module specification

SS4020 - The School and the City (2024/25)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2024/25
Module title The School and the City
Module level Certificate (04)
Credit rating for module 30
School School of Social Sciences and Professions
Total study hours 300
 
18 hours Assessment Preparation / Delivery
210 hours Guided independent study
72 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Individual Presentation 30%   Presentation
Coursework 70%   Multimedia essay
Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Year North Thursday Afternoon

Module summary

The module encourages you to reflect on your own identity, educational possibilities and limitations in urban contexts.  You will engage with key reading and relevant theories to support this exploration. You will look at how the urban environment can be used as a resource for educational enquiry, particularly concepts of  place and space and how these influence the social reality of the city.  The module explores how education and policy in the urban environment impacts on social class, ethnicity, gender, race, language and multilingualism.  Further, it investigates formal and informal learning in a variety of urban educational contexts. Throughout the module, you will develop your critical reading and writing skills and improve your oral skills in presentations and seminars.

Syllabus

Activities in and out of class will encourage students explore their own identities and relationships with London in comparison to those of their peers and others through methods such as walking, photography, and observation. LO1, LO2

Students will explore theories related to space, place, multiculturalism, equality and social justice, and how these contribute to the debates around and understanding of education in the urban context. LO4, LO5

The module will investigate educational debates focusing on equality and diversity as hallmarks of urban schooling. These debates will be supported by the study of empirical research, policy and theory.  LO3, LO5

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

The module is taught through a series of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Students are actively guided and supported with the development of their study skills throughout the module. Feedback is offered throughout the module in a variety of ways including oral, written, group and individual feedback as well as feedforward to final assessments. The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) contains additional materials and resources, which students are asked to explore independently and contribute to discussions online.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
1. Recognise the city as an empirical resource for educational inquiry; 
2. Acknowledge different social realities;
3. Identify a range of urban educational issues locally and globally;
4. Demonstrate an understanding of theories and research in urban education;
5. Show awareness of educational debates and policy around diversity and inclusion, educational institutions and their impacts on urban life.

Bibliography