The course aims to introduce students to key philosophical and educational theories, encouraging them to reflect on educational practice. The course involves students in the process of theoretical reinterpretation, drawing on their choices and creative skills.
The students are expected to choose a theoretical approach, trend or philosopher and prepare an “input”: a creative material that explains for non-academic audience the main dimension of the theory and raises provocative questions for educational practice. The activities of the course are linked to the discussions around the “inputs”.
Course content: topics (only EXAMPLES! the course is based on students’ choices)
The main concepts of educational philosophy and their historical evolution: anthropology: human, subject, individual, person, historicality, value, ethics, epistemology,
Educational philosophies and theories before the age of European modernity: Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism.
Local and indigenous philosophies.
The main philosophical ideas of the Enlightenment.
Philosophical trends and thinkers of positivist-pragmatist education from the 19th to 20th centuries.
Existentialism and education (Heidegger, Frankl)
Marxist and neo-Marxist educational philosophies (Freire)
Reform and alternative pedagogies (Dewey, Steiner, Montessori and others)
Re-evaluations of the issue of education in postmodernism. Power and language in postmodernism. (Foucault, Derrida, Lyotard, Michael A. Peters, and others)
Feminism, queer theory and criticism (Butler, Connell, Fraser and educational repercussions)
Criticism of learning science
Different ethical approaches to (moral) education: deontological, consequence, norm-critical, caring ethics, etc.
Main theoretical and philosophical questions related to education:
– the objectives of education;
– theories of knowledge and knowledge transmission;
– links between education and other fields: education and art, education and politics;
– education, power and authority;
– education and diversity
– philosophy and theory of evaluation
– philosophies and theoretical approaches in curriculum studies
(Not all of these topics will be covered by the course)
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to…
identify and explain some significant educational-philosophical trends and educational theories;
apply professional knowledge of these theories to analyse everyday educational practice.
demonstrate commitment to exploring diverse philosophical and theoretical paradigms in education;
engage openly in dialogue between different theoretical perspectives and construct a coherent personal approach;
acknowledge and value the role of philosophy of education as part of the scientific discourse on education.
navigate relatively independently in the literature and professional language of educational philosophy and theory, especially regarding their chosen field;
translate abstract theoretical knowledge into practice-oriented reflection and formulate relevant questions for professional discussion.
– Everyone must choose a topic by 18 September that they will research in depth by reading original and secondary texts. They must then create a summary (“first input”) and invite others to debate by creating a Canvas forum by a date chosen by the student, but no later than 20 November. This forum should raise thought-provoking, practice-related questions.
After peer evaluation (see below) and the teacher’s textual feedback, students will create a final product on the subject, taking into account opinions from the discussion. The exact parameters can be tailored to the chosen topic. The final input is due on 15 December.
The inputs are intended for everyday teachers or a non-academic audience and should address theoretical or philosophical trends or questions. The format of the input is chosen by the student and can be a written summary with visual elements, a presentation, a mind map, an artistic work with comments, a video, etc. It is important that the input summarises theories adequately, addresses practitioners and raises relevant questions for deep reflection on the theory and its relation to practice (without being overly simplistic or practical). (Input quality: 30 points).
Students are required to work continuously and comment on at least ten inputs on Canvas (discussion: 20 points).
Some of the inputs will also be discussed in class.
Evaluation criteria:
Active involvement in continuous work throughout the semester and participation in debates.
– the depth of input on the subject and the relevance of the issues to be debated
– The relevance and depth of the questions raised in the discussion paper on the other topic (see Textual Peer Evaluation).
– Creative and topical development of the final product.
Evaluation forms:
– Textual self-assessment
– Textual peer-evaluation (everyone chooses another input and writes a one-page discussion paper on it as feedback)
– Textual and numerical evaluation from the teacher
Recommended literature:
(These are secondary literature, more original sources may be important to read: texts from philosophers and theorists)
Au, W. (2012). Critical Curriculum Studies, Routledge, New York.
Biesta, G. & Allan, J. & Edwards, R. (2014) Making a Difference in Theory. The Theory Question in Education and the Education Question in Theory. Routledge, New York.
Curren, R. (2007) (Ed.). Philosophy of Education. An Anthology, Blakwell. New York.
Hansen, T. D. (2007) (Ed.). Ethical Visions of Education. Philosophies in Practice. Teachers College Press, New York.
Harris, Kevin (1979/2017). Education and Knowledge. The Structured Misrepresentation of Reality. Routledge, New York.
Montgomery, H. (2009): An Introduction to Childhood. Anthropological Perspectives on Children Lives. Wiley-Backwell, Chichester.
Siegel, H. (2009) (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Education. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Short presentations by the teacher.
Hybrid discussions on different theories and ideas, involving Mentimeter and other technologies during classes.
Students will comment on each other’s contributions and ask questions in the discussion forums on Canvas (together with the teacher).
Transcript of records