Philosophy of Education (Module 26283)

This module will provide an introduction to the discipline of philosophy of education.

It is divided into three blocks:     

  1. Key Concepts in Education will examine the core concepts of education, learning, teaching, indoctrination, knowledge, rationality and intelligence;       
  2. The Aims of Education asks what children should learn and why, exploring influential ideas about worthwhile activities, forms of knowledge, critical thinking, vocational education, character education and child-centred education;       
  3. Fairness, Freedom and Control will consider key questions about the organisation, governance and distribution of education, opening up debates about selective, private and faith-based education, access to higher education and equality of educational opportunity.      

The School of Education is home to one of the largest groups of Philosophers of Education in the UK.

Outcome

  • By the end of this module you should be able to:
  • A philosophically-informed understanding of key concepts in education and theoretical approaches to curriculum design
  • a basic understanding of conceptual, epistemological and ethical problems and the methods of inquiry by which philosophers tackle them
  • a basic appreciation of the arguments for and against a range of established positions in the field of philosophy of education
  • an ability to think independently and intelligently about conceptual, epistemological and ethical questions
  • an ability to communicate philosophical ideas and arguments clearly and persuasively

Module Lead

Professor Michael Hand

Value

20 credits

Contact time

Lectures (20 hours), Seminars (20 hours); Guided independent study (160 hours)

Assessment

Two 2,000 word essays (50% each)

Programmes associated with this module