MSc Computing in Education
Modular structure
The MSc Computing in Education course is be made up of 6 x 20 credit subject modules, a 20 credit
research in a professional context module and a 40 credit dissertation.
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Developing Digital Literacy in the Classroom
This module will focus on how to develop digital literacy in the classroom and identify strategies to create
digitally literate pupils. You will critically examine what digital literacy is, the importance of digital literacy in
the classroom, and the impact of technology on pupil’s digital literacy, academic progression and student’s
digital identity.
This module will introduce theoretical principles that underpin approaches to teaching and learning in
institutions in various educational settings. This module will offer you an opportunity to explore how
curriculum design can promote digital literacy in the classroom and consider critical ways to evaluate digital
literacy strategies and technology and their effects on student learning. You will be able to analyse criteria
for developing innovation and student interaction. This module will help you to consider approaches to
developing the use of digital literacy in your classroom.
The aims of the module are to:
• develop your ability to synthesise and apply knowledge to inform educational practice in digital
literacies and its development in a number of contexts including, where appropriate, your own
workplace and practices;
• develop your ability to use comprehensive, and specialised knowledge to analyse current debates,
policy, evidence and theory relating to digital literacies in education;
• develop your ability to undertake, independent, systematic enquiry into educational policy and
practice focussing on digital literacies, drawing as appropriate, on both extant literature and primary
data.
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Computational Thinking in the Curriculum
This module will focus on how to develop computational thinking in a classroom. This module will introduce
theoretical principles that underpin approaches to the teaching and learning in institutions in various
educational settings. This module will appeal to teachers of Computing and other STEM subjects as well as
teachers and educational advisors who have a keen interest in computational thinking.
This module will offer you an opportunity to explore how curriculum design can promote computational
thinking in the classroom and consider critical ways to evaluate effective teaching of computational
thinking/problem solving in the classroom.
You will be able to develop your understanding of
computational thinking, problem solving skills and their application in an educational setting.
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The aims of the module are to:
• develop your own understanding of computational thinking and problem solving allowing you to
break down a problem and work through it systematically;
• develop your knowledge and use of a range of educational programs and programming concepts;
• develop your ability to synthesise and apply knowledge to inform educational practice and its
development in an educational environment;
• develop your ability to have comprehensive and specialised knowledge to analyse current debates,
policy, evidence and theory relating to computational thinking and problem solving in education;
• develop your ability to design and undertake an investigation of an educational question in a field
within which you have developed specialised knowledge relating to computational thinking and
problem solving;
• develop your ability to conceptualise novel questions and solve complex problems.
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Creativity and Innovation using Technology
This module will focus on how to develop the use of technology to enhance the quality of teaching and
learning in the classroom. Students will look at the benefits of using technology when teaching and
supporting learning, how technology can be used to enhance teaching and learning, and the impact of using
technology in the classroom in relation to academic progression.
This module will introduce theoretical principles that underpin approaches to the teaching and learning in
institutions in various educational settings. It aims to encourage you to reflect critically on your current
practice with an overview of the benefits of incorporating technology in a given subject. Through the study
of research, reports and other relevant literature, you will review relevant e-learning methodologies,
develop an understanding of a range of methodologies, their relevance and impact within the field of
education, and conduct some action research in order to assess the impact of technology in the classroom.
The aims of the module are to:
• develop your systematic understanding of knowledge of technology and ICT tools in a curriculum
subject or area of learning;
• improve your critical awareness of current issues impacting on practice within ICT and computer
science (including digital literacy) as a subject area, informed by research and relevant reports;
• develop your ability to evaluate critically current action research and methodologies within the field;
• develop your ability to draw on appropriate knowledge and research methodologies in devising your
own independent enquiry on an aspect of your practice to enhance teaching and learning;
• evaluate the impact of using technology on your own practice and improve knowledge and
understanding of technology in a subject area.
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Programming for the Classroom
This module introduces you to simple programming utilising motivating environments, applications or
languages (for example games and mobile platforms) and aims to provide you with a foundation of
knowledge and skills from which you will be able to design and deliver learning experiences in a school
setting.
The aims of this module are to:
• develop skills and knowledge of programming using standard computer programming languages;
• demonstrate an understanding of programming in a standard language and how this is achieved in
different environments;
• develop understanding of and expertise in techniques for teaching programming .
If you are already a competent programmer then the module will support you in enhancing your skills and
exploring more advanced possibilities in the environments used.
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Engaging Learners in Computer Science
This module introduces you to a range of topics in Computer Science that lend themselves to learning by
discussion and/or investigative practical work.
The module aims to inspire you regarding the scope and possibilities in engaging students with current
Computer Science topics and help you develop knowledge of how to facilitate learning of such topics.
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The aims of the module are to:
• develop innovative approaches to teaching topics in Computer Science;
• analyse how to engage learners in the area of Computer Science;
• assess the strengths and weaknesses of a broad range of aspects of Computer Science in terms of
their scope for innovative learning;
• evaluate the key debates, policies and practices which are at the forefront of computer science in an
educational environment and their impact on your own practices.
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Anticipating and Responding to Technological Change in an Educational Setting
This module will look at the changes in education and technology and how teachers and educational
practitioners can respond to change to benefit effective teaching and learning in a classroom or educational
setting. This module will help you to plan for change within the context of education. Technology can
move and change very quickly, it is the role of the professional to be able to anticipate change, and plan
accordingly.
The module aims to encourage you to reflect critically on your current practice in using technologies,
develop strategies to anticipate change through the study of research, reports and other relevant literature,
and respond to technological change. You will identify a focus for enquiry based learning within your own
practice and conduct a study which will be presented to the group and evaluated for impact on practice
within your educational setting and beyond.
The aims of this module are to:
• develop a critical understanding of the need to anticipate and respond to technological change in an
educational environment;
• reflect critically on current practice and current debates and theory relating to technological changes
in education;
• develop strategies to anticipate change through the study of research, reports and other relevant
literature;
• critically evaluate new technologies to respond to changes and anticipated impact on teaching and
learning in an educational environment.
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Research in a Professional Context
This module will enable you to extend your knowledge and critical understanding of research and of
research strategies, methods and techniques. It will extend your competence in reading and critically
appraising published research and enable you to complete a dissertation.
It will provide the opportunity to develop a critical appreciation of the ethical and professional issues which
attend investigation in professional contexts, and consider issues which have an impact on educational
research internationally and globally.
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Dissertation
This module is the final part of the Masters’ course and available only to those who have achieved success
sufficient to be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma and have successfully completed Research in a
Professional Context. The Masters’ dissertation is a substantial piece of academic writing around a
negotiated and agreed research focus.
You must satisfy criteria relating to skills, knowledge and
understanding of an educational or training issue and engagement in pursuit of academic excellence. In
studying this module, there will be an opportunity to relate theory to practice through undertaking a
substantial research investigation based on a topic from national, international and global perspective.
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