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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Leading in a Climate of Accountability
Module Code EDU1029 (ITS: PR102)
Faculty Policy & Professional Practice School DCU Institute of Education
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 10
Description

As part of recent reform efforts, in the context of PSDT, WSE, School Self Evaluation and School Improvement Plans under the new literacy and numeracy policy, increasing demands for internal and external accountability are evident within primary education in Ireland. While such demand have not, as yet, reached the same tempo as in other jurisdictions nevertheless, it is important and timely to scrutinise these developments critically, and to examine their implications for school leadership, as well as staff relations and continuing professional learning and the level of the school. The impact of accountability measures on the quality of teaching and learning will be assessed, and the potential impact on professional trust and professional relations, as well as with parents and the school community will be held up to critical scrutiny.

Learning Outcomes

1. Gain an understanding of how the fields of school effectiveness and the allied field of school improvement research have evolved during the past 30 years, and how it has influenced and shaped our understandings of educational leadership and what is demanded within school contexts.
2. Explore and critique the criteria used to describe ‘effective/good’ schools and how such criteria are deployed in contexts of increased accountability.
3. Engage with a set of issues that are connected to the quality of teaching and learning in our schools – school cultures, teacher cultures, leadership style and type, internal and external review, school planning.
4. Examine critically the international trends in internal and external evaluation and how these trends have shape the current policy context in Ireland.
5. Gain insight into issues of accountability in education and analyse the impact that the neo-liberal agenda of performativity and accountability have made on both leadership and school communities


Total Workload: 0
Section Breakdown
CRN20295Part of TermSemester 2
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorMargaret LeahyModule TeacherCatherine Furlong
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Assignmentn/a100%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

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Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None
Other Resources

None

<< Back to Module List View 2024/25 Module Record for PR102