Social Histories Of British Education

Course Code: MMAHOS_51

Masters Level Module

This module looks at the social origins and development of the British school system. The focus throughout is on the experience of education as seen from the perspective of pupils and students, teachers and educational policy-makers. There is a particular emphasis on the use of biographical approaches for the study of lives in educational settings. The range of topics covered will include: curriculum, gender and education, race and education, schooling and social change, social class and education, teachers and teaching.

The module provides particular opportunities for thinking about History and its application in the present, and for thinking about and discussing what we have learned and what should be left in the past. Teaching methods include a learning walk to nurture a learning community, which fosters participation and dialogue so that research content and processes become a shared experience. The module uses Blackboard to provide a virtual learning environment (VLE) that supports students' learning.

The VLE offers a vehicle for communicating with staff and students and a repository of module resources including a:

• 'Living archive' of biographical resources
• 'Picture Gallery'
• Links to moving images

Some of the students' coursework has been published in a special edition of Reflecting Education, guest edited by the module tutor. "Biography, History and Education: Learning from Lives", Vol 6, No 1 (2010).

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