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. 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 (approx. 500 words)
Identify the key topic of the assignment and provide a brief outline of the essay content
Scope out the topic (approx. 2000 words)
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 (approx. 2500 words)
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 analyse 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 organised 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 (approx. 1000 words)
Discuss the implications for your own future practice as a teacher
Conclusion (approx. 250 words)
Detail what new understanding of the key topic you have developed
References (up to 1000 words)
