Module Information

Module Identifier
ED20820
Module Title
Making Sense of the Curriculum
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Assignment 1  2000 Words  50%
Semester Assessment Assignment 2  2000 Words  50%
Supplementary Assessment Assignment 2  New assignment questions will be given. All failed elements of the assessment must be retaken 2000 Words  50%
Supplementary Assessment Assignment 1  New assignment questions will be given. All failed elements of the assessment must be retaken. 2000 Words  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Critically evaluate concepts that inform debate on curriculum planning, and delivery.

Critically reflect and analyse curricular experiences in relation to underlying theory.

Critically compare the National Curricula in England and Wales, and curricular approaches internationally.

Demonstrate critical engagement with relevant sources.

Brief description

This module offers an introduction to curriculum planning and practice, and the ways in which these have been applied in the development of the National Curriculum in England, Wales, and beyond, allowing students to understand the underlying principles an issues that inform curriculum in a domestic and international context.

Content

Lectures and seminars will be based on the following themes:
- What is Curriculum?
- Underlying ideologies, theories and philosophy of curricula
- Reflection on Experiences of Curriculum (issues in education and broader considerations)
- Building towards the National Curriculum – historical background to policies in education up to 1988
- The National Curriculum (England), a historical overview from 1988 to separation and beyond
- Cwricwlwm Cymreig & Curriculum for Wales 2022
- Evaluating subjects in the National Curriculum of England and Areas of Learning and Experience in the Curriculum for Wales
- Global Perspectives on the Curriculum
- Curriculum for the Early Years
- Accountability: checks and balances in education

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Occasional descriptive statistics in lectures and sources.
Communication Communication techniques are a vital element throughout lectures and seminars. Spoken communication throughout seminar activities. Written communication throughout written assessments.
Critical and analytical thinking Students will be critically analysing the curriculum arrangement as well as their own curricular experiences.
Improving own Learning and Performance Feedback from the written assignment and personal reflection during seminar tasks encourage improved performance.
Information Technology Written assignments should be word-processed.
Personal Development and Career planning Not developed in this module.
Problem solving An essential element in the process of critical assessment.
Reflection Students will be required to reflect and critically evaluate their own curricular experiences in relation to the academic literature.
Research skills Research is required for the main assessments and some of the seminar tasks.
Team work Seminar activities provide many opportunities for team work, including group presentations and debates.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5