Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EFPM294: Technology and Education Futures

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Aims

Through an exploration and discussion of theoretical, professional and practical applications of new technology in education,the module aims to develop your critical understanding of how technology may shape the ways in which we think about teaching and learning, both now and in the future. There is a strong focus on the social nature of learning with new technology, digital literacies and creative practices with technology and you will familiarize yourself with a range of digital approaches for education, including social media, Augmented Reality and gamification. You will be strongly encouraged to reflect on and link back your ideas to your own practice and experiences.

Specifically the module will enable you to:

  • develop a conceptual, critical and experiential understanding of the social and creative nature of learning with new technology;
  • identify possible affordances of technological tools for teaching and learning;
  • identify and interpret educational theory and research and relate this to educational practice and educational futures with new technology;
  • identify and interpret evidence and discuss this in the context of academic and professional reading work independently and with originality;
  • develop a critical understanding of ethical issues involved in teaching and learning with new technology

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate a systematic understanding of theoretical perspectives and practical concerns in the area of educational technology;
2. demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature of learning processes around new technology, with a specific focus on social and digital aspects of teaching and learning and around possible educational futures;
3. demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on the affordances of technological tools for teaching and learning;
4. demonstrate an ability to synthesise relevant theoretical perspectives and arguments in current debates about core dilemmas in educational technology;
Discipline-Specific Skills5. identify systematically and evaluate insightfully current research and advanced scholarship relevant to the field of educational technology, creativity and thinking;
6. explore critically the multiple lenses through which educational technology can be interpreted and developed;
7. evaluate and critique ideas and concepts encountered within the specialism in the light of different theoretical approaches;
8. apply theoretical insights, through critical reflection, to your study of the specialism;
Personal and Key Skills9. demonstrate the ability to identify and critically discuss current issues in educational technology;
10. demonstrate the ability to construct organised, structured, critically reflective and analytic writing;
11. demonstrate the ability to manage time and engagement in the context of masters level study that has a high level of independent study;
12. demonstrate the ability to take the initiative in contributing collaboratively in interactive learning contexts; and
13. demonstrate communication skills both oral and written and in on-line contexts.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Buckingham, D. (2007) Beyond Technology: Children’s Learning in the Digital Age. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Craft, A. (2011), Creativity and Educational Futures.  Stoke on Trent:Trentham Books

Craft (2012) Childhood in a digital age: creative challenges for educational futures. London Review of Education.     Vol. 10, No. 2, July 2012, 173–190

Crook, C. & Lewthwaite, S. (2010) Technologies for formal and informal learning, in K. Littleton, C. Wood & J. Kleine Staarman, The International Handbook of Psychology in Education. Bingly, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Facer, K., Craft, A., Jewitt, C., Mauger, S., Sandford, R., Sharples, M. (2011).Building Agency in the Face of Uncertainty. Outcome of ESRC Seminar Series on Educational Futures (2009-11) –http://edfuturesresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Building-Agency-in-the-Face-of-Uncertainty-Thinking-Tool.pdf

Gee, J. P. (2003). What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hakkarainen, K. (2010) Learning communities in the classroom, in K. Littleton, C. Wood & J. Kleine Staarman, The

International Handbook of Psychology in Education. Bingly, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Heppel, S., Chapman, C., Millward, R., Constable, M. & Furness, J. (2004). Building Learning Futures. London: CABE/RIBA. Retrieved 30th May 2005 from: http://rubble.heppell.net/cabe/final_report.pdf (accessed 21/01/2009)

Hutchby, I and Moran-Ellis, J. (2001) Children, Technology and Culture: The Impacts of Technologies in Children's

Everyday Lives. London: Routledge .

Inayatullah, S. (2015). What works: Case studies in the practice of foresight. Taipei: Tamkang University Press.

Inayatullah, S. (2008).  Mapping Educational Futures.  In Bussey, M., Inayatullah, S., Milosevic, I. (eds). (2008). Alternative Educational Futures:  pedagogies for emergent worlds. Rotterdam/Taipei: Sense Publishers

Jewett, C. (2010) Technology and learning: A multimodal approach, in K. Littleton, C. Wood & J. Kleine Staarman, The International Handbook of Psychology in Education. Bingly, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Kirriemuir, J & McFarlane, A. (2004). Literature Review in Games and Learning. London: Nesta FutureLab. Retrieved on 30th May 2005 from: http://www.nestafuturelab.org/research/reviews/08_01.htm

Loveless, A. (2003) Creating Spaces in the Primary Curriculum: ICT in creative subjects. The Curriculum Journal, 14:1, 5-21.

Marsh, J. (2004) Popular Culture, Media and Digital Literacies in Early Childhood. London: Routledge .

Rasmussen, I. & Ludvigsen, S. (2010) Learning with computer tools and environments: A sociocultural perspective, in K. Littleton, C. Wood & J. Kleine Staarman, The International Handbook of Psychology in Education. Bingly, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Robinson, K. (2015) Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education. Viking.

Shaffer, D. (2007) How computer games help children to learn. New York: Palgrave/MacMillan

Veen, W. and Vrakking, B. (2006). Homo Zappiens: Reshaping learning in the digital age. London: Network Continuum Press.

Wegerif. R. (2007) Dialogic, Educational and Technology: Resourcing the Space of Learning. New York: Springer-Verlag

Wegerif, R. (2012) Dialogic: Education for the Internet Age. London, Routledge