VP2234 Vertically Integrated Project: Teaching War and Peace, Ancient and Modern

2026 to 2027 Semester 1

Curricular information may be subject to change

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 8

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Enrolment in any project for which this module is available is subject to competitive application and approval of the project supervisor(s).

Planned timetable

Thursdays 11-1

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

Prof Alice Konig

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

How – and what – we learn about war and peace matters! This VIP project will make a valuable contribution to the Visualising War Project (https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/visualising-war/) and the Ancient Peace Studies Network (https://apsn.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk) by exploring current trends and future opportunities in teaching war and peace, ancient and modern. It has two main aims: to enhance the treatment of conflict in ancient-world studies, and to explore what use can be made of ancient case studies to enhance how war and peace are taught in other subject areas. Team members will conduct research across primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors (first and foremost in the UK; but those with experience of international education systems will have opportunities to research those too). Drawing on scholarship in Education Studies, Peace Education, Classics, War Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies, activities will include the study of current curricula and assessment approaches, surveys and focus groups with teachers and learners, and the design and pilot-testing of new teaching resources. We will draw on pedagogic theory as well as practice, and our work will be informed by relevant research in a wide range of disciplines that map trends in how we understand and approach war and peace.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

YOU ARE ONLY PERMITTED TO SELECT VP PREFIXED MODULES IF YOU HAVE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED.

Assessment pattern

30% LITERATURE REVIEW: contributions to an online bibliographic database of relevant scholarship on war/peace pedagogies 30% DATA-GATHERING: engagement in and reporting on data-gathering with teachers and learners (e.g. design, dissemination and analysis of surveys and focus groups; the recording of a podcast with key stakeholders) 30% POSTER/PRESENTATION: group or individual posters/presentations sharing key findings from focused curriculum analysis 10% REFLECTIVE BLOG: end-of-semester assignment to promote reflection on the students’ research journey to date and to identify next steps for the VIP team

Re-assessment

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

2-hour seminars, weekly

Scheduled learning hours

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

180

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

develop understanding of the social, cultural and political mechanisms that shape war and peace literacy today
develop understanding of how ancient war and peace are currently taught, and their impact on contemporary war and peace literacy
develop understanding of different pedagogic methods, especially those that promote inclusive, creative, trauma-informed learning
gain experience in curriculum design and policy change, including stakeholder research, resource-development, pilot-testing in classrooms, and educational advocacy with policy-makers
gain experience in a range of research methods from Humanities and Social Science fields; in teamwork, creative thinking, outcomes-focused planning and critical reflection; and in communication skills in a wide range of contexts (via consultation processes, resource-design and pilot teaching sessions)