Engaging with Research in Educational Leadership

EDUC62711 Engaging with Research in Educational Leadership 20 Semester 1 Postgraduate Taught Level 6 Craig Skerritt Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 In this unit, students learn about educational leadership research and the different positions within the research base. Students will develop the skills to review the literature and critically reflect on how their learning might be applied to their professional work.The course unit is arranged into four themes.   Theme 1: What is educational-leadership research?<ul><li>Research design</li><li>Reading qualitative and quantitative research</li><li>Becoming critical</li></ul>Theme 2: What kinds of topics can be researched in educational leadership?<ul><li>Learning about the empirical literature base</li><li>Developing topics</li><li>Peer review</li></ul>Theme 3: How can you review the literature?<ul><li>Literature review purpose and practice</li><li>Systematic review approaches</li><li>Determining trustworthiness</li></ul>Theme 4: Why should research in educational leadership be taken seriously?<ul><li>Engaging with theory</li><li>Impacts and uses of educational-leadership research</li></ul> In this unit, students learn about educational leadership research and the different positions within the research base. Students will develop the skills to review the literature and critically reflect on how their learning might be applied to their professional work.The course unit is arranged into four themes.   Theme 1: What is educational-leadership research?<ul><li>Research design</li><li>Reading qualitative and quantitative research</li><li>Becoming critical</li></ul>Theme 2: What kinds of topics can be researched in educational leadership?<ul><li>Learning about the empirical literature base</li><li>Developing topics</li><li>Peer review</li></ul>Theme 3: How can you review the literature?<ul><li>Literature review purpose and practice</li><li>Systematic review approaches</li><li>Determining trustworthiness</li></ul>Theme 4: Why should research in educational leadership be taken seriously?<ul><li>Engaging with theory</li><li>Impacts and uses of educational-leadership research</li></ul> To introduce expectations and practices concerning firstly, reading and reviewing research in educational leadership; and secondly, systematically processing and reporting on research in educational leadership. This is one of six course units that were written specifically for the MA ELIP programme. Overall, the units provide a range of knowledge, understanding and transferable skills that contribute to the employability and career development of the students. They are all studying part time while working in education in a range of settings and at different career stages. The MA ELIP degree will be a valuable addition to both their academic and their professional CV.By taking this unit, students can expect to develop broader academic skills, including the ability to contribute to, and respond to, peer review.Students will have the opportunity to interact with both course tutors and other students (their peers). Thus, they will have the opportunity to develop employability skills by developing their understanding and experience of educational leadership, including communication, engaging in debates about educational leadership research, and giving and receiving feedback.The unit will also engage students in the development of their key skills in self-awareness, critical thinking, reflection on practice and research, problem solving, and strategic thinking.The summative assessment also provides students with an opportunity to engage in an authentic professional task by reflecting on how their learning can be applied in their professional setting. <ul> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Demonstrate an understanding of literature sources and issues related to data retrieval and use.</li> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Undertake critical reading of academic, policy and other relevant literature.</li> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Structure the writing and presentation of a small-scale literature review.</li> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Make links between their learning and practice</li> </ul> <ul> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Critique research accounts;</li> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Understand key concepts of validity, reliability and trustworthiness in qualitative research.</li> <li style="margin-left: 18pt"> Process and present information in an appropriate format.</li> </ul> <ul><li style="margin-left:18pt;">Effectively contribute to debates about research in educational leadership in a range of different contexts and from different perspectives.</li><li style="margin-left:18pt;">Conduct a critical literature review in a thematic manner</li><li style="margin-left:18pt;">Reflect on their own practice and think about how their learning might influence their professional work  </li></ul> <ul><li>Demonstrate the ability to apply conceptual knowledge about educational leadership research to the analysis of real situations.</li><li>Demonstrate the ability to study independently, gather, handle and process information effectively, and engage in reflective practice.  </li></ul>  Students’ learning for the taught element of this course unit is a combination of face-to-face contact during the year 1 Course Conference;  directed reading and engagement with online resources and material; and work in small (3-5 students) groups using online tools such as Slack. During the opening programme conference, students will begin developing a baseline account of their understanding of educational research and its link to their own leadership practice. They will do this collaboratively in small peer groups and be expected to share their discussions with the wider group. This initial activity will form a ‘baseline’ for the reflective commentary on their learning that students will submit along with their substantive assignment at the end of this course unit (see section 5). In addition to the conference, there will be a mixture of online materials provided that students must engage with, including podcasts, videos, lectures and interviews. Students will also be able to complete diverse online tasks to demonstrate their understanding of the learning objectives. Students will also learn through engaging in directed and independent wider reading.Enhancement of Digital LiteracyAs with all MA ELIP course units, digital skills are essential for successful completion of the teaching and learning activities. Referring to the JISC Digital Capabilities, those skills are:<ul><li>Information, data and media literacies: these are essential, because ELIP is a blended-learning programme. Using search engines, managing and retrieving information, sharing and presenting information, analysing research data.</li><li>Digital collaboration and participation: a strong feature throughout this unit, because most of the collaborative-group interactions are online, using Blackboard discussion boards, Blackboard Collaborate, PebblePad and (if the students wish) social media for informal exchanges.</li><li>Digital learning and development: navigating the VLE as noted above, participating in online classes, responding to online feedback.</li></ul>Statement to Support Equality, Diversity and InclusionThe content and approach reflect the inclusive international nature of the student cohort, which is recruited from more than 30 countries. Therefore, in addition to the core texts, students are required to access sources specific to their local context. As with all MA ELIP course units, the approach is that of critical scholarship, where issues of diversity, inclusion and representation are a frequent theme for discussion and students are specifically encouraged to consider issues of equality and social justice.Where students are unable to attend the conferences in person, all resources are uploaded to Blackboard for access at the same time later. Tutors are available for one-to-one support 2 Written assignment (inc essay) 100% <figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Formative Assessment Task</td><td>Length (word count/time)</td><td>How and when feedback is provided</td><td>Expected outcome of formative assessment</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Blackboard and PebblePad activities</td><td>Various</td><td>Blackboard and PebblePad</td><td>Preparation for the final assessment task</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Outline of the assignment</td><td>750 words maximum</td><td>Formative feedback returned on PebblePad by allocated tutor</td><td>Preparation for the final assessment task</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Summative Assessment Task</td><td>Length (word count/time)</td><td>How and when feedback is provided</td><td>Weigthing within unit</td><td>ILOs assessed</td></tr><tr><td>A critical literature review</td><td>4,000 words</td><td>via Turnitin</td><td>100%</td><td>All</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> EDUC62711 online conditions 09685,10026, 10154, 10394, 10438, 10802 MA Ed Leadership in Practice MA Ed Leadership in Practice PGDT Taught Component Mandatory MA ELiP MA ELiP PGDT Taught Component Mandatory N Briggs, A.R.J., Coleman, M, and Morrison, M. (Eds.). (2012). Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management. London: Sage.Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education. Abingdon: Routledge.Courtney, S. J., Gunter, H. M., Niesche, R., & Trujillo, T. (Eds.). (2021). Understanding Educational Leadership: Critical perspectives and Approaches. London: Bloomsbury.Evans, J. and Benefield, P. (2001). Systematic reviews of educational research: does the medical model fit? British Educational Research Journal 27, 527-41.Gunter, H. (2004). Labels and labelling in the field of educational leadership. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 25, 21-41.Hammersley, M. (2001). On ‘systematic’ reviews of research literatures: a ‘narrative’ response to Evans and Benefield. British Educational Research Journal 27, 543-54.Skerritt, C., McNamara, G., Quinn, I., O’Hara, J., & Brown, M. (2023). Middle leaders as policy translators: prime actors in the enactment of policy. Journal of Education Policy, 38, 567-585.Skerritt, C., O’Hara, J., Brown, M., McNamara, G., & O’Brien, S. (2022). Student voice and the school hierarchy: the disconnect between senior leaders and teachers. Oxford Review of Education, 48, 606-621. eAssessment 50 Practical classes & workshops 5 0 145 Face-to-face contact (conference) – 5 hours Online Tutorials, Tasks and Activities on Blackboard and PebblePad  – 50 hours Directed private study (course materials) – 60 hours Directed Reading – 50 hours Assignment Preparation – 35 hours Total Hours – 200 hours