Module Title: Enquiry into Practice
INTRODUCTION
The Enquiry into Practice module is the culmination of your studies in Education. Your Enquiry into Practice is an independent project during which you will perform an in-depth study of an aspect of education of your choice that relates to teaching practice. It is designed to enable you to demonstrate the skills and knowledge you have gained as an autonomous and engaged student, and to apply your knowledge to generate new understandings of educational practices. The module leads to the completion of an extended written assignment of not more than 7000 words.
The topic of your Enquiry into Practice
Why are teachers’ professional ethics important in education?
Structure of the essay
You will produce between an extended assignment of between 5000 and 7000 words. Please note there is a strict 7000 word limit with no ‘tolerance’ of +/- 10%. The word limit is inclusive of all references, reference lists, tables and appendices.
A simple way to plan the assignment would be to include the following sections:
Title
Your chosen title can be a question or describe the topic in a few words
Introduction to the essay
Identify the key topic of the assignment and provide a brief outline of the essay content
Scope out the topic
Review the main published research that you have read on your topic of choice
Identify key point from your reading that you intend to apply to your critical analysis
Describe what the main published research on your topic of choice has previously found
Focus on published research directly relevant to your topic. This may mean research from elsewhere in the world.
Detailed exploration
Apply the knowledge and understanding you have gained from independent study and reading to critically explore and examine the specific topic of your essay.
Apply the knowledge and understanding you have gained from the independent study and reading to critically analyses the specific topic of your essay
About 4 key points using examples, evidence, quotes
Make references to background reading to support your points
Link your key points into an academic argument – a strong objective case to support a point of view based on synthesizing evidence and reading
Avoid unsubstantiated, unbalanced, opinionated or biased argument
Avoid introducing new literature
Slice up the argument into clearly defined key points, each with a job to do to contribute to the whole – show how it all works together
Each key point of the argument should be organized as about 500-800 words.
Use section sub-headings!
Make sure you link the points – show the reader how they connect
Remember, at all times, to think critically.
Implications for practice
Discuss the implications for your own future practice as a teacher
Conclusion
Detail what new understanding of the key topic you have developed
References
List all publications cited in the assignment
It is essential you demonstrate that you can apply knowledge gained from independent study to your specific topic and draw out key implications for future practice of your own and/or other teaching professionals.
Connected:
This module will encourage you to look beyond Scotland and the UK for approaches to issues in education studies. The module assumes that teachers and policymakers in all countries have much to learn from each other, the module with encourage you to take part in this international conversation.
Innovative:
This module expects you to achieve a high-level of expertise in your chosen area of research and to use existing knowledge and research to make an original contribution to these debates. Your study will conclude with a section on ‘implications for practice’ where you will be able to make recommendations to policy makers and school leaders as well as suggestions for your own development as a practitioner.
Transformative:
The Donaldson Report (2011) highlighted Scotland’s aspiration to a research-informed teaching workforce; this module aims to be the first step in a career-long commitment to research-informed transformative practice.
