PERb1007 Education and Professional Development Policy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Markéta Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Markéta Horáková, Ph.D.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA(B) && ! VPLb1151 Educational Policy and HRD
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the basic principles, goals, functions and tools of educational policy in the Czech Republic and abroad, with special emphasis on the role and development of education, training, and qualifications in the current knowledge society. Students are guided to understand the key goals, principles, tools, and actors of education policy, to identify the key links of education policy to employment and the labor market, and to understand trends in education in a national and European context. Unlike other courses with a similar focus, this course points out the main risks and inefficiencies, which are contributed to by insufficient reflection of the needs of the labor market by education policy (the inadequate focus of the education system, unused human resources, consequences for public budgets). The course also includes meetings with experts on the topics of education policy and professional development.
Learning outcomes
In the course, students are guided to: 1) understand the key links between educational policy, economic policy, and other social policies (the link to labor market policy is particularly emphasized - human capital, employability, lifelong learning, the transition from education to the labor market); 2) understand the process of creating educational and development programs; 3) they were able to evaluate their effects for different actors and 4) propose appropriate and effective solutions to problems in education.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction: the importance of connecting social and economic accents in education
  • 2. The role of education in contemporary society, educational policy, and its principles
  • 3. Education policy actors and their attitudes
  • 4. Czech educational policy in the context of contemporary development: its goals, tools, and strategies
  • 5. Structure of the educational system of the Czech Republic: management, administration, public and private providers
  • 6. Problems in school management and their influence on the quality of education
  • 7. Higher education as a subject of public policy: management and financing, public and private universities
  • 8. Human capital and education: theoretical concepts, the importance of education as a publicly provided good
  • 9. Education and the labor market: transition from education to employment
  • 10. Book club
Literature
    required literature
  • Veselý, A. 2004. Společnost vědění jako teoretický koncept. In: Sociologický časopis, ročník 40, číslo 4, s. 433-446.
  • OECD. 2023. Education at a Glance 2023 – OECD indicators.
  • School policy reform in Europe : exploring transnational alignments, national particularities and contestations. Edited by John Benedicto Krejsler - Lejf Moos. Cham: Springer, 2023, 1 online. ISBN 9783031354342. URL info
  • Two sides of the same coin : examples of free and unfree education in Slovakia during the period of socialism. Edited by Blanka Kudláčová. Berlin: Peter Lang, 2023, 295 stran. ISBN 9788022420181. info
  • JEFFERSON, Miranda and Michael ANDERSON. Transforming education : reimagining learning, pedagogy and curriculum. Edited by Yong Zhao. First published. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021, xvii, 266. ISBN 9781350130074. info
  • Inclusive education for the 21st century : theory, policy and practice. Edited by Linda J. Graham. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2020, xxiv, 408. ISBN 9781760527099. info
  • (Ne)rovné šance na vzdělání : vzdělanostní nerovnosti v České republice. Edited by Petr Matějů. [Brno]: [Masarykova univerzita. Středisko pro pomoc studentům se specifickými nároky], 2020, 1 online. URL info
  • FRYČ, Jindřich, Zuzana MATUŠKOVÁ, Pavla KATZOVÁ, Karel KOVÁŘ, Jaromír BERAN, Iveta VALACHOVÁ, Lukáš SEIFERT, Martina BĚŤÁKOVÁ and Ferdinand HRDLIČKA. Strategie vzdělávací politiky České republiky do roku 2030+. Praha: Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy, 2020, 118 stran. ISBN 9788087601464. URL info
  • Shaping education policy : power and process. Edited by Douglas E. Mitchell - Dorothy Shipps - Robert L. Crowson. Second edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, ix, 360. ISBN 9781138656338. info
  • BARRETT, Beverly. Globalization and change in higher education : the political economy of policy reform in Europe. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017, xxix, 323. ISBN 9783319523682. info
  • Economics of education. Edited by Dominic J. Brewer - Patrick J. McEwan. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2010, xii, 369. ISBN 9780080965307. info
  • Handbook of research in education finance and policy. Edited by Helen F. Ladd - Edward B. Fiske. 1st ed. New York: Routledge, 2007, xxii, 762. ISBN 9780805861457. info
  • Teorie a nástroje vzdělávací politiky. Edited by Jaroslav Kalous - Arnošt Veselý. 1. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2006, 172 s. ISBN 8024612593. info
  • Vybrané problémy vzdělávací politiky. Edited by Jaroslav Kalous - Arnošt Veselý. 1. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2006, 159 s. ISBN 8024612593. info
  • Vzdělávací politika České republiky v globálním kontextu. Edited by Jaroslav Kalous - Arnošt Veselý. 1. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2006, 181 s. ISBN 8024612593. info
  • International encyclopedia of economics of education. Edited by Martin Carnoy. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995, xi, 494. ISBN 0080423035. info
    recommended literature
  • CREHAN, Lucy. Chytrozemě : tajemství úspěchu zemí s nejlepším vzděláváním na světě. Translated by Kristýna Chvojková. Praha: Audiolibrix, 2022, 290 stran. ISBN 9788088407317. info
  • HUET, Isabela, Teresa PESSOA and Fátima SOL MURTA. Excellence in teaching and learning in higher education : institutional policies, research and practices in Europe. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 2021, 352 stran. ISBN 9789892621333. info
  • BARTLETT, Steve and Diana BURTON. Introduction to education studies. Fifth edition. Los Angeles: Sage, 2020, xix, 442. ISBN 9781526490551. info
  • KELLER, Jan and Lubor HRUŠKA TVRDÝ. Vzdělanostní společnost? : chrám, výtah a pojišťovna. [Brno]: [Masarykova univerzita. Středisko pro pomoc studentům se specifickými nároky], 2020, 1 online. URL info
  • Integrating students from migrant backgrounds into schools in Europe : national policies and measures. Brussels: Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, 2019, 192 stran. ISBN 9789294928467. info
  • The future agenda for internationalization in higher education : next generation insights into research, policy, and practice. Edited by Douglas Proctor - Laura Rumbley. First published. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, xxiv, 241. ISBN 9781138289796. info
  • DARLING-HAMMOND, Linda, Dion BURNS, Carol CAMPBELL, A. Lin GOODWIN, Karen HAMMERNESS, Ee Ling LOW, Ann MCINTYRE, Mistilina SATO and Kenneth M. ZEICHNER. Empowered educators : how high-performing systems shape teaching quality around the world. Edited by Raisa Ahtiainen - Maude Engstrom - Jesslyn Hollar - Jiacheng Li - Ann. First edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Brand, 2017, xxii, 281. ISBN 9781119369608. info
  • HÁJKOVÁ, Vanda and Iva STRNADOVÁ. Inkluzivní vzdělávání : teorie a praxe. Vydání 1. Praha: Grada, 2010, 217 stran. ISBN 9788024730707. URL info
  • BECKER, Gary S. Human capital : a theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993, xxii, 390. ISBN 0226041204. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, group work at seminars, and independent reflection on the topic of educational policy within the Book Club.
Assessment methods
The course ends with a written test verifying students' knowledge of education and development policy (the test result accounts for 70% of the overall grade). To be admitted to the exam, it is necessary to: 1) actively participate in discussions and presentations at joint meetings, 2) obligatorily attend meetings with invited experts (if external experts assign tasks, they must be prepared), 3) complete the tasks assigned by the teachers in the course of individual meetings (these are brief tasks in the form of application or reflection of the topics and findings currently discussed), (4) to prepare a term paper that fulfills the assignment - it has the character of "Education Policy Book Club", its assessment makes up 30% of the final grade.
Language of instruction
Czech
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
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