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EDUC42810

Academic Year 2024/2025

Politics and Society Methods II (EDUC42810)

Subject:
Education
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Education
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Judith Harford
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will build on modules 1A and 1B.

Over the course of this module, student teachers will explore the rationale for teaching Leaving

Certificate Politics and Society and develop the professional skills necessary to teach it. Politics and

Society aims to develop the student’s capacity to engage in reflective and active citizenship,

informed by the insights and skills of social and political sciences. This module will enable student

teachers to explore the changing local, national and global environment which presents many

challenges for young people and the skills required in order to understand contemporary society.

Drawing on the skills of critical thinking and imagination and on the content of sociology,

anthropology, political science and philosophy, this module will enable the students to develop an

understanding of how students learn through Politics and Society, by engaging in active and enquiry

based learning and the use of appropriate research methods and qualitative and quantitative data.

They will progressively learn how to integrate theory and practice and, on completion of the module,

will exhibit a high level of competence and confidence in integrated approaches to teaching the

Politics and Society curriculum in second level schools, for example (1) The ‘Big Thinkers’ and their

interpretations of society and how it works, (2) The importance of, and interrogation of, qualitative

and quantitative data, (3) Seeing the strange in the familiar, (4) Deliberating and understanding a

curriculum of contested ideas , (5) Seeing social systems and structures in operation and (6) Taking

meaningful action. This module will model approaches to enable student teachers to facilitate a key

aim of the Leaving Certificate Politics and Society Specification for their students which is to ‘enable

young people to develop the skills appropriate for active and thoughtful participation in the life of

their communities’.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students will:

Have a clear understanding of the requirements of the Politics and Society Specification in second

level schools.

Be proficient in the use of curriculum documents to facilitate long-term, medium-

term and short- term planning.

Plan for differentiation and progression in the Politics and Society classroom using a UDL approach.

Recognise and respond to the the needs of all learners in an inclusive manner.

Demonstrate the ability to effectively use a range of suitable resources to support learning.


 Be able to develop cogitative skills in their students with particular reference to, literacy and

numeracy.

 Be able to empower students in the use of Key Skills at Senior Cycle.

 Have developed an understanding of Active Citizenship and the associated sociological and political

research methods, embracing qualitative and quantitative data.

 Identify a range of assessment for learning strategies to support the development of class and

individual student’s learning.

 Demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on their learning/teaching preferences and to recognise the need

for continuing professional development.


In addition:

Particular emphasis is placed on the use of digital technology in enriching the learning experiences of students

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Specified Learning Activities

25

Autonomous Student Learning

75

Total

124


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
While students will engage in face to face learning in the form of lectures, there is an expectation that all students on this module engage fully with active learning strategies. Students will be required to participate in group work, presentations, lesson designe and the compilation of appropriate resources.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

NA


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): An assignment brief will be provided by your module coordinator during the module. 20% of the assignment will be based on participation in the module as prescribed by the module coordinator Week 11, Week 12 Graded Yes

100

Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Opportunities will be provided for self and peer-review strategies throughout the module and individual feedback will be provided post-assessment.