MA International Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)

This course unit will introduce the following content areas:

• The range of definitions and practices of international education
• A variety of different research based perspectives on the phenomena of international education, including but not limited to sociology, linguistics, policy studies, development studies, etc.
• The role of education in international affairs and relations
• The role of international organizations in the practice and regulation of education
• Issues affecting teachers and students in international education settings: including but not limited to: international mobility, international assessment, international curricula, international schools, language policies, etc.

The unit aims to:

develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the (1) concepts (2) theories and (3) issues in practice and (4) trends in international education. Furthermore, to explore structures, policies, and practices underpinning these.

introduce the range of conceptual approaches and show how these can be applied to phenomena in international education.

By taking this unit students can expect to develop broader academic skills including academic literature search and synthesis of research findings from various sources.

The unit will also engage students in the development of their key skills in critical thinking and reflection on normative values through research and discussion of issues in international education through different lenses and sources, including those from the ‘global south’.

Students will have the opportunity to practice and receive feedback on developing a research essay through a formative assignment and final assignment involving the construction of academic argument. Students will also have opportunities to develop their group work skills throughout the taught sessions. 

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

Lecture outlines
The course is organised around a series of lectures with a range of researchers discussing their own work in relation to the theme of international education.

The lecture will have several parts. These include:
1. Their background and how it influenced their research
2. An explanation of the importance of their research area
3. An overview of some of the theories used to explain their research topic
4. The methods and data they used in their own research
5. The limitations of their study and other studies
6. Their recommendations about the topic 
 

Content Outline
Please refer to the BB space for the precise ordering of these topics:

Introductory lectures
Lecture Title: International relations and international education
Lecture Title: Introduction to Concepts and Theories
Lecture Title: International assessment regimes: education for development or global competition?
Lecture Title: Global citizenship education: Critical perspectives for sustainable development 
Lecture Title. Policy Transfer in International Education
Lecture Title: Education rights: local, national and international law, policy and practice
Lecture Title: International student (im)mobility and Academic acculturation
Lecture Title: Different perspectives on the purpose(s) of international higher education
Lecture Title: Access to higher education: international approaches to equity

Please note:
Week 11 Individual study 
Week 12 Feedback on formative assignment All course tutors

After each lecture there will be an opportunity to have an online discussion about the material presented.

Weekly Discussion Seminars
Students will have a facilitated discussion based on the weekly theme. 
To get the most out of the unit, it's important that students take a full part in these discussions and engage with the ideas put forward by others in the discussion seminars.

How discussions work
You will be randomly assigned to a small discussion group (which you can find on Blackboard). Each week some guide questions will be proposed by your seminar leader based on the theme of that week's lecture.

These discussions are a chance to develop your discussion skills before and after each lecture. Some themes that you will discuss include:

• What is the content of the selected academic article?
• What is the context of the study? 
• What is the main argument?  
• Are there any theories that are used to explain the topic?
• How did the researcher arrive at the conclusions? Do you agree with the conclusions? Why or why not?
• How is the study relevant to your personal or professional experience?

11 x 1.5 hour lectures
11 x 1 hour seminars 
 

• Understand the key principles and meanings of international educational
• Have an appreciation of key policy, legislation and international conventions relating to education.
• Appreciate the role of international agencies in promoting and regulating education
• Be familiar with the range and focus of literature in the field of international education policy

• Develop critical thinking skills in relation to the challenges of defining and analysing international education
• Reflect on teaching and learning in international contexts
• Critically examine theoretical perspectives on international education.

• Contribute to debates about issues facing education systems globally;
• Contribute international perspectives of practical experiences in international classrooms and learning environments;
• Model educational policies in international contexts and recommend avenues for potential improvement;
• Be able to conduct database searches to identify relevant literature appropriate to writing tasks and assessment;
• Employ ideas and evidence from scholarly work in international education to support an argument

• Develop conceptual and analytical skills
• Demonstrate skills in analysing documents and other evidence
• Make effective use of electronic and other sources of information

Feedback is provided 15 working days after submission

Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2010). Trends in global higher education: Tracking an academic revolution. Brill Sense.

Apple, M. W., Au, W., & Gandin, L. A. (Eds.). (2011). The Routledge international handbook of critical education. Taylor & Francis.

Ballard, K. (Ed.). (1999). Inclusive education: International voices on disability and justice. Psychology Press.

Bhandari, R., & Blumenthal, P. (2010). International students and global mobility in higher education: National trends and new directions. Springer.

Crossley, M. (2000). Bridging cultures and traditions in the reconceptualisation of comparative and international education. Comparative education, 36(3), 319-332.

Crossley*, M., & Tikly, L. (2004). Postcolonial perspectives and comparative and international research in education: A critical introduction. Comparative Education, 40(2), 147-156.

Crossley, M., & Watson, K. (2003). Comparative and international research in education: Globalisation, context and difference. Routledge

Dixon, P., Humble, S., & Counihan, C. (Eds.). (2015). Handbook of international development and education. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Dolby, N., & Rahman, A. (2008). Research in international education. Review of Educational Research, 78(3), 676-726.

Hayden, M. (2006). Introduction to international education: International schools and their communities. Sage.

Knight, J. (2008). Higher education in turmoil: The changing world of internationalization. Brill Sense.

Matthews, J., & Sidhu, R. (2005). Desperately seeking the global subject: International education, citizenship and cosmopolitanism. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 3(1), 49-66.

UNESCO (2015) Education for All Global Monitoring Report. Paris: UNESCO

Phillips, D., & Schweisfurth, M. (2014). Comparative and international education: An introduction to theory, method, and practice. A&C Black.

Psacharopoulos, G. (Ed.). (2014). Economics of education: Research and studies. Elsevier.

Toole, J. C., & Louis, K. S. (2002). The role of professional learning communities in international education. In Second international handbook of educational leadership and administration (pp. 245-279). Springer, Dordrecht.

Walker, M. and Unterhalter, E. (ed) (2007) Amartya Sen's capability approach and social justice in education. London/New York: Palgrave.