BA Education, Leadership and Culture

This unit seeks to introduce students to the concept of cultural representation before delving into a deeper study of the diverse ways that cultural representations operate in society.  We will then consider the impact a variety of cultural representations have on education and learning in formal and informal contexts.The key interrelated themes to be examined throughout the unit will be drawn from examples from representation in the curriculum, media representation, representation in children’s books, in museums and galleries, and more generally in the cultural and creative sectors.

This unit aims to examine ‘cultural representation' as key concept, resource, and asset in formal and informal education environments.  Students will explore the significance of cultural representation in shaping ideas of belonging in formal and informal education. The unit will
value knowledge developed through students' reflective thinking, practice, and experiences. Students will develop their understanding and knowledge of decolonial, multicultural and anti-racist educational theories and practices The unit will support students to evaluate challenges and solutions around cultural representation through object-based learning.

• identifying challenges and solutions around cultural representation
• theories of cultural representation
• cultural representation in film and on TV
• critiquing cultural representation in the media e.g. through the Riz Test, Bechdel Test and more
• cultural representation in education – critically examining UK schooling and education’s engagement with cultural identities through historical and contemporary perspectives
• the significance of cultural representation in shaping ideas of belonging in formal and informal education
• cultural representation in the cultural and creative sectors, e.g. museums and galleries
• researching and critically examining cultural representation in children’s books - local, national and international perspectives
• ‘cultural representation' as key concept, resource, and asset in formal and informal education environments.

Classroom-based teaching and learning will include lectures on contemporary theoretical and practical approaches to cultural representation from decolonial, multicultural and anti-racist perspectives . In the subsequent seminars (following lectures) students will have the opportunity to reflect on, and discuss, the lecture content and material.

Pre-reading and/or other relevant (online) materials (e.g. videos or podcasts) will be shared with students ahead of each lecture and seminar slot to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the discussed weekly topic and facilitate seminar discussions.

Students will be encouraged to take independent trips to theatres, cinemas, galleries, museums and libraries to apply their learning on cultural representation to contemporary texts.

• Define key concepts related to cultural representation, decolonial or anti-racist or multicultural education
• Recognise different forms and formats of cultural representation in society and schooling/education.
• Relate cultural representation theories to formal and informal learning contexts

• Reflect on their own thinking, practices, and experiences around cultural representation
• Evaluate challenges and propose solutions around ‘cultural representation' as a key concept, resource, and asset in formal and informal education environments.
• Evaluate the significance of cultural representation in shaping ideas of belonging in formal and informal education.

• Evaluate evidence of best practice in cultural representation
• Create solutions to educational challenges through creative and inclusive means
• Create and showcase a (digital) artefact with an awareness of audience and purpose.

• Demonstrate independent research skills
• Communicate knowledge in a clear and accessible manner suitable for diverse audiences
• Produce texts that are reflective of representation and inclusion 

1 Create your own resource for children (e.g. book, video, physical resource, webpage) and an accompanying teacher’s guide (how to use the resource and suggested reading for teachers).
(max 3000 words or equivalent) 

2 Identify and evaluate three to five existing resources (eg children’s literary books, videos, websites) AND create a teacher’s guide on how to use the resources in the classroom with suggested reading for teachers.

Feedback provided via Blackboard and Turn it In within standard UoM feedback timeframes 15 working days

CULTURAL REPRESENTATION

Books/chapters/papers/reports:

Creany, Anne Drolett, Couch, Richard A. and Caropreso, Edward J. (1993) Representation of Culture in Children's Picture Books.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED370570.pdf

Habib, Sadia (2008) “Refugee Boy: The Social and Emotional Impact of the Shared Experience of a Contemporary Class Novel.” Changing English 15.1 (2008): 41–52.

Habib, Sadia (2018) Chapter 6: Students and Teachers Need Critical Pedagogy. In: Learning and Teaching British Values. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60381-0_6

Habib, Sadia (2021) Horrible British Histories: Young people in museums interrogating national identity through principles and practices of critical pedagogy PRISM Vol.3 (2), p.35-47

Hall, Stuart (1997) Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: SAGE Publications.

Picton, Irene and Clark, Christina (2022). Diversity and children and young people’s reading in 2022. London: National Literacy Trust. 
https://cdn.literacytrust.org.uk/media/documents/Diversity_in_children_and_young_peoples_reading_in_2022_ACveW4k.pdf

Smith, Linda Tuhiwai (2012). Decolonizing methodologies: research and indigenous peoples. Zed Books.

Xian, Z. (2023) Cultural Representation and Cultural Studies. Taylor & Francis.

Website/blog articles:

Our Shared Cultural Heritage at Manchester Museum https://sharedculturalheritage.wordpress.com/

Diverse representation = deeper engagement 03 February 2022
https://www.culturallearningalliance.org.uk/diverse-representation-deeper-engagement/

One in five children’s books features character of colour – but fiction lags behind (by Sarah Shaffi
.The Guardian. 2022.11.11).
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/nov/11/one-in-five-childrens-books-features-character-of-colour-but-fiction-lags-behind

Anderson, J., Macleroy, V., & Chung, Y.-C. (2014). Critical connections: Multilingual digital storytelling project. Handbook for teachers. Goldsmiths, University of London 
https://goldsmithsmdst.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/critical-connections-handbook_web.pdf

Audio/video resources:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story | TED talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

Kimberlé Crenshaw - On Intersectionality - keynote - WOW 2016 talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DW4HLgYPlA