EDF5620 - Leading education and work - 2017

This unit engages prospective and practising educational leaders across organisational contexts. In this unit, both research and practice are used to view the challenges and work of leading educational projects, organisations and institutions. It considers the nature of professional leadership work in educational contexts where global as well as national-local imperatives are significant. Leadership is considered as a relational and collaborative activity that reaches into all parts of an organisation and is not confined to the work of senior staff or designated positions. Through this unit, students come to understand three aspects of the practical work of being a professional who leads in learning contexts: assessing research knowledge, understanding policy and practice in context, and developing understandings of the self, organisational capability and strategic leadership. This understanding is achieved specifically through students' investigation of a case or problem of educational change in a specific setting of their own choice.

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. understand the work of professionals in strategic leadership of learning across globalised contexts
2. understand, analyse and apply the concepts of policy studies, leadership and governance to leading learning
3. relate knowledge of research, policy and of self to the practical work of leading learning
4. apply concepts and perspectives to show understanding of leading educational work in a specific case and interpret its significance
5. analyse strategic directions and organisational change strategies adopted to lead learning contexts.

Educational change report stage 1: critical assessment of the case/problem in context (3200 words, 40%)

Educational change report stage 2: discussion paper on leading education work in the case (4800 words, 60%)

Flexible mode offers a stand-alone online offering that allows students to learn and engage in content and assessment in a supported way. It also provides a face-to-face component of 12 hours over the semester to engage students with the online learning content, which students can attend if they are able and interested.

Minimum total expected workload equals 288 hours per semester comprising:

1. Contact hours for flexible students:
   • 12 contact hours and 24 hours equivalent of online activities over the semester or
   • 36 hours equivalent of online activities over the semester
2. Additional requirements (all students):
   • independent study to meet the minimum required hours per semester

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Melanie Brooks

Adult learning

Digital learning

Early childhood education

Educational leadership and policy

Expert teaching practice

General education studies

Inclusive and special education

TESOL