EDUC 113 : Current Issues in Education

Education and Social Work

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Educational issues are pressing concerns in our society. The course will help develop understanding of the background of today's public debates around schooling and will introduce ways in which educational thought and research address big topics.

Course Overview

In Aotearoa New Zealand, regionally and globally, education has and continues to serve several purposes within our society. What form and function publicly funded schooling should serve in addressing societal needs and demands, are hotly debated issues. This course acts as an introduction to some of these debates, and the ways in which educational thought and research can be used to understand and critically assess contemporary issues and concerns regarding education today.   

Particular attention is given to the ways in which schooling serves to reproduce and/or challenge existing patterns of inequality in society. Various "isms', including classism, racism, sexism, ableism, colonialism, are interrogated in relation to educational policies and practices within the schooling system of Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.  As part of this, scrutiny is given to how contemporary educational structures and systems have and continue to be reformed through policy-making, and through the actions of professionals working in schools. Through this course you will gain a stronger understanding of how and why education remains a matter of significant public concern, and a subject of ongoing, intense political debate.

Course Requirements

Restriction: EDUC 118

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and apply sociological concepts, ideas and theories to articulate the competing expectations individuals, communities and society place on education today (Capability 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
  2. Identify underlying ideologies that have shaped the form, function, and purpose of public education in New Zealand and the world today, and how they manifest in contemporary issues/challenges facing education. (Capability 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
  3. Identify and critically evaluate the merits and limitations of various solutions proposed over time to endemic challenges faced within public education, and make reasoned judgements of the most effective solutions to addressing these challenges moving forward. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 6.1)
  4. Understand how to meaningfully engage in addressing some of the identified issues facing our education system either through their own future professional engagement in the system or as members of society. (Capability 5.1 and 8.2)
  5. Discuss and interpret the ways in which the Treaty of Waitangi and new demands faced by the country's increasingly diverse population have on public education moving forward (Capability 1.1 and 1.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reading quizzes 20% Individual Coursework
Video/media analysis (writing task) 20% Individual Coursework
Final exam 50% Individual Examination
Critical education incident reflection (writing task) 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Reading quizzes
Video/media analysis (writing task)
Final exam
Critical education incident reflection (writing task)

To pass this course students must submit all assessments and earn an overall mark of 50%

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of face to face lectures and/or tutorials, with the additional time engaging with course reading thinking about and discussing course content, and assignment preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete the course.
Some aspects of the lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Feedback from prior iterations of the course have led to:
1)  A revised assessment schedule to include smaller assessments that scaffold students to be successful for the final exam. 
2) A focus on contemporary topics and issues which are analysed through a sociological lens.  

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 05/11/2023 10:40 a.m.