Philosophy of education

obligatory courses

Classroom

The main aim of the course is to support students in acquiring the professional knowledge and competencies in philosophically oriented pedagogy. Participants will be offered to focus on some aspects of the contemporary philosophical debates on educational issues. In general the aims of the course are as the following:

- to get students acquainted with the current philosophical theories of education,

- to introduce the key concepts of philosophical discourse on education that are necessary for understanding the specific character of teaching and learning,

- to strength students’ reflective attitude towards educational theories and practice,

- to develop students’ understanding of ethical dimension of teaching and learning,

- to support students in preparation for the continuous professional self-development.

The main aim of the course is to support students in acquiring the professional knowledge and competencies in philosophically oriented pedagogy. Participants will be offered to focus on some aspects of the contemporary philosophical debates on educational issues. In general the aims of the course are as the following:

- to get students acquainted with the current philosophical theories of education,

- to introduce the key concepts of philosophical discourse on education that are necessary for understanding the specific character of teaching and learning,

- to strength students’ reflective attitude towards educational theories and practice,

- to develop students’ understanding of ethical dimension of teaching and learning,

- to support students in preparation for the continuous professional self-development.

Topics and suggested readings:

1. Philosophy of education: introduction. The key concepts and the main problems in the field. D. Carr, Making Sense of Education. An introduction to the philosophy and theory of education and teaching, RoutledgeFalmer, London and New York 2003.

2. Teacher training in philosophical perspective.

The Aims of Education, ed. R. Marples, Routledge, Londonand New York 1999.

3. Pedagogical domains: teaching, learning and care.

D. Carr, Making Sense of Education. An introduction to the philosophy and theory of education and teaching, RoutledgeFalmer, London and New York 2003.

4. Students, teachers and educators in their roles.

C. Winch, Autonomy as an educational aim, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 65-73.

5. What is practice of education? Teaching, learning, upbringing as challenges.

W. Carr, What is an educational practice?, in: W. Carr, For Education. Towards Critical Educational Inquiry, Open University Press, Buckingham, Philadelphia, 1998, pp. 60-73.

6. Teachers and students in communication: different models.

M. Van Manen, Researching Lived Experience. Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy, State University of New York Press, London, Ontario 1990.

7. Possible styles of teaching and learning. Is there the perfect method of teaching?

M. Degenhardt, Indoctrination, in: D. Lloyd, Philosophy and the Teacher, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002.

8. Evaluation and pedagogy.

E. Ellsworth, Teaching Positions. Difference, Pedagogy, and the Power of Address, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York and London 1997.

9. Educational institutions and their critiques.

S. Bailin, Critical and Creative Thinking, in: Philosophy of Education. Introductory Readings, ed. W. Hare and J. P. Portelli, Detselig Enterprises Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2001, pp. 153-176.

10. Parenting, teaching and learning.

P. Smeyers, C. Wringe, Adults and Children, in: The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Education, ed. N. Blake, P. Smeyers, R. Smith, P. Standish, Blackwell Publishing 2003, pp. 311-325. J. R. Martin, The Schoolhome. Rethinking Schools for Changing Families, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, London, 1995.

11. Critical thinking, language and pedagogical practice

F. Smith, To think in language, learning and education, Routledge, London 1992. J. White, What is thinking?, in: J. White, The child’s mind, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002, pp. 98-114.

12. Understanding and philosophical thinking in the context of schooling. Philosophy for children.

P. Hogan, Understanding in human experience and in learning, in: P. Hogan, The New Significance of Learning. Imagination’s heartwork, Routledge, London and New York 2010, pp. 97-107. J. Haynes, Children as Philosophers. Learning through enquiry and dialogue in the primary classroom, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002.

13. Ethical and moral aspects of teaching and learning

R. Pring, Education as a moral practice, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 195-205.

14. Teacher education and life-long learning

P. Fairfield, Education After Dewey, Continuum, New York 2009.

15. Philosophy of education and educational policy

P. Freire, Reading the World and Reading the Word: An Interview with Paulo Freire, in: Philosophy of Education. Introductory Readings, ed. W. Hare and J. P. Portelli, Detselig Enterprises Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2001, pp. 145-152.

