to keep up-to-date by regularly (at least every second day) accessing your emails and accessing the Moodle site. This is a challenging module and you must be present for every session. For these sessions you must prepare by doing the minimum reading/task set.

The module will revolve around the following models/countries, you can get ahead by doing additional reading:

Neoliberal education models:

• England and the USA

Social democratic education models:

• Sweden and Finland

Socialism/Communist Education models

Cuba (and Venezuela)

MODULE AIMS

• To introduce the development of capitalism
• To examine the history of education policy since 1945-79 in England
• To examine the emergence of neoliberal education policy from 1979 in England
• To examine the education policy and practice in social democratic and socialist countries
• To examine changing policy on education and teaching and the teaching profession comparatively
• To assess the changing curriculum and its links to economy
• To understand the main ideological approaches to education policy
• To identify global influences on education policy
• To reflect on the ‘lost generation’ thesis

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this Module, students will be able to demonstrate they can:

Knowledge

1. Demonstrate an intermediate understanding about the neoliberal English model of education
2. Demonstrate an intermediate understanding about the social democratic model of education
3. Demonstrate an intermediate understanding about the socialism/communist model of education

      Thinking skills

1. Apply a critical comparative approach to understanding the English educational system

Subject-based practical skills

1. Describe and apply the relevance of different ideological approaches to an educational issue by drawing on another country’s provision
2. Use academic sources and other appropriate resources to inform knowledge and thinking

Skills for life and work (general skills)

1. Reflect on the changing conditions of the labour market
2. Communicate effectively in writing

READING AND RESOURCES LIST (This is ‘live’ module so the list of resources will continually be updated as news breaks and resources are published.)

Core:  Allen, M. and Ainley, P. (2010) Lost Generation? London: Continuum.

Harvey, D. (2009) A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Booth, M. (2014) The Almost Nearly Perfect People: the truth about the Nordic miracle London, Jonathan Cape.

Sejersted, F. (2011). The Age of Social Democracy. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press.

Key recommended reading: Boronski, T. and Hassan, N. (2015) Sociology of Education, London: Sage Publications [chpt 10 will be very useful by week 15]

Recommended

Ali, T. (2008) Pirates of the Caribbean. London: Verso.

Allen, M. and Ainley, P. (2007) Education Makes You Fick, Innit? London: Tufnell Press.

Ball, S. J. (2013) The Education Debate (2^nd edn) Bristol: Policy Press.

Boggs, C. (1976) Gramsci’s Marxism. London : Pluto Press.

Bourdieu, P. (2003) Acts of Resistance: Against the Tyranny of the Market 2. London: New York.

Brand, R. (2014) Revolution. London: Century.

Callinicos, A. (2006) Universities in a Neoliberal World. London: Bookmarks Publications.

Cole, M. (2011) Racism and Education in the U.K. and the U.S: Towards a Socialist Alternative, London: Palgrave.

Dorling, D. (2011) Injustice: Why Social Inequality Persists, Bristol: Policy Press.

Elster, J. (1986)  An introduction to Karl Marx. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Elster, J. (1986)  Karl Marx: a reader. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Fitzpatrick, T. (2010) Voyage to Utopias: A fictional guide through social philosophy. London: Policy Press.

Harvey, D. (2009) A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Judt, T. (2010) Ill Fares the Land. London: Penguin.

MacDonald, T. (2009) The Education Revolution: Cuba’s Alternative to Neoliberalism. Croyden: Manifesto Press.

Sejersted, F. (2011) The Age of Social Democracy: Norway and Sweden in the Twentieth Century. Oxford: Princeton University Press.  

Smyth, J. and Wrigley, T. (2013) Living on the Edge: Rethinking Poverty, Class and Schooling, New York: Peter Lang Publishing . [This book is excellent for issues of inequality in neoliberal education models]

Stanford, J. (2008) Economics for Everyone: a short guide to the economics of capitalism: London. Pluto Press. [This book also has an excellent website]

Tomlinson, S. (2005) Education in a Post Welfare Society, (2^nd edn) Maidenhead: Open University

   Press

Watkins, K. (2001) The Oxfam Education Report.  Oxford: Oxfam.

Wiborg, S. (2009) The Enduring Nature of Egalitarian Education in Scandinavia: An English Perspective. FORUM: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education 51, 117-130.

Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2009) The Spirit Level: Why more equal societies

  almost always do better, London: Penguin. [This book has an excellent website]

Wilpert, G. (2007) Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chavez Government, London: Verso. [This book has an excellent chapter on socialist education]

Wolff, J. (2003) Why read Marx today? Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Journals:

Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies (pro-(anti-socialism/communism)

Latin American perspective journal (anti-socialism/communism)

Policy Futures in Education

FORUM: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education

Oxfordleftreview.com

Research Papers in Education Special Issue: Academies, Free Schools and Social Justice: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rred20/29/3#.VelEOrSp3wx

Also see:

Centre for Economic and Policy Research, BBC.CO.UK, and www.cubastudies.org, which have many useful articles on Cuba.

Schools week, which has many articles on Academies http://schoolsweek.co.uk

For social democracy see:

http://blogs.helsinki.fi/just-ed/about-2/

NordCrit, the Nordic Research Network Critical Perspectives on Children, Young People, Welfare and Education http://www.nordcrit.org/

AGORA for the Study of Social Justice and Equality in Education at University of Helsinki

http://blogs.helsinki.fi/agora-sje/about-us/

NordForsk

http://www.nordforsk.org/

NIFU The Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education

www.nifu.no

Here is a definitive list of resources for neoliberalism: http://www.criticalinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Richard-House_Bibliog-resource-TCI.pdf

TWO SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

1) Week 8 submission mini essay entitled: What is Neoliberalism and How Does it Apply to Education

A mini essay of 2000 words evidencing an emerging understanding of neoliberalism. The numerical grade you are awarded for this work will be marked in week 12 and will contribute 40% of the overall grade you receive for this module. This grade will also be reviewed as part of your overall student progress mid-January.

