EDF5669 · Policy, politics and power

Overview

In this unit, you will examine the ways politics and power shape education policy. You will investigate different types of education policy, including ‘official’ policy and unofficial policy in the form of discourses and texts. You will develop an understanding of the external influences on educational leadership and explore how power and influence are held over education policy by different groups and organisations. In exploring these issues, you will examine pressing issues relating to leadership and policy, including the impact of privatisation and commercialisation of education, globalisation, and ask questions such as who is education in its current form working for? How can we make a difference as leaders? In considering these questions, you will explore ethics, autonomy, and agency in relation to education policy, politics, power, and the persistent wicked problems of leadership.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. demonstrate an understanding of how conceptualisations of educational policy relate to socially just and equitable educational leadership
2. articulate advanced and integrated understanding of how educational policy can influence educational organisations
3. demonstrate comprehensive and critical appreciation of educational policy from historical, political and contextual perspectives
4. demonstrate capacity for educational leadership that operates within policy contexts to promote socially just change and transformation
5. critically evaluate the impact of globalisation, privatisation, and commercialisation on education policy and leadership practices
6. examine the ethical dimensions of autonomy, agency, and power in educational leadership within complex policy environments.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, 24 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities, and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study OR • 36 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities, and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^ ^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode. Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.