Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to a small but representative sample of basic questions and issues in education. Students will examine questions relating to: the concept or idea of education; learning and the learner; teaching and the teacher; and more generally, the broader contexts of education. This course also introduces students to different ways of exploring educational questions and issues from philosophical and critical analysis, to historical and cross-cultural studies, to empirical research. Cannot be taken for credit by students with credit for 300 and 400 level education courses. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

This is an introductory course designed to provide opportunities to think about the nature of education, its purpose and value, and how it impacts our lives. Through readings, videos, online-discussions, class polls, quizzes, and a narrative writing assignment, you will be invited to reflect on, and respond to, the nature of education and the learning process and to consider alternative possibilities for learning and teaching. You will have opportunities to think deeply about your own educational experience and your developing interests and aspirations and to consider the numerous ways that learning occurs formally and informally in your life. Education is a central feature of all societies today and learning is an essential part of who we are: learning creatures. The course is designed to provide opportunities to engage and interact with your peers to create a safe learning community in which to analyze various dimensions of education: our own educational journeys, the various ways we learn, the “big questions” of education, different ways of looking at learning organizations in our society, the kinds of education that are important in our increasingly complex and ever-changing societies, teachers and students, and the definition of an educated person in an educated society.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

This course introduces students to different ways of approaching fundamental questions and controversial issues in education. As a writing-intensive course, you are expected to think about the material presented in class and develop your own opinions in written form. There will be opportunities to explore your thoughts in on-line discussion groups which encourage you to engage in respectful discourse with your peers. You will also have an opportunity to pursue topics of interest related to education in depth and to express your own thoughts based on your own personal learning experiences and experiences in other countries.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: