Philosophy of Education -- The Right to an Open Future
EDU S105
Subject & Catalog Number
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Course Information
Description
What is education? What are its goals? Why is education of value? Are these questions that can be settled once and for all, or do their answers depend on historical and cultural factors? In an effort to answer these questions, we will study works of philosophers such as Plato, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Du Bois, Washington, Dewey, and Feinberg. Two papers are required.
No prerequisites; no previous work in philosophy is required. Open to any student who wants to think seriously about the fundamental nature and purposes of education.
School
Graduate School of Education
Credits
4
Cross Reg
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
Subject
Education
Grading Basis
HGSE Student Option (Letter Graded, Sat/Unsat)
Learning Goals
<p>Students will learn to critically analyze philosophical assumptions implicit in education. By reading and assessing works by Plato, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Washington, DuBois, Dewey and Feinberg, they will learn to identify and assess the cognitive, affective, and political goals of educational theories and practices. The overarching question is what should the goal of education be. Students will learn:how do identify and assess assumptions or presuppositions, whether explicit or tacithow to critique those assumptions, presuppositions, and the consequences that are supposed to follow from them.how to ask very basic questions about the ends and means of education (including who benefits from a choice of ends and means.They will learn how to make a sound, argument for their position.</p>
Career Focus
This course should be of value to students who plan to go into teaching, educational administration, education policy.
Content
social justice
ethics
ethics
Pedagogy
peer learning
