In the context of contemporary globalization of education and how learning and teaching are the foci of work in schools, this module will examine the dynamics of leading learning and teaching with a particular emphasis on building 'learning capacity' through leadership. Participants will learn about the most influential perspectives on learning in the last one hundred years (behaviourist, cognitive & socio-cultural) and understand the implications of these for how teachers, students, schools and other education stakeholders foster learning in 21st century within national and trans-national contexts. The module will pay particular attention to how perspectives on learning have guided, or not, curriculum policy and practices in schools vis-à-vis teaching, learning and assessment over time at both primary and post-primary levels in a number of countries around the world. Among the themes to be addressed on the module will be: participants own stance on learning, understanding learning in the context of curriculum and assessment policies, leading learning in the school context (both locally & in via networks of schools), in addressing the key learning perspectives and concepts guiding contemporary pioneering perspectives and initiatives on learning the module will provide participants with a number of case studies centred on the dynamics of leading learning in order to address the structural, cultural and organisational dimensions of building learning capacity. The module will focus in particular on preferred perspectives on learning vis-à-vis 'schooling in the 21st century' and address the supports and constraints on schools and systems in advancing new ways of supporting learning. Drawing on case studies - from a number of countries - the participants will engage both individually and collaboratively in examining the implications of the chosen cases for their current and future work as leaders in schools. Among the concepts to addressed are the following: Given the increasingly central role being played by assessment at primary and post-primary levels - nationally and internationally - the module will pay particular attention to the interface between learning and assessment.

Key themes included in this module are: Dynamics of leading learning and teaching; building learning capacity through leadership; influential perspectives on learning (behaviourist, cognitive, including neuro-psychological, and socio-cultural etc.); how perspectives on learning have guided, or not, curriculum policy and practices in schools vis-à-vis teaching, learning and assessment: understanding learning in the context of curriculum and assessment policies, leading learning in the school context (both locally & in via networks of schools); the structural, cultural and organisational dimensions of building learning capacity; perspectives on learning vis-à-vis 'schooling in the 21st century'; the supports and constraints on schools and systems in advancing new ways of supporting learning.

Upon completion of the module participants will be able to: Identify and critique the most influential perspectives on learning in the last one hundred years. In the context of 21st century society and skill needs, evaluate their own, their schools and education system's preferred current stance(s) on learning as the basis for considering strategies to progress learning at school and system levels. Demonstrate an ability to apply perspectives on learning in terms of progressing learning capacity at student, school(s) and system levels. Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the contemporary challenges and opportunities vis-à-vis enhancing learning experiences in schools for both students and teachers.

Upon completion of the module participants will be able to: acknowledge and appreciate the significance of national/systemic initiatives directed to changing learning and teaching and the critical role of school leadership.

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This module will be delivered online. Online classes will take place via UL's chosen learning-management system SULIS and will include communication, content delivery, and assessment tools to facilitate the teaching-and-learning process. Flexibility is a core aim of this online delivery. Lectures will be delivered asynchronously thus lectures and class activities don't take place in real time. Instead, students can complete the tasks whenever their schedules permit. Discussion forums that enable students to engage in conversations about class content with the module leader and with a moderator will occur in real time. Online pedagogies and e-tivities will be employed to ensure dynamic delivery for an engaging student experience. A detailed Module Handbook designed by the module team will detail each lecture, how the lectures structures and foreshadow linked tutorials both conceptually and pedagogically (i.e. learning tasks/activities and pedagogical process protocols), reflection sheets for all in-class activities, readings (as PDFs online). Successful participants graduate attributes: (i) Knowledgeable about perspectives on learning and the role of leaders in providing leadership in order to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in schools within the context of broadly construed framing of student and school processes and outcomes (ii) Creative in their deployment of use of symbolic, human and material resources in order to mobilise the school and wider community in support of teaching and learning for students and school colleagues (iii) Collaborative with the school and professional community in enhancing understanding and advancement of learning in school(s) (iv) Articulate about the dynamics of learning and how the school, the wider community - both local and national - can advocate for, support and evaluate learning in a generative and socially just manner.