Comparative Education Policy

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

340 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The aim of this subject is to investigate policies for post-compulsory education ad training in selected OCED countries, their rationale, context and effectiveness. Comparative studies provide an important avenue for understanding the cultural, socio-economic and political forces which shape policies in education and training. This subject provides an overview of a number of national systems and addresses questions about these, including tensions and challenges, policy responses, system monitoring and performance assessment, conflicts in political values, and the responsiveness of systems to emerging social and economic needs. Students are encouraged to specialize in one national system or focus on a controlled comparison of several systems. Comparisons with the Australian scene and the use of international comparisons by Australian policy-makers form part of the subject.

On completion of this subject, students will be able to:

• Review policy issues in a selection of OECD countries, with a critical emphasis on frameworks of comparison and the quality of a range of current efforts at benchmarking and “league ladders”
• Identify and understand the relevant research and policy literature in the international field
• Critically analyse key contemporary issues in education policy in Australia in the light of international experience and learnings

There are two assessment tasks:

• 4000 word essay, due mid semester, 40%
• 6000 word essay, due end of semester, 60%

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

Teese, R., Polesel, J., Undemocratic Schooling, Melbourne University Press, 2003

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Identify and access international data and research on education policy;
• Understand the broader international policy context of their field;
• Relate research findings to their own experience as practitioners.