6 ECTS credits
180 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4023983ENR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
This course delves into the intricate relationship between educational policy and school improvement, utilizing a rich blend of theory and practical application.
Throughout this course, students will embark on an intellectual journey from understanding the broad framework of the education system and its policies, through learning the mechanisms of sustainable change in schools, to mastering the practical skills required for implementing these changes in alignment with the principles proposed by school improvement research.
Topics covered:
• School Policy: Systems, structures, policy instruments, strategies, and international influences on education reform.
• School Improvement: Insights from school improvement studies, research-practice-policy gaps, knowledge management, and schools’ capacity to learn and change.
• Practical Tools: Techniques for visualization, managing resistance, stakeholder engagement, knowledge management, and prioritization.
Students will work with topical policy issues (e.g., increasing requests to better support student and teacher self-regulation). They will learn to analyze and diagnose educational change processes based on evidence-based insights from school improvement research. They will experiment with different techniques, methods, and strategies to increase the success rate of educational policy initiatives.
PowerPoint slides, texts, articles, videos or podcast episodes are made available to students via the learning platform Canvas.
More information on the table of content, the required study material, and the study time calculation will follow during the first lesson.
Generative AI can be used in this course, further details will be provided during course activities and the Canvas Course Platform. Any use of generative AI should be properly referenced.
Guest lectures may be included in the course.
Students are encouraged to actively participate in group discussions during class.
Online learning modules are offered via Canvas to support the lectures.
Class lectures alternate with working sessions and practicals.
This course contributes to the following programme-specific learning outcomes of the Master’s degree in Educational Sciences, in particular: 1-2-4-5-8-11-12-13.
(see overview document: Learning Outcomes Master Educational Sciences)
Students will also achieve course-specific learning outcomes.
By the end of this course, they will be able to:
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 30% of the final mark.
PRAC Practical Assignment determines 70% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Within the PRAC Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Practical Assignment which comprises 70% of the final mark. Formative assessment during the course on the Assignment and submission of an Individual Product (exam preparation).
Oral exam which comprises 30% of the final mark. Oral Exam on learning content and discussion about the individual assignment.
Students have to get 10/20 on every one of the course parts to succeed for the course. If you get a failing grade for one of the [two] parts, you will receive the lowest partial grade as the final grade. The partial grade for which you succeeded in the first session can be transferred to the second session and you will not have to take up this course part again.
The second session consists of an individual assignment according to the same requirements of the first session.
The student's overall grade for the practical assignment is not necessarily the same for all group members. The individual grade depends on a correction by peer and teacher evaluation where individual contribution is evaluated.
If you are absent for at least one part, you will be awarded an "Absent" as an overall grade for the Programme Part.
If you do not submit one of the assignments, you will be "Absent" for the assignments section.
The partial results of the separate course parts are not transferable to the next academic year.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)