ED1BKD: Key Debates in Education

Module code: ED1BKD

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Linyao Wang, email: l.wang2@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 25 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with an introduction and overview of key philosophical, social, cultural and political debates within education. Students of educational studies should be familiar with different issues, controversies and debates concerning education and learning and to be articulate in contributing to these debates. Through discussion, this module aims to develop students' engagement as debaters with the aim to create awareness of current topics, legislation and theory as well as to develop students’ ability to evaluate and take part in discussions of educational issues. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Articulate and justify an informed point of view on educational issues through taking part in discussions 
2. Draw reflectively and critically upon own educational experience and literature about the nature of education 
3. Demonstrate a range of skills in accessing material and information from a range of sources relating to the academic study of educational issues 
4. Demonstrate skills of collaboration as well as academic writing, critical thinking, and evaluation

Module content

The module challenges learners to consider the big questions what is education, where and how does it take place, and why does it matter? Through sessions exploring theory and practice, students will discover the philosophical, historical, and political underpinnings of education, while also reflecting on the role it plays in social, economic, and cultural contexts. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module comprises taught sessions, group work, discussions, and reflection.

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Ongoing feedback and reflection on journal entries 
• A discussion board to post excerpts of journal entries for peer comments 

Reassessment

Additional costs