Module: Research Based Educational Leadership

Module Specifications

Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Research Based Educational Leadership
Module Code	EDU1167 (ITS: ED9016)
Faculty	DCU Institute of Education	School	Policy & Professional Practice
NFQ level	10	Credit Rating	15

Description

This module introduces students the concept of quality education and the various approaches used at organisational, national and international level to improve the quality of educational provision across different educational organisations. It explores various improvement movements and government educational reforms as well as the various practices that have arisen such as the development of quality standards, evidence based practice, quality assurance processes, self-evaluation and inspection. Variation in the application of such approaches are explored across jurisdictions as well as the impact of such practices, both intended and unintended. The module also explores theories of motivation linked to improvement.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1D993226-44FC-0001-F336-50901F40A3C0
2. Critically analyse various concepts relating to the purpose of education and definitions of quality education.
5. 1
6. 1D993226-4C33-0001-95C7-19F044691400
7. Understand the concept and practice of quality assurance in education and the application of industry approaches such as TQM within educational organisations.
10. 2
11. 1E02DDFB-FE17-0001-FF90-1C5019B1181F
12. Review quality assurance and improvement approaches in their own or another educational context
15. 3
16. 1D993226-4CDB-0001-41EF-41A0155CFE70
17. Develop awareness of the key school improvement movements, educational reforms and the use of international comparisons. Critically evaluate the intended and unintended impact of such approaches.
20. 4
21. 1D993226-521F-0001-BCBE-1F6C8E0019B4
22. Scrutinise various approaches to educational accountability and educational improvement practices.
25. 5
26. 1D993226-53A3-0001-EAD1-18A01E5193A0
27. Identify and evaluate evidence-based approaches to measuring and examining educational quality and effectiveness.
30. 6
31. 1D993226-56BB-0001-D626-19408E251F48
32. Critically analyse the practice of internal and external evaluation across various jurisdictions and the impact of various approaches.
35. 7
36. 1D993226-5A33-0001-13EC-375017EE12F6
37. Explore the development and use of evaluation criteria for the purpose of evaluating or auditing the quality of provision in selected educational organisations.
40. 8
41. 1D993226-5CBF-0001-6D92-1524B960150C
42. Demonstrate the ability to develop evaluation/ audit tools, and conduct an evaluation within an educational organisation.
45. 9
46. 1D993226-652E-0001-571B-3CD07DCAFCC0
47. Articulate an understanding of approaches to capacity building within and educational organisation and demonstrate an ability to incorporate such approaches in an organisational quality assurance system.
50. 10
51. 1E6CD6A2-559A-0001-43CD-120156507130
52. Understand how theories of motivation link to organisational improvement processes.
55. 11
56. 1E6CD6A2-B81A-0001-A6AB-1BE011801339
57. Analyse the use of evidence to inform policy and practice.
60. 12
61. 1E6CD6A2-CC9D-0001-6EF0-1C8BBEA015B4
62. Comprehend the issues related to the inclusion of students and parents in educational improvement processes.
65. 13

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	16	Formal input by the module coordinator to student group in lecture/seminar format.
Group work	34	Group activity focused on analysing key texts in through the lens of professional practice contexts.
Online activity	50	Participant engagement in synchronous and/or asynchronous online discussion fora hosted on the DCU LOOP system .
Independent Study	175	Independent pursuit of relevant issues and ideas raised during the module. Participants will be expected to engage in reading and critical review of literature relevant to the module
Assignment Completion	100	Completion of research focused assignment examining the key literature relating to quality approaches in education and the development of evaluation criteria and evidence gathering tools for the
Total Workload: 375

Section Breakdown
CRN	11336	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	PASS/FAIL	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Shivaun O'Brien	Module Teacher	Alan Gorman, Therese Farrell

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Completion of an essay involving review of the key literature relating to quality assurance approaches used in educational organisations.	100%	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

Educational theory
Purpose of education and concepts of quality education The concept and practice of quality assurance in education Quality processes in industry and the application of same to education Total Quality Management School Effectiveness and School Improvement Movements Accountability and Improvement practices in education Evidence-based practice related to measuring quality and effectiveness Internal and External Evaluation Self-Evaluation and Inspection in education Data informed decision making Student and parent voice in quality processes Developing quality standards and evaluation criteria Gathering quantitative and qualitative evidence for self-evaluation The use of focus groups and survey questionnaires in a self-evaluation process Capacity building within and educational organisation and the focus on involving stakeholders and achieving process outcomes Involving stakeholders Government educational reforms International comparisons of educational systems Theories of motivation

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Ball, S. J.: 2003, The teacherâ€™s soul and the terrors of performativity., Journal of Education Policy, 18(2), 215â€“228.,
Boyle, R., McNamara,G. and O'Hara, J.: 2012, Riding the Celtic Tiger: Forces Shaping Evaluation Culture in Ireland in Good Times and Bad IN on CulturesSense-making in Complex Times, Transaction Publications, London,
Quinn Patton, M: 2018, Facilitating Evaluation: Principles in Practice, SAGE Publications, London,
Robson, C: 2017, Small-Scale Evaluation: Principles and Practice, Sage Publications Ltd, London,
Kara, H: 2012, Research and evaluation for busy practitioners, Policy Press, London,
Travers,M: 2007, The new bureaucracy: Quality Assurance and Its Critics, Policy Press, London,

Articles:

McNamara,G. and O'Hara,J.: 0, The importance of the concept of self-evaluation in the changing landscape of education policy, Studies in educational evaluation, 34(3), 173-1, 517924
2016: Quality and the rise of value-added in education: The case of Ireland, Policy Futures in Education, 14 (6),, 810-, 517925, 1
External specialist support for school self-evaluation: Testing a model of support in Irish post-primary schools: Evaluation ,, 23 (1), 61-7,

Other Resources

None