The rationale for a website-based reading list is that this course focuses on contemporary, and therefore continuously changing, issues in education. Recent research reports, media reports and educational agency websites will inform participants? thinking. We also hope that participants will continue to engage with these sites and identify relevant information in future, beyond the module.

Agency / professional body websites

Department for Children, Schools and Families:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/

Ofsted:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/

Young People¿s Learning Agency
http://www.ypla.gov.uk/

Media websites

Education Guardian
http://education.guardian.co.uk
BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk

Times Education Supplement:
http://www.tes.co.uk/

College and University libraries for a range of texts and journals.
Internet access.

A variety of learning and teaching strategies will be used such as presentations by specialist practitioners, group discussions, case studies and task-centred investigations. There will be a strong emphasis on activity-focused learning and you will be expected to engage actively in all sessions.

In addition you will be required to engage in independent study in order to consolidate and build upon your learning from the taught sessions. This will take the form of follow-up tasks, linking learning to the workplace, and reading relevant contemporary sources.

The method of delivery will be appropriate for the needs of each cohort. Possible delivery patterns may include 10 weekly 2 hour workshops, or 3 day long workshops. Opportunities for additional assignment workshops will normally be available on request.

Due to the ever changing nature of the education working environment, the content of this module is likely to be equally dynamic. This module introduces you to a selection of institutional, policy, and other externally driven factors which affect the priorities of education. You are exposed to a variety of contemporary organisational and/or legislative issues and are asked to consider the effect of these on not only your own professional practice, but also on the team within which you work.

You will be required to prepare a set of bullet points and accompanying notes on one or a combination of the contemporary issues studied on the course, as if you were going to give a presentation. (However you will not be required to give a presentation of the slides). The total wordage of the slides and accompanying notes should be up to 1800.
You will be expected to:
Explain the importance of this topic to Schools in your sector or education
Identify the actual or potential implications for your School / department
Suggest workable strategies to facilitate progress with this issue in School / department
Reflect upon your current or potential future role in relation to this issue

All participants must currently be working in an education establishment