EDM 7106 Theory and Practice of Educational Planning and Policy

This course has two sections i.e., educational planning and educational policy. The first part introduces students to an in-depth understanding of the importance of planning and planning strategies in education. Students are also exposed to various approaches to educational planning and to the process of educational planning at both the macro and institutional levels. The course begins by explaining the concepts, principles and models of educational planning; it then considers the planning strategies in education, approaches to educational planning and finally examines educational planning at both national and institutional levels. The second part offers a systematic way to understanding education policy issues across all levels and types of education within the national context. It presents a step-by-step guide to conducting a full education policy analysis. Key areas of focus include: Meaning and types of educational policies; Nature and purpose of educational policy; Stakeholders in educational policy making; educational policy levels; formulation, implementation, and evaluation of educational policy, some policy making theories; and rationality of policy
decisions. section, aspects of educational policy are examined

Course Objectives
The aim of this course is to:

•   Expose students to the rationality and theoretical basis of educational planning 
•  Equip students with a deeper comprehension of educational planning processes in the context of social, economic and ecological variables.
•   Enable students integrate principles of planning into day to day education planning process 
•  Help students appreciate the need for planning in education sector 
•  Equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills of educational planning at both micro and macro levels
•  To enable students to develop paradigms based on theory to manage various planning problems in both private and public educational institutions.
•  Provide students with the knowledge and skill required for making strategic plans at the institutional level
•   equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills of educational policy making
•  Expose to students the processes and dynamics involved in educational policy implementation
•  Expose students to the basics of educational policy evaluation and analysis.
•   Enable students acquire knowledge of the types and nature of educational policies
•  Equip students with the skills of judging the rationality of educational policy decisions

Learning outcomes

By the end of this unit, student will be should be able to: 

•  Conceptualize and put into practice the process of educational planning at different levels
•  supervise and guide educational planning processes at different levels 
• monitor and evaluate educational institutions’ educational plans
•  Acquire abilities to place educational planning in wider social and economic frameworks for human development nationally and globally.
•  Conceptualize educational planning both at a micro and macro level
•  Provide answers to the key planning questions
•  Describe the stages and relevance of strategic planning to education
•  Describe various approaches to educational planning 
•  Make rational and appropriate educational choices based on varying contexts.
•   Describe educational implications of various planning techniques.
•   Demonstrate knowledge and skills of educational policy formulation, implementation and evaluation
•  Justify education policies on rational grounds
•  Come up with evidence informed institutional policies 
•  Identify and critique at least one educational policy ousted by the government of Uganda in recent times