Education Policy Analysis

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Abstract

Where does this policy come from? What does it mean? How can I respond? What implications does this policy hold for teachers and educational leaders? This subject provides a framework to address these questions from which an understanding of education policy and its intended and unintended effects can be built. Given the increased scrutiny on educational systems to deliver solutions to political problems, this subject builds an understanding of the way that education policy problems are constructed, and the processes by which these policy problems come to influence the lives of teachers, students, parents and educational leaders. The structure of the subject encourages students to test the theories and tools introduced against cases in their regions, and apply these theories and tools to local and regional policy developments.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics: Values The values topic covers foundational readings about educational policy, and draws heavily on philosophical, sociological, historical, political and economic perspectives. This topic introduces a range of thinking about questions, including: What is education?What values should education be based upon?What outcomes should education … For more content click the Read More button below. Approaches The approaches topic covers the types of problems that flow from educational policy and how we approach them. Competing values and goals have associated assumptions which influence what is regarded as a ‘policy problem’. The nature of policy problems also varies in relation to structure and complexity. Some problems can be solved. Others can only be ‘worked with’ rather than solved. The latter are referred to as ‘wicked problems.’ Significant problems in education tend to be ‘wicked problems.’ Resources The resources topic presents a range of analytic tools used in education policy analysis. The choice and application of resources (including the selection and use of analytic tools) are influenced by the values of the policy agents/actors, the values they hold and consequently, how they perceive a policy problem. Contemporary Issues The contemporary issues topic covers a selection of current dilemmas and complex challenges in education. These challenges tend to be beyond the capacity of any one individual, group or organisation to understand and respond to, and there is often disagreement about their causes, consequences, and ways to tackle them. Such challenges are sources of ‘wicked problems’ and constitute major contemporary issues in education. Within each of these topics, readings from different sectors and localities are alternated with theoretical and global readings. This illustrates the interplay between general principles and local policies in practice. There is an emphasis on understanding how educational policy trends reflect the influence of values and goals, as well as the contextual factors that influence policy development, implementation, and evaluation. Readings are therefore presented to illustrate how policy values influence what counts as policy problems. Conceptual framework To bring these ideas together, each student will select and discuss a wicked problem from their context at the commencement of the subject. This problem will be the focus of assignments and discussions as the semester progresses.

This subject will cover the following topics:

Values

The values topic covers foundational readings about educational policy, and draws heavily on philosophical, sociological, historical, political and economic perspectives. This topic introduces a range of thinking about questions, including:

What is education?
What values should education be based upon?
What outcomes should education be oriented towards?
What is education policy?
What is the role of government in education and education policy?
What is the role of the profession in education and education policy?

Approaches

The approaches topic covers the types of problems that flow from educational policy and how we approach them. Competing values and goals have associated assumptions which influence what is regarded as a ‘policy problem’. The nature of policy problems also varies in relation to structure and complexity. Some problems can be solved. Others can only be ‘worked with’ rather than solved. The latter are referred to as ‘wicked problems.’ Significant problems in education tend to be ‘wicked problems.’

Resources

The resources topic presents a range of analytic tools used in education policy analysis. The choice and application of resources (including the selection and use of analytic tools) are influenced by the values of the policy agents/actors, the values they hold and consequently, how they perceive a policy problem.

Contemporary Issues

The contemporary issues topic covers a selection of current dilemmas and complex challenges in education. These challenges tend to be beyond the capacity of any one individual, group or organisation to understand and respond to, and there is often disagreement about their causes, consequences, and ways to tackle them. Such challenges are sources of ‘wicked problems’ and constitute major contemporary issues in education.

Within each of these topics, readings from different sectors and localities are alternated with theoretical and global readings. This illustrates the interplay between general principles and local policies in practice. There is an emphasis on understanding how educational policy trends reflect the influence of values and goals, as well as the contextual factors that influence policy development, implementation, and evaluation. Readings are therefore presented to illustrate how policy values influence what counts as policy problems.

Conceptual framework

To bring these ideas together, each student will select and discuss a wicked problem from their context at the commencement of the subject. This problem will be the focus of assignments and discussions as the semester progresses.

Assessment items

1. Approaches to Education Policy Analysis

2. Education Policy Analysis Report

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

be able to outline different perspectives on the role and function of policy;

be able to describe typical policy problems associated with governing education in Modern Nationstates;

be able to describe the contextual assumptions of policy problems;

be able to identify and describe traditions in the analysis of education policy;

be able to describe, utilise and identify the limits of tools emanating from different education policy analysis traditions;

be able to identify and analyse changing trends in the application of education policy;

be able to categorise, analyse and critique historical and contextual changes in the development, application and uses of education policy;

be able to describe and analyse the operations of education policy from influence, text to practice;

be able to identify sites of action for different policy agents;

10.

be able to utilise education policy literature to construct models that help in explaining the intended and unintended effects associated with the introduction of different education policies on educators, students, parents and education leaders;

11.

be able to identify national and global trends in the adoption of education policy themes;

12.

be able to utilise educational policy literature to analyse cases of policy development and implementation;

13.

be able to describe the influence of the following themes on educational practice: globalisation; innovation; knowledge economy; contractualism; marketisation; social justice; mediatisation; and

14.

be able to apply policy frameworks in the construction of policy texts and processes.