This course will introduce the participants to key theories and concepts in education and explore the underlying assumptions and key features of different educational approaches and practices.  It will engage them in critical analysis of present educational practices in different contexts, from both a national and global perspective. There will be a focus on the relationship between education and development. Learning theories and theorists, formal and non-formal educational approaches, critiques of schooling, and contemporary issues in education will be other important focus areas of this course. Alternative theories and models of education and their applications in developing country contexts will be particularly explored.

This course will engage the participants in critical analysis of different policies and initiatives taken by the government and non-government actors to improve the quality of education in primary and secondary education in Bangladesh. It will support students to understand and apply different frameworks and tools for policy and context analysis and examine different quality improvement projects and programs.

In challenging times, educational organizations need to be flexible and innovative, able to adapt to meet the needs of students and community stakeholders.  This course will enable participants to understand how to create effective organizational processes and improve performance by using appropriate leadership styles, communication, and innovative organizational change strategies. This course will enable educational leaders to be able to develop high levels of productivity and performance from the people they guide and build the capacity of their organizations to become learning organizations.

This is an introductory course on different research approaches such as qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Students will learn and practice different research designs, sampling, ethics, and methods and an analysis procedure for these different research approaches. 

This course intends to develop the participants’ basic understanding of curriculum theories and models. Issues and debates in the field of curriculum and learning materials are also intended to be discussed with an aim to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude to be able to examine, explore and study curricular and pedagogic processes critically and ensure effective implementation of the curriculum with a fuller understanding of the nature, form and contents of the curriculum.

To sustain and improve educational systems, leaders are needed who can effectively manage schools and support the success of all learners.  The course will help participants understand school management processes and develop skills for engaging teachers and community stakeholders productively in collective decision-making, mentoring, and progress monitoring.

This course will enable participants to develop an in-depth understanding of learning and engage with new ideas about what shapes children’s and adults’ learning and development. The course will encourage participants to compare different theoretical orientations on learning, explore their own understanding of how learning takes place, and apply theories and research to the enrichment of teaching, training and management practices.

This course will help the participants understand the role and process of educational  measurement, assessment and evaluation, particularly in the context of educational leadership. It will focus on classroom assessment tools and techniques, including alternative assessment  techniques, and how to use these techniques to improve learning. The course will help develop insights into the major educational assessment issues in Bangladesh and their potential solutions. 

The course will explore various strategies, frameworks and models of educational reforms and school improvement over the past decades, in both the developed and the developing country contexts. This will be based on research and processes of school reforms, improvements and innovations to address key issues and problems faced by the education system in different contexts. Multiple sources of whole school improvement will be considered including those in both formal and non-formal school settings. Attention will also be given to the role of improvement science as a process for identifying improvement strategies. Understanding the major components and players of school improvement and how they influence each other, will help participants understand how best to bring about whole school improvement and enhance community engagement and trust.

The course will focus on the Bangladesh and international context. We will analyze the issues and challenges the education system is grappling with, the reforms and policy initiatives undertaken, and how whole school improvement can work effectively.

This course is for the PGD candidates and requires 10 days of placement in school rather than course attendance at seminars and lectures. Participants will do a systematic inquiry/observation at the school and prepare a case study, identifying good practice in school leadership and suggesting improvements at the school.

This course is designed to guide the participants to develop a research proposal for their M.Ed. thesis. The course aims to develop participants’ understanding and skills in planning and preparing research. During this course, students will be guided in the various steps or stages of developing their research proposal: identifying their research topic, formulating research questions, selecting appropriate methodology and developing a research plan.

 The course will result in the development of a draft research proposal, which may later be reviewed and developed as the M.Ed. Thesis Proposal under the guidance of a Thesis Committee.

This will provide the participants the opportunity to conduct independent research and write a dissertation. As part of the requirements for the M.Ed. degree, the candidates will conduct research based on a research proposal and submit a written thesis.