Education, Society and Culture

Assessment title: Summative Assessment Point 2

Assessment type: Reflective Case Study Report

Word count limit: 3,500 words 10% (excluding reference list and appendices)

Weighting: 80% of the overall module grade

Passing Grade: 50%

Module title: LJMU-7521-MAED Education, Society and Culture

Task Description

This summative assessment requires students to produce a critical, reflective case study report that applies theoretical perspectives from the module Education, Society and Culture to a real or realistic educational context. The assessment is designed to evaluate students ability to integrate theory, policy, and critical reflection in order to analyse complex social, cultural, and structural issues affecting education.

Students are expected to demonstrate advanced critical thinking by examining how education interacts with wider societal processes such as democracy, globalisation, inequality, gender, multiculturalism, multilingualism, and lifelong learning. The report should combine theoretical analysis, critical reflection, and contextual awareness, moving beyond description to provide a reasoned and research-informed discussion.

Guided Case Study Task Select one educational context (e.g. a country, sector, institution, or educational policy environment) and critically analyse how social, cultural, and structural factors shape educational participation, inequality, and life chances within that context.

Your report must:

Apply relevant theoretical frameworks from across the module

Critically evaluate policy approaches and institutional practices

Reflect on how education both reproduces and challenges social inequalities

Demonstrate how learning across the module has informed your analysis

The case study may focus on, for example:

Schooling, higher education, adult education, or lifelong learning

A national or regional education system

A marginalised or under-represented group

Policy reforms related to democracy, inclusion, or employability

Scope and Academic Focus The report must:

Draw on content from Weeks 1-7 of the module

Integrate multiple themes (e.g. democracy, globalisation, stratification, gender, multiculturalism, lifelong learning)

Combine theoretical analysis with reflective insight

Demonstrate awareness of structural inequalities and power relations

Be supported by contemporary academic literature and policy sources

Source Requirements:

Use a minimum of 20-25 academic sources

Include peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, and policy reports

Prioritise recent literature (2020 onwards)

Use Harvard referencing consistently and accurately