The question you need to address is as follows:

Critically discuss your emerging understanding of neoliberalism explaining the three principles, and how they are a part of the neoliberalisation of education.

Remember it is an essay so you must present it appropriately. This means beginning with your student number and tutor name, followed by the title: Please note that you do not need to include a separate front sheet or a critical reflection with the essay submission. Importantly you need to include an introduction and summarizing conclusion and reference list. The main body of the essay should include definition and discussion of:

a)      Define the market principle of neoliberalism using academic scholarship. Using appropriate articles from the Guardian/TES/THE, describe how education is being marketised;

b)      Define the self-interest principle of neoliberalism using academic scholarship. Using appropriate articles from the Guardian/TES/THE, describe how the self-interest principle can be seen to be working in education;

c)      Define the laissez-faire principle of neoliberalism using academic scholarship. Using appropriate articles from the Guardian/TES/THE, describe how the self-interest principle can be seen to be working in education.

As developing level 5 learners, you will be expected make a judgment about what constitutes “appropriate articles”. You are advised to consider for suitability: the relevancy, length, breadth and the author of the articles. For example, you may select just two articles and you judge these to be “appropriate” because they are each several pages long covering a range of relevant themes and written by key scholars.

You can structure the main body of your essay in a number of different ways, in week 4 you will be given guidance on this.

Engagement with the WITN feature will be very helpful, therefore attendance is particularly crucial in this module.

You will be given further guidance throughout the module, especially in week 4, to supplement these guidelines.

Final submission of mini essay is Thur 19^th Nov 2015 by 3pm via turnitin with the name of the document including your STUDENT NUMBER and the first name of your SEMINAR TUTOR, not your essay title. For example: 001234567 ALPESH

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2) Summative assignment 2: 3000word essay title: ‘A Critical Essay Comparing the topic of [insert topic] focusing on [insert issue] in England/USA and [insert country]’.

A critical essay comparing neoliberalism and another ideology as drivers of educational models and their policies in two countries. The two countries selected must represent different ideologies (3000 words, 60% of total grade).  A full assessment brief will be provided in week 13. SUBMISSION SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT 2 DEADLINE TUE 3^rd MAY 2016, by 3pm Turnitin with the name of uploaded document including your STUDENT NUMBER and the first name of your SEMINAR TUTOR, not your title. For example: 001234567 ALPESH

Submission for both summative essays on this module are by Turnitin only, paper copies will not be accepted; these are the UEL rules: “If you fail to submit to Turnitin, a mark of 0 will be awarded for the component.”

General information:

To progress to level 6 you must achieve 120 credits. Students who fail essays will be normally given one resubmission opportunity, which will be in July (tbc) 2016 using the same assessment criteria.

Students should also be aware of the academic requirements for progression: http://www.uel.ac.uk/wwwmedia/internal/qa/manualofgenregs/Academic--Regulations-Section-3.doc )

STUDENT FEEDBACK

To include:

a)        Feedback from previous students who have taken the module

b)        Opportunities for student feedback on the module including end of module survey, and any mid-module feedback where relevant.

Two informal mid-term evaluations and one formal evaluation point.

APPENDIX A: Module Specification

Level 5

 Module Specification

APPENDIX B:

SUBMISSION OF LATE COURSEWORK AND THE 5% DEDUCTION RULE– FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS on UNDERGRADUATE MODULES

Q:        Can I give my coursework in late?

A:         We strongly suggest that you try to submit any coursework by the deadline set as hitting deadlines is a good habit to have, and will be expected once you graduate.  However, in our new regulations, UEL has permitted its undergraduate students to be able to submit their coursework up to 24 hours after the deadline.  These rules do not apply to postgraduate students at present.

Q;        How will I know what the deadline is?

A:         The deadline would be published in your module guide.

Q:        How will my module leader know that my work is late?

A:         As this rule only applies to coursework, there will be a record of the submission whether or not your coursework is handed in via MOODLE, or a helpdesk.

Q:        What will happen if I give my coursework in late?

A:         The marker will know whether or not the work has been handed in late.  If it is submitted after the deadline, but within 24 hours of it, then the marker will automatically deduct 5% of the available marks.  So, if marked out of 100, 5 marks will be deducted.  If marked out of 50, 2.5 marks will be deducted.

Q:        How will I know that I have had marks deducted for late submission?

A:         When you receive your feedback, the sheet will be marked so you can see your original mark, and the mark with the deduction.

Q:        What happens if my work is submitted more than 24 hours late?

A:         Your work will receive a mark of zero.  However, if it is submitted after 24 hours but before seven days late, and there is a genuine reason why this has happened, then you can apply for extenuating circumstances.  If these are approved, then you will receive the mark for your work.  You cannot claim extenuating circumstances if you intend to submit within 24 hours.

Q:        Does this rule apply to other forms of assessment?

A:         This rule only applies to coursework.  It does not apply to examinations, presentations, performances, practicals or viva voce examinations.  If you miss these for a genuine reason, then you will need to apply for extenuating circumstances, or accept that you will receive a zero mark.

Q:        Can I submit on time, and then improve my work and submit it again within 24 hours?

A:         No, we will accept your first submission only.  Your second submission won’t be marked.