MRes in Education - Assessment and Quality Assurance

This module equips students with a critical understanding of foundational and contemporary educational theories, global policy trends, and innovative practices. Through collaborative learning and applied research, students develop analytical and methodological skills to independently research and report on educational issues. The module fosters professional collaboration, enhances digital literacy, and promotes effective use of academic resources. Learners will engage with diverse perspectives, preparing them to influence educational practice and policy in dynamic, culturally responsive, and evidence-informed ways.

This module empowers students to become reflective education researchers through the critical interpretation of literature and the development of conceptual frameworks. Learners will explore their epistemological stance while independently sourcing, evaluating, and synthesising scholarly literature. The module builds independent research skills essential for constructing rigorous, evidence-based arguments and contributes to a deeper understanding of educational knowledge and practice. Students will emerge with the confidence to navigate complex academic landscapes and shape meaningful research contributions.

This module facilitates students in learning to design and evaluate robust, context-sensitive research projects tailored to their educational focus. With supervisor guidance, students will independently reflect on, and evidence, the researcher's role in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, while fostering critical evaluation of methodologies and data sources. Students will explore the influence of conceptual frameworks on research design and develop the skills to draw meaningful, evidence-based conclusions. This module equips learners with the tools to design and execute rigorous, reflective, and impactful educational research.

Building on previous research packages, this module enables students to independently conduct research in Assessment and Quality Assurance. Learners explore their identity as reflexive researchers and practitioners committed to enhancing assessment practices and maintaining educational standards. With supervisor guidance, they critically engage with ethical issues and context-specific methodologies. Students address research questions developed in previous modules. By producing a research article, they generate meaningful, rigorous, context-specific conclusions and make an original contribution to knowledge, supporting innovation in assessment and quality assurance.