Accessibility statement

Social Justice & Education - EDU00069M

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  • Department: Education
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Constantino Dumangane Jr
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module is designed to introduce students to key aspects and perspectives about social justice and education. This involves exploring general philosophical perspectives about the nature of education and social justice (exploring the purposes of education in relation to such theoretical perspectives as human capital theory, liberation theory etc.); overarching conceptual considerations to do with social justice in educational contexts (e.g. achieved by exploring educational issues through the lens of inclusion, equality, diversity); the contributions made to debates about social justice in education by empirical researchers; achievement and attainment in a variety of contexts (reflections of who gets what from education); the issues associated with the pedagogical approaches proposed by advocates of social justice in education.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module is designed to introduce students to key aspects and perspectives about social justice and education. This involves exploring general philosophical perspectives about the nature of education and social justice (exploring the purposes of education in relation to such theoretical perspectives as human capital theory, liberation theory etc.); overarching conceptual considerations to do with social justice in educational contexts (e.g. achieved by exploring educational issues through the lens of inclusion, equality, diversity); the contributions made to debates about social justice in education by empirical researchers; achievement and attainment in a variety of contexts (reflections of who gets what from education); the issues associated with the pedagogical approaches proposed by advocates of social justice in education.

Module learning outcomes

Subject Content

Students will understand areas of and perspectives about social justice in education. This will involve philosophical, policy-related, curricular and pedagogical issues as well as considering the nature and findings associated with relevant empirical research.

Academic and Graduate Skills

  • Ability to understand key ideas;
  • Ability to analyse and evaluate key ideas and issues emerging from debates about philosophical, policy, research and professional initiatives.
  • Ability to demonstrate competence associated with these understandings and skills orally and in writing.

Module content

Module content

Course Structure:

• An introduction to key ideas

• Key theoretical perspectives: social justice, pedagogy for liberation and transformative

learning

• Social justice and empirical education research

• Key theoretical perspectives: social justice, economics and human capital theory

• Social justice and patterns of educational achievement and attainment

• Activism: Global and local youth perspectives

• Key concepts: social justice, inclusion, diversity and equality

• Teaching, learning, assessing (in the classroom) and activism

• New approaches to teaching and learning for social justice

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay/coursework: 3500 words		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay/coursework: 3500 words		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessments. The feedback is returned to students in line with university policy. Please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information.

Indicative reading

Bhopal, K. and Maylor, U. (2013). Educational Inequalities in Schools and Higher Education

Davies, I and Sant, E. (2014). Perceptions of students and teachers in England about how social media are used (and how they could be used) in schools and elsewhere. In, B. Loader, A. Vromen and M. Xenos (eds.) The Networked Young Citizen. Abingdon, Routledge.

Demie, F. (2022). Tackling teachers’ low expectations of Black Caribbean students in English schools. Equity in Education & Society, 1(1), 32-49.

Gewirtz, S. (1998). Conceptualizing social justice in education: mapping the territory. Journal of Education Policy, 13(4), 469-484.

Jayadeva, S., Brooks, R., & Abrahams, J. (2022). The (stereo) typical student: how European higher education students feel they are viewed by relevant others. British Journal of sociology of Education, 43(1), 1-21.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2006). From the achievement gap to the education debt: Understanding achievement in US schools. Educational researcher, 35(7), 3-12.

Purnell, D. (2021). Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom. Astra Publishing House.

Raby, R. (2012) Children’s participation as neo-liberal governance? Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 35(1), 77–89.

Smith, E (2012) Key Issues in Education and Social Justice. London: SAGE.

Tikly, L. and Barrett, A.M., 2011. Social justice, capabilities and the quality of education in low income countries. International journal of educational development, 31(1), pp.3-14.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.