Primary Education
Part time Master in Education (MEd)
This route is for practitioners, professionals and others with an interest in Primary Education at various levels and at various stages in their careers. The main intention is to fuse research and theoretical understandings with the current priorities in primary practice identified by, amongst others, the students engaged on the route.
The aims of this route are:
- To offer participants the practical opportunity to engage in individual and collaborative critical enquiry into important educational issues and practice
- To introduce participants to the best quality national and international educational research that has relevance to the primary phase of education
- To explore the possibilities of developing the primary curriculum, pedagogy and learning in ways that are school or classroom based and which may, for example, include a focus on such notions as 'personalisation' 'leadership' or 'assessment for learning'.
- To develop the skills and ability of course members to contribute to informed policy and practice improvement within the primary phase.
Some of the content of the route relates to the themes covered by the Faculty-based Cambridge Primary Review which is directed by Professor Robin Alexander and which involved the course coordinators as Associate Directors between 2006-8 (www.primaryreview.org.uk). The Primary Review has just published its Final Report and recommendations in 2009.
There are four elements within the route which alternate from year to year.
There are four elements within the course which alternate from year to year.
1. Critical perspectives on Primary Education
This element includes an analysis of the current policy context of educational practice and the implications for leadership and practice throughout the school. It explores the competing values and aims for primary education, the relationship between pedagogy and curriculum, and the implications for re-thinking and re-designing the primary curriculum. There is opportunity to discuss alternative and innovative forms of learning across the curriculum, including the place of the arts, imagination and creativity.
2. Themes and challenges throughout primary education
This element focuses on certain broad themes and challenges which highlight and exemplify the complex policy-practice links in primary education and the implications for decision-making. These include issues of transition and continuity, place-based learning, diversity and inclusion, multi-professional teamwork and teachers' professional learning. Course members' own research interests will be incorporated into discussion about responding to particular professional concerns and dilemmas in complex systems like primary education.
3. The School as a community
This element will focus on the ways in which schools can develop as communities in themselves, and relate to the wider community(ies) beyond the school. The main areas for discussion relate to: the nature of school culture, leadership, collegiate collaboration, mentoring and professional development, partnership with parents and other professionals. One of the underlying themes relates to the communication and knowledge links within and between school, home and community.
4. Teaching and learning within the primary school
In this element the quality of teaching and learning is examined with reference to what is known about young children's development, theories of learning, motivation, emotion and social relationships. Different models and views about educating the 'whole child' will be considered, and the nature of teacher-pupil dialogue, collaborative groupwork, learner preferences and assessment will be of particular interest.
Route Co-ordinators: Christine Doddington, Linda Hargreaves and Ruth Kershner