Postgraduate Course: Children and Young People (2) (EDUA11372)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course asks students to engage in consideration of the extent to which they actively influence the lives of the children and young people with whom they work. This will be examined alongside a range of biological, social, economic, political, cultural and generational factors. These influences are considered in relation to two core themes: learning, attainment and personal development; and health, safety and physical activity. During the course particular attention is paid to children and young people's experiences in relation to periods of transition. Emphasis is also placed on the extent to which children and young people themselves actively shape their own lives. |
| Course description |
Academic description
This interdisciplinary course draws on theoretical frameworks and research findings from Developmental Psychology, Childhood Studies and Youth Studies to explore two broad interlinked aspects of children and young people's lives:
- Learning, attainment and personal development
- Health, safety and physical activity
On this course students will build on the knowledge and expertise they developed on the Children and Young People (1) course, and will have the opportunity to apply this learning to the examination of the additional aspects of children and young people's lives listed above. In particular, students will extend their critical understanding of theory and research from a range of social science disciplines used to understand the lives of children and young people (including education, psychology, sociology and social policy). Throughout, classic and contemporary theory and research are used to explore the two themes in detail, critically considering:
- how these aspects are considered within key policies, including the Curriculum for Excellence (particularly within the Health and Wellbeing strand) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- the micro- and macro- influences on these aspects of the lives of children and young people, including biological, social, economic, political, cultural and generational influences, with particular attention paid to issues of inequality and intersectionality
- the extent to which educators influence these aspects of the lives of children and young people
- children and young people's rights and the extent to which they actively influence these aspects of their own lives.
Throughout, the course will build on Children and Young People (1) by extending the exploration of young people's experiences of transition (e.g. from nursery to primary, into secondary, and post-school transition), and by including a specific practical focus on post-transition issues.
During the course, students' campus-based studies will be complemented by site-based learning in educational and community settings, allowing them to develop a critical awareness of current issues relating to the lives of children and young people, and to actively engage in consideration of how drawing upon research evidence from social science disciplines can enable them to affect change in the lives of the children and young people with whom they work.
Student Learning Experience
The course includes:
- on-campus classes, which will take the form of seminars, panel discussions, and small group activities (10 hours)
- self-directed study, which will include reading, seminar preparation, assessment work, and site-based learning (90 hours)
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- critically evaluate a range of factors, including educators, which influence the lives of children and young people in relation to the two course themes.
- reflect thoughtfully on children and young people's development, rights, agency and participation in relation to the two course themes.
- demonstrate consolidation and extension of their understanding of comparative social science disciplines involved in the study of children and young people's lives.
- articulate in-depth the experiences of children and young people across an educational/community setting, particularly in relation to transition.
- analyse their learning on this course in relation to relevant core concepts of social justice, sustainability, global perspectives, digital and statistical literacies and professional inquiry skills.
|
Reading List
A list of specific chapters and journal articles to be read for each class will be provided to students at the beginning of the course, along with a list of additional reading to allow students to tailor the course to their own professional learning pathway. However, an indicative list includes:
Backett-Milburn, C., Cunningham-Burley, S., Davis, J. (2003) Contrasting lives, contrasting views? Understandings of health inequalities from children in differing social circumstances, Social Science & Medicine, 57(4), 613¿623.
Turner-Cobb, J. (2013). Child health psychology: A biopsychosocial perspective. London: Sage.
Furlong, A. (Ed.) (2009) Handbook of Youth and Young Adulthood. London: Routledge.
Woodman, D. & Wyn, J. (2015) Youth and Generation: Rethinking change and inequality in the lives of young people. London: Sage.
Vandenhole, W. Desmet, E. Reynaert, D. and Lembrechts, S. The Routledge international handbook of children's rights studies, edited. London: Routledge.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Some aspects of the graduate attributes which students will have the opportunity to develop through this course include skills and abilities in:
(A) Research and enquiry
- analyse facts and situations and apply creative thinking to develop the appropriate solutions;
- analyse, synthesise and critically appraise thoughts and processes including managing risks;
- identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately.
(B) Personal and intellectual autonomy
- develop their reflective awareness of ethical dimensions, and responsibilities to others, in work and everyday life;
- be critically self-aware, self-reflective and self-manage in order to fully maximise potential;
- establish their personal vision and goals;
- seek and value open feedback to help their self-awareness;
- to think independently, exercise personal judgment and take initiatives;
- the importance of learning to learn;
- develop higher-order thinking and sound reasoning;
- collaborate and debate effectively to test, modify and strengthen their own views.
(C) Communication
- use appropriate communication styles through understanding the needs of others and empathy towards them;
- effective communicators who are able to read and write, present, listen, influence and network;
- an interactive communicator;
- develop their oral communication of complex ideas and arguments using a range of media;
- articulate and effectively explain information.
(D) Personal effectiveness
- be able to work with people from a range of cultures and backgrounds;
- have an ability to prioritise;
- have an ability to plan and effectively use resources to achieve goals;
- have the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues both internally and externally, building and maintaining relationships;
- formulate, evaluate and apply evidence-based solutions and arguments. |
| Keywords | Children,Young People,Education,Health and wellbeing |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Katie Cebula
Tel: (0131 6)51 6463
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Mairi Ross
Tel: (0131 6)51 4241
Email: |
|
|
University Homepage