1. The Aims of Education, ed. R. Marples, Routledge, Londonand New York 1999.

2. S. Bailin, Critical and Creative Thinking, in: Philosophy of Education. Introductory Readings, ed. W. Hare and J. P. Portelli, Detselig Enterprises Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2001, pp. 153-176.

3. D. Carr, Making Sense of Education. An introduction to the philosophy and theory of education and teaching, RoutledgeFalmer, London and New York 2003.

4. W. Carr, What is an educational practice?, in: W. Carr, For Education. Towards Critical Educational Inquiry, Open University Press, Buckingham, Philadelphia, 1998, pp. 60-73.

5. M. Degenhardt, Indoctrination, in: D. Lloyd, Philosophy and the Teacher, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002.

6. J. Dunne, What’s the good of education? in: Partnership and the Benefits of Learning, red. P. Hogan, Educational Studies Association of Ireland, Maynooth College, Co. Kildare 1995, s. 60-82.

7. E. Ellsworth, Teaching Positions. Difference, Pedagogy, and the Power of Address, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York and London 1997.

8. P. Fairfield, Education After Dewey, Continuum, New York 2009.

9. P. Freire, Reading the World and Reading the Word: An Interview with Paulo Freire, in: Philosophy of Education. Introductory Readings, ed. W. Hare and J. P. Portelli, Detselig Enterprises Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2001, pp. 145-152.

10. J. Haynes, Children as Philosophers. Learning through enquiry and dialogue in the primary classroom, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002.

11. P. Hogan, The politics of identity and the epiphanies of learning, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 83-96.

12. P. Hogan, Understanding in human experience and in learning, in: P. Hogan, The New Significance of Learning. Imagination’s heartwork, Routledge, London and New York 2010, pp. 97-107.

13. J. R. Martin, The Schoolhome. Rethinking Schools for Changing Families, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, London, 1995.

14. N. Noddings, Critical Lessons. What Our Schools Should Teach, Cambridge University Press, 2007.

15. R. Pring, Education as a moral practice, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 195-205.

16. P. Smeyers, C. Wringe, Adults and Children, in: The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Education, ed. N. Blake, P. Smeyers, R. Smith, P. Standish, Blackwell Publishing 2003, pp. 311-325.

17. F. Smith, To think in language, learning and education, Routledge, London 1992.

18. R. Smith, Paths of judgement: the revival of practical wisdom, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 206-218.

19. M. Van Manen, Moral language and pedagogical experience, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 219-229.

20. M. Van Manen, Researching Lived Experience. Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy, State University of New York Press, London, Ontario 1990.

21. J. White, What is thinking?, in: J. White, The child’s mind, RoutledgeFalmer, London & New York 2002, pp. 98-114.

22. C. Winch, Autonomy as an educational aim, in: The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Philosophy of Education, ed. W. Carr, Routledge, London and New York 2005, pp. 65-73.

After completing the course student:

Knowledge

- acquired the advanced knowledge of the main contemporary theories of education philosophically oriented,

- recognizes and understands the key concepts of philosophy of education,

- has advanced knowledge of the contemporary philosophical theories of education,

- understands different possibilities of organizing institutional teaching and learning,

Skills

- can analyze and interpret situations in which education takes place,

- can recognize the main difficulties in the contemporary theory and practice of education,

- is able to think in the critical style on the theoretical and practical problems discovered in the field of education,

- has the ability to develop professional knowledge and personal self-understanding,

Social competences

- is aware of the value of pedagogical activities,

- recognizes the ethical aspects of teaching and learning,

- understands the value of teacher professional development,

- can critically reflect on the philosophical debates concerning educational issues.

A short essay on the indicated topic. A presentation/contribution to the class/seminar.

The student can obtain 85 points for the essay, and 15 points for active participation in class discussions (pertains to the courses that are included in the module).

To pass the course with grade the student needs to get the number of points

3 60-67

3+ 68-75

4 76-83

4+ 84-91

5 92-100