Aims

The module begins with ideas about how learning is a cultural activity and the social practices through which educational cultures are actively produced. The module interrogates how cultures are made through action, communication and shared experiences. It goes on to examine the classroom environment and considers school design. The module explores how classroom encounters help to construct and reproduce social class, gender and ethnic inequities. The module interrogates debates concerning curricula (such as FBV, inclusion and anti-racism) in relation to how curricula represents what a society wants it learners to know and believe. The impact of classroom environment, educational cultures and curricula are explored in relation to the impact of these interactions on the self-identity of learners with consideration of relational approaches to communities, spaces and economies.

Outline Of Syllabus

This thematic module draws on research expertise with crossovers between three key aspects of education: classrooms, cultures and curricula. The module begins with introductory analytical frameworks through which to understand the concept of culture/s. The module then moves on to examples of how the classroom environment influences learning through classroom design and how classroom encounters construct and reproduce inequities amongst learners.
The module then considers multi-faceted aspects of curricula in relation to FBV, inclusion and anti-racism. Finally, the impact of classroom environment, educational cultures and curricula are analysed in relation to the self-identity of learners with consideration of relational approaches to communities, spaces and economies. The module incorporates support and guidance for literature searching and writing a literature review in relation to research on classrooms or educational cultures or an aspect of a curriculum. The module finishes with a summary, assessment support and group presentations.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lecture series will scaffold students’ understandings of how learning is a cultural activity and is influenced by classroom environments and curricula. The lecture series will also support students in developing a critical awareness of the ways in which societal beliefs and values are embedded within curricula. Students will have the opportunity to further develop a critical awareness of concepts relating to learning cultures, classroom environments and curricula through seminar discussions. In particular seminar discussions will enable students to explore and analyse the ways in which the classroom can shape or challenge identities, pedagogies and inequities. The guided independent study will reinforce and extend the understanding and criticality which has been explored in lectures and seminars.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Group presentation - 40% - a group presentation explaining how a literature search has been undertaken and how a key piece of research literature on classrooms, educational cultures or a curriculum has been analysed. Literature review - 60% - 2,000 words – examining an aspect of research on classrooms or educational cultures or a curriculum.

The group presentation is an appropriate way to enable students to demonstrate their knowledge of how to conduct a literature search and how to analyse research literature. The literature review is an appropriate way to present a written synthesis of an aspect of aspect of research on classrooms or educational cultures or a curriculum building on the skills developed in preparation for the group presentation.