Unit information: Educational Quality, Improvement and Evaluation in 2014/15

Unit name	Educational Quality, Improvement and Evaluation
Unit code	EDUCM0006
Credit points	10
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Thomas
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit is designed for students who are interested in research designs and evaluation techniques related to the evaluation of educational quality and improvement in different organisational settings. It will review research and research designs relating to educational effectiveness, improvement and quality assurance and consider the implications for policy and practice. It will focus on research into the organisational factors that correlate with effective outcomes, both in UK and worldwide, as well as the outcomes of the research such as strategies for promoting quality and improvement at local, national and organisational levels. The different methods of data collection and analysis that have been used in selected research studies will be examined as well as a range of qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating quality (eg programme evaluation, case studies, inspection frameworks, league tables, value added approaches). Students will be invited to present case studies based on their own research and/or experience and critically reflect on the usefulness of the theoretical and methodological ideas discussed. The broad aim of this unit is to review selected research, theory and research designs relating to educational quality and Improvement, strategies for improving educational effectiveness, and approaches to quality assurance. Evidence from different countries/cultures and different organisational settings will be used to consider the implications of such theories and paradigms for policy and practice. A range of evaluation approaches and methods, applicable to different organisational settings, will be considered. The influence of values, culture and context on quality frameworks, together with the changing role of various stakeholders in contributing to quality, will also be considered.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The intended learning outcomes of this unit are fourfold. At the end of the unit participants should be able to:

• evaluate critically the theoretical and research evidence concerning education quality, and the characteristics of ‘effective’ educational organisations in an international context;
• critically review the strengths, weaknesses and feasibility of various education improvement strategies at institutional, local, national and global levels;
• understand and critically review the methodology and methods of evaluating educational quality and improvement in different settings
• consider how the ideas, evidence and methods raised in the unit might be applied in the participants own research; and reflect critically on their own experience as a practitioner or learner in relation to the issues discussed in the unit.

Teaching Information

The course will be delivered through a combination of teaching strategies, which may include whole group lectures, visiting speakers, case studies, critical analysis of key readings, group discussions and student presentations.

Assessment Information

Summative Assessment - A 2000 word essay which will assess students’ critical understanding of the literature on quality, improvement and evaluation, and their ability to discuss the implications of the theories, concepts and evaluation methods in relation to their own research interests.

Formative Assessment - 1000 word case study of quality evaluation using an example/s from the participant’s own experience or interests to be prepared prior to the unit and presented, discussed and developed as the unit progresses. Optionally the formative case study may be developed/ extended to meet the requirements of the summative assessment outlined above.

Reading and References

• Harris, A., Bennett, N. and Preedy, M. (eds) Organisational Effectiveness and Improvement in Education, Buckingham: Open University Press
• Scheerens, J. Glas, C. Thomas, S. (2003) Education Evaluation, Assessment and Monitoring: A systematic approach, Lisse, the Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger
• Townsend, T (ed) (2007) International Handbook of School Effectiveness and Improvement. New York: Springer
• Kellaghan, T & Stufflebeam, DL (eds) (2003) International handbook of educational evaluation. Springer.
• Rossi, PH, Lipsey, MW & Freeman, HE (2004) Evaluation: A Systematic Approach. 6th edition. Sage.
• Creemers, B, Kyriakides, L & Sammons, P (2010) Methodological Advances in Educational Effectiveness Research