Studying at York
New Directions in Educational Research - EDU00014H
Module summary
This module offers students the chance to listen every week to a different researcher from the Department of Education, who presents to them their current research project and takes questions. The students are thus placed in the position of academics at a conference, and get to know what kind of work is currently being done in their own department.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
Module aims
This module will relate the learning from core and optional modules that you have achieved during earlier stages of your degree programme to the latest, cutting-edge, methodologically- diverse educational research. Intersections between these are flagged in italics under each week’s/tutor’s topic. As such, it is an opportunity for you to revise and enhance the understanding and skills that are identified in the benchmark statement for education studies. It will expand and further concretise your existing knowledge within these areas at an advanced level by introducing you to individual research projects and programmes involving members of this department. It also builds your graduate communication, organisational and interpersonal skills through weekly small group chairing of the sessions, much in the way of professional and academic research seminars, and weekly communal brainstorming.
Module learning outcomes
Students will be able to demonstrate:
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a broad yet coherent understanding of cutting-edge educational research and foundational knowledge of education and related disciplines (e.g. sociology, linguistics, psychology and cultural studies) i.e. a synoptic understanding
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an awareness of current education issues from across educational disciplines, contexts, the department’s four research centres
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the ability to relate this awareness of specific, advanced and current issues to the knowledge and understanding that has been developed throughout the programme.
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an understanding of key ideas concerning specialist knowledge for educational studies and English language and literature in education.
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the ability to identify cross-cutting issues, ideas and themes across discrete research topics and projects – demonstrated in chairing, weekly communal brainstorming and exams.
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skills for studying cutting-edge research in education and educational contexts, including reading, reflecting on and critiquing the latest research publications, policies and actions in writing and group discussion – in the latter, formulating and positing questions and feedback for researchers about their work.
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high-level chairing and audience skills supported by dedicated sessions throughout the programme and emulating those demonstrated at academic and professional conferences
Module content
Classes will involve:
- an introduction to the speaker (every week a different researcher from the Education Department at York), by student chairs.
- a research paper from the speaker on one of their recent or on-going research projects
- small-group discussions to develop questions or comments
- leading to a Q&A (chaired by the small group heading up that week’ session) on
Each class requires students to do preparatory readings. The weekly required readings, usually from the experts presenting and/or their research collaborators, and the follow-up activities will be clearly outlined on the virtual learning platform.
Students are expected to attend all sessions, and to be prepared to take full part in group discussion and the Q&A session.
Exact speakers, their topics and their order vary year on year, for example, due to the dynamic nature of individual's research programmes as well as staff availability.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessments. The feedback is returned to students in line with university policy. Please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information.
Indicative reading
Journal articles, book chapters, textbooks, policy documents as provided/stipulated on the VLE for each session –usually from presenting tutors, their research collaborators or inspirations.