GED2880

Policy and governance

Associate Professor G Burke and Dr A D Spaull

12 points - 3 hours - First semester - Clayton

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should be able to connect current educational policy and practices of governance with social, political and economic developments within the broader social context in which education is located; understand the nature of educational organisation and the relevance to it of such issues as the economy, bureaucracy, gender dynamics and global relations; be familiar with the major approaches and issues in the study of policy formulation, implementation and evaluation, and be able to distinguish between them and construct arguments in favour of particular approaches.

Synopsis This subject comprises modularised units that introduce students to the key contemporary issues and theoretical developments in educational policy and governance. It is particularly concerned with the broad political and economic context of policy and management. These are examined in relation to educational change at the global, national and state levels, and illustrated at the micro level where students have direct experience. The main aim is to promote both conceptual and practical understanding of educational policy and decision making, and to connect the policies and practice of educational governance with broader educational politics and changes in society and global environments.

Assessment Assignment (6000 words): 100%

Recommended texts

Angus L and Brown L Becoming a 'School of the Future': The micropolitics of policy implementation Faculty of Education, Monash University, 1997
Bowe R and Ball S (eds) Reforming education and changing schools Routledge, 1992
Lingard B, Knight J and Porter P (eds) Schooling reform in hard times Falmer, 1993
Marginson S Education and public policy in Australia CUP, 1993
Selby Smith C and Ferrier F (eds) The economic impact of vocational education and training AGPS, 1996
Taylor S, Rizvi F and Lingard B Educational policy and the politics of change Routledge, 1997

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