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Programme & Unit Catalogues


ED50488: Learning and culture

[Page last updated: 05 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Education
Credits: 12 [equivalent to 24 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 240
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Aims: All of the programme's units contribute to, and have been mapped to, the programme aims. All units contribute to aims 6 and 7. This unit will make a key contribution to Programme aim 5:
5. Ensure that students understand and critically analyse the role and importance of culture in developing international education policy and practice and, specifically, its role in learning.

In this unit students will critically examine different theoretical perspectives on learners, learning and culture and how this influences, and can inform, learning and pedagogy in informal and formal international education contexts.
The unit has three overarching aims which are to:
1. develop student's critical understanding of the concept of learning
2. develop student's critical understanding of the concept of culture
3. analyse the relationship between learning and culture in international and globalised contexts.

Learning Outcomes: Together, the MA IEG units contribute to programme learning outcomes 1-7 for knowledge and understanding. The unit specific knowledge and understanding outcomes follow.
Having studied the unit, students will be able to:
1. articulate and critique i] beliefs, knowledge and assumptions about learning and culture and ii] students' own understanding and perspective on these concepts
2. distinguish key influences on theoretical and practical perspectives on learning
3. critique socio-cultural learning theories and be able to apply these to policy and practice
4. critically examine the culture of the learning environment / educational context and its significance for learning
5. analyse and evaluate learning in practice and explain learning using theoretical perspectives on learning and culture
6. critically analyse the role and importance of culture in developing learning in international education contexts, for example, cross cultural learning and culturally responsive learning
7. formulate culturally responsive strategies to improve learning and practice in international education.

Skills: Together, the MA IEG units contribute to programme learning outcomes 1-8 for intellectual and professional practical skills. Therefore having studied the unit, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate sensitivity to the values, viewpoints and interests of others
2. act both autonomously and collaboratively in planning and implementing tasks
3. demonstrate clarity of thought and quality of argument in educational issues relating to international education and globalisation
4. make critical use of the literature and professional experience the field of Education, synthesising information from a number of sources in order to gain coherent understandings and make informed judgements in the absence of complete data
5. apply knowledge and skills critically to policy and practice in international education and globalisation including critiquing the evidence underpinning policy/ practice (and change in practice)
6. formulate and articulate well-reasoned arguments, insights and conclusions and communicate this to specialist and non-specialist audiences orally and in writing
7. contribute effectively to professional debate and discussion in the fields of international education and globalisation
8. assess their own learning needs and enhance their future professional practice in international education and globalisation.
In addition students will be able to
* utilise visual methodologies to analyse learning.

Transferable/ key skills
Together, the MA IEG units contribute to programme learning outcomes 1-13 for transferable/ key skills. Therefore, having studied the unit, students will be able to demonstrate:
1. cross-cultural sensitivity and effective interpersonal communication skills
2. written and oral communication including presentation skills
3. critical and creative thinking skills
4. problem solving and decision making skills applied to complex and unpredictable situations and familiar and unfamiliar problems
5. independent study and learning skills
6. information skills including literature search
7. ICT skills for study, searching for information, networking, communicating ideas and discussing with others
8. ICT skills for academic and professional development
9. independent and group working skills
10. time management and organisation skills and prioritising workloads
11. producing work to meet agreed objectives and deadlines, responding appropriately to feedback from tutors and peers
12. exercising initiative and personal responsibility
13. self-evaluation of academic and professional performance as a basis for development.

Content: 1. Perspectives (personal and other) on the concepts of learning and culture
2. Comparing learning in different cultural and educational contexts
3. How learning is theorised; key influences on theoretical and practical perspectives on learning
4. Socio-cultural theory and its influence on successive learning theorists
5. Culture, identity and learning
6. Motivation, engagement and the learner's perspective
7. Metacognition: learning about learning.

Programme availability:

ED50488 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Education

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.