Educational Policy Development

This subject analyses the growth and development of policies impacting education and schooling in Australia since the post war era. Each pre-service teacher will be required to develop a policy to address a perceived need in order that student’s learning and teacher’s teaching may be enhanced.

Awards offering Educational Policy Development

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

This subject analyses the growth and development of policies impacting education and schooling in Australia since the post war era. It examines a range of political and religious denominational agendas and their interrelationship with policy development. It draws attention to the historical efficacy of certain policies and agendas and their impact on student achievement. A critique of the way policies impact the local school culture and how it relates to its professional and local community will be explored. Each pre-service teacher is required to develop a policy to address a perceived need in order that student’s learning and teacher’s teaching may be enhanced.

Outcomes

1. Critically appraise research into how students learn and the implications for policy development and the development of your own philosophy of education;
2. Critically evaluate educational policy initiatives in the light of your own philosophy of education;
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from ATSI backgrounds;4. Evaluate Australian education policy initiatives for effective assessment strategies’ impact on student learning;
4. Critically review Australian education policy initiatives for effective moderation and data analysis procedures applied to assessment strategies;
5. Design a new educational policy initiative by conducting appropriate research and then applying the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to stage in Christian or alternate school contexts;
6. Integrate external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

Subject Content

1. Frameworks for thinking: historical philosophical and theological views embedded in educational policies, educational pioneers, new teacher project, drivers for culture change, development of the pre-service teachers philosophy of education;
2. Research methods for policy development: quantitative data gathering and rigours of analysis, qualitative data gathering and analysis, data used to demonstrate the relationship of policies to students’ educational outcomes, ethical considerations, data driven policy development;
3. Foundations of Policy Development: political science, political agendas, acts of parliament – federal and state, theories for social justice in education, effectiveness of current educational and social policies and programs promoting equity in education, Christian views of social inclusion, economics of education, grants and administration, urban v rural divide, education the vehicle for economic and social development, foreign aid, K-12 law, program evaluation, K-12 schooling, tertiary education;
4. Major Educational Policy Initiatives: race to the top, no child left behind, closing the gap, educational policy and school reform, schools of the future, school management, self-managing schools, secondary education for all, Rudd’s education revolution, design for world class education, world’s best practice, international baccalaureate (IB), mobilising minds, Australian Indigenous education, school culture from a biblical worldview;
5. Research Project: application to real world, educational career opportunities outside the classroom, professional development, succession planning, educational leadership, teacher appraisal, international education, effect of policy implementation on collaborative relationships with specialist teachers, school community liaison personnel and community and family partnerships, policy and curriculum development.

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face-to-Face
• Intensive
• Distance/ Global Online

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

1. Forum Posts (10%)
2. Personal Reflection (10%)
3. Critical Reflection (30%)
4. Policy Development (50%)

Prescribed Text

• References will include the most current curriculum requirements for schools.

Check with the instructor each semester before purchasing any prescribed texts or representative references