Through this course you will start to critically examine your own ideas about education, teaching and learning. The critique will be developed through engagement with theories and ideas developed through educational research. You will be encouraged to use these ideas to challenge or support your own ideas about education.
Each week we will focus on one key question, using video lectures, key readings and challenges to explore some commonplace notions about education. With the guidance of the course team, you will be asked to use these ideas to critically reflect on your own understandings and experience. By the end of the course, you will have developed a personal response to the main question: what is your preferred future for education?
Offered By
University of London
UCL Institute of Education
University of London
29,073 enrolled
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
14 hours to complete
How do we learn?
This week we focus on the important question of "how do we learn?". One of our aims this week is to demonstrate the learning approach of this course as well as to get you to think about how you have learnt in the past, and to question some of your own assumptions about learning.
7 videos (Total 51 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz
7 videos
Lecture 1 How do we learn?11m
Lecture 2 How do we learn? cont'd7m
Lecture 3 How do we learn? cont'd9m
Lecture 4 How do we learn? optional extra4m
Lecture 5 How do we learn? optional cont'd7m
Lecture 6 How do we learn? optional cont'd5m
7 readings
Syllabus10m
Grading10m
Glossary of Terms10m
How do we learn? (about week 1)10m
This week's readings (and lectures)10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections10m
Week
23 hours to complete
What is intelligence and does it matter?
In this second week of the course we focus on the tricky issue of intelligence. In the resources this week, we explore what we mean by intelligence and how it can affect learning and educational success.
4 videos (Total 37 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
4 videos
Lecture 2 What is intelligence cont'd5m
Lecture 3 What is intelligence cont'd7m
Lecture 4 What is intelligence cont'd13m
4 readings
What is intelligence and does it matter? (about week 2)10m
This week's readings10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections10m
Week
34 hours to complete
What makes a good teacher?
In the third week of this course, we turn our attention from learning to teaching. In the resources this week we explore our images of "good" teachers and consider where these images come from.
6 videos (Total 53 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
Lecture 2 What makes a good teacher? cont'd9m
Lecture 3 What makes a good teacher? cont'd8m
Lecture 4 What makes a good teacher? cont'd11m
Lecture 5 What makes a good teacher? cont'd9m
Lecture 6 What makes a good teacher? cont'd7m
4 readings
What makes a good teacher? (about week 3)10m
This week's readings10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections10m
Week
43 hours to complete
Can schools make a difference?
In this fourth week, we turn our attention from individual classrooms and the relationship between learning and teaching, and focus on schools as organisations
3 videos (Total 19 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
3 videos
Lecture 2 What makes a good school? cont'd4m
Lecture 3 What makes a good school? cont'd6m
4 readings
Can schools make a difference? (about week 4)10m
This week's readings10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections10m
Week
53 hours to complete
Why do governments fund education?
In this penultimate week of the course we expand our discussion still further and consider the role education plays in our societies.
6 videos (Total 46 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
Lecture 2 What are governments' priorities for education? cont'd8m
Lecture 3 What are governments' priorities for education? cont'd5m
Lecture 4 What are governments' priorities for education? cont'd5m
Lecture 5 What are governments' priorities for education? cont'd7m
Lecture 6 What are governments' priorities for education? cont'd10m
4 readings
Why do governments fund education? (about week 5)10m
This week's readings10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections10m
Week
63 hours to complete
What future for education?
In this final week of the course, we return to the question that started it all off: what future for education? The content is a little different this week, but the structure should be familiar to you.
1 video (Total 2 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
1 video
4 readings
What future for education? (about week 6)10m
This week's TED talks10m
Let's discuss...10m
Reflections ... create your own TED talk10m
4.6
108 Reviews33%
started a new career after completing these courses
28%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
A really excellent course - well delivered, informative and insightful. I would highly recommend this for anyone working within the education space, whether a new practitioner or experienced.
Generally addresses various stake holders of education and brings the idea of future of education well! I enjoyed especially interacting with numerous participants from around the world
Instructor
Dr Clare Brooks
UCL Institute of Education, University of London
About University of London
The University of London is a federal University which includes 18 world leading Colleges. Our distance learning programmes were founded in 1858 and have enriched the lives of thousands of students, delivering high quality University of London degrees wherever our students are across the globe. Our alumni include 7 Nobel Prize winners. Today, we are a global leader in distance and flexible study, offering degree programmes to over 50,000 students in over 180 countries. To find out more about studying for one of our degrees where you are, visit www.london.ac.uk
About UCL Institute of Education
The UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is the world's leading centre for education and social science research, teaching, and engagement. Founded in 1902, the Institute currently has more than 8,000 students and 800 staff. In December 2014 it became a single-faculty school of UCL, called the UCL Institute of Education (IOE).
Ranked number one for education worldwide in the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 QS World University Rankings, the IOE was awarded the 2015 Queen’s Anniversary Prize. In 2014, the Institute secured ‘outstanding’ grades from Ofsted on every criterion for its initial teacher training, across primary, secondary and further education programmes
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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