Unit information: Race, Ethnicity and Education in 2011/12

Unit name	Race, Ethnicity and Education
Unit code	EDUCM5208
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Tikly
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Issues relating to race and ethnicity are central to current debates about education in the UK and internationally and pose fundamental theoretical and practical challenges for practitioners, policy makers, managers and researchers alike. The unit will draw on ongoing research in the field by members of the GSoE and topics covered will include: perspectives on race, ethnicity and education; case studies from the UK and selected international contexts; ethnicity and achievement; diversity and the curriculum; language in education; and indigenous education. Participants will be encouraged to apply insights gained from their own educational experiences.

Aims:

The aim of the unit will be to develop a critical understanding of key theoretical and practical issues relating to race, ethnicity and education in the UK and internationally and for participants to be able to relate this to their own professional practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit students will be able to demonstrate:

1. A clear understanding of key concepts relating to the field including race, race equality, ethnicity, identity, culture and education.
2. An ability to differentiate between alternative theoretical approaches towards understanding the relationship between race, ethnicity and education.
3. A critical awareness of the impact of changing historical, economic, political and cultural contexts in which issues of race, ethnicity and education are embedded in the UK and in a range of former colonised and colonising countries and of how these contexts impact on policy and practice.
4. An understanding of existing strategies to promote race equality in education in the UK and in other countries.
5. An ability to apply theoretical and practical insights critically to educational contexts.

Teaching Information

The course will be delivered through a combination of teaching strategies, which may include whole group lectures and seminars, case studies, critical analysis of key readings, group discussions, class activities and student presentations.

The needs of a wide range of students, including those with disabilities, international students and those from ethnic minority backgrounds have been considered. It is not anticipated that the teaching and assessment methods used will cause disadvantage to any person taking the unit. The Graduate School of Education is happy to address individual support requests as necessary.

Assessment Information

Summative assessment for the unit will be on the basis of a 4,000 word assignment. Formative feedback will be given on student class presentations of case studies. The assignments and case studies will demand that students apply key concepts and theoretical approaches to cases related (wherever possible) to their own practice with a view to developing clearer understanding of race equality issues. In this way, the case studies and assignment will between them assess all five learning outcomes. Students will be encouraged to use the case study materials and the formative feedback gained from their presentation as a starting point for their assignments.

Reading and References

Blair, M., Bourne, M. et al (1998) Making the Difference: Teaching and Learning in Successful Multi-Ethnic Schools (London: DfES).

Gibson, M.A & Ogbu, J. (1991) Minority Status and Schooling: a Comparative Study of Immigrant and Involuntary Communities (New York: Garland Publishing).

Gillborn, D. and Youdell, D. (2000) Rationing Education: Policy, Practice, Reform and Equity (Buckingham: Open University).

Majors, R. (Ed) (2001) Educating our Black Children : New Directions and Radical Approaches (London: Falmer)

May. S (Ed) (1999) Critical Multiculturalism: Rethinking Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education (London: Falmer).

Tikly, L., Caballero, C., Haynes, J. & Hill, J. (2004) Understanding the Educational Needs of Mixed Heritage Pupils (London: DfES)