International development

International Education and Development

Module code: 001DS
Level 5
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay

This module aims to give you a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the role of education in social development and transformation in the Global South. To achieve this, the module more broadly aims to support you in gaining a theoretical knowledge of key educational theories and policies that they can then critically apply to different educational contexts at the level of country, region, school and groups of learners.

The module begins by discussion of the institutional architecture of Education For All, its economic indicators, the different agencies involved in the global governance and delivery of education and the impact of increasing privatisation of schools and services. Analysis of the way in which different forms of social exclusion interact with educational access, transition, classroom processes and outcomes supports a closer examination of the educational experiences of children with disabilities, school drop outs and girls. These experiences include alternative approaches found within informal schooling, involving critique of formal education systems.

Theories informing curriculum construction, pedagogy and assessment are discussed, and directly linked to issues around national identity and language and further explored at the micro level of teaching, learning and assessment and related back to issues around school inclusion. The roles of the teacher and teacher education, seen as central to any discussions around ‘quality education’, are explored in relation to teacher and educational governance. The module also critically examines the multiple ways in which education and conflict intersect and relate to each other, and the role of education and teachers in supporting processes of reconciliation and reconstruction in post-conflict contexts.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of international policy frameworks and their influence on educational governance
• Analyse the way that different forms of social exclusion interact with educational access, processes and outcomes
• Critically reflect on the theories, policies and practices that shape the way that teachers teach and students learn
• Analyse the role of education in the construction of youth and citizen identities in different local, social and political contexts including those affected by conflict