EDUC 603A/B : Education and Society

Education and Social Work

2020 Semester One (1203) / Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Critically examines the conceptions that inform education in Aotearoa New Zealand. The course provides critical frameworks for making sense of the complexity of educational issues and prepares students to see themselves as significant actors within education. The course will focus on specific themes and issues that will become the basis for professional inquiry.

Course Overview

The premise and promise of this course is this: if a teacher continues to work in childhood centres or schools for any length of time, they find that it is not enough to be able to guide or manage behaviour, deliver the curriculum, and assess students’ and children’s learning. In addition, they need to understand the role that education plays in the wider society and culture. This course will provide an understanding of what this means. As such it provides the basis or ‘launching-pad’ for a teacher prepared to inquire into the contexts in which they work.
This course will be taught simultaneously across ECE, primary, and secondary cohorts, for this reason we have made the course foci broad with the purpose of preparing teachers as education professionals. 

Course Requirements

Restriction: EDPROFST 612 To complete this course students must enrol in EDUC 603 A and B, or EDUC 603

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Articulate own emerging and provisional educational philosophy and understand how it has been produced and shaped by society.
  2. Apply sociological and critical frameworks to examine how social difference is constituted in education and in society.
  3. Apply sociological and critical frameworks to develop a critical and responsive teaching philosophy in order to promote the success of all learners, particularly Māori.
  4. Demonstrate broad understanding of education by applying critical insights to inquire into contemporary education challenges.
  5. Critique current visions of how digital technologies claim to improve learning, and find ways to use digital technology to support their work as critically reflective teachers. (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 40% Individual Coursework
Assignments 60% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
Assignments
Assignment 1: What do media representations of schools and teachers tell us about society and education?
Part A (10%) A lecture activity in which students watch and discuss trailers of three films about teachers and teaching and analyse them in terms of the role of the teacher, how students are portrayed, the role that education plays in society and the view of philosophy of education. This is submitted via canvas and students receive feedback.
Part B (30%) Students select a film of their choice and write a critical review of that film in order to answer the central question. The focus is on a sharp analysis within an 800-word limit.

Assignment 2 (60%): The lecture content of this course introduces a variety of educational problems and issues that are shaped and reflect the wider society. Students are guided to select a contemporary issue that interests and excites them. Following the method of enquiry that is modelled to them in the lectures, they undertake an enquiry which involves stages of (a) identifying and clarifying the issue and why it is important both personally and in terms of society; (b) use appropriate literature that explores and furthers their understanding of the issue; and (C) writer reasoned conclusion that shows evidence of weighing perspectives and pointing to their own preferred solution or stance on this issue. This is a critical reflection that considers the matter in relation to students’ developing educational philosophy. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard [X] 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 36 hours of lectures, 27 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 12hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital 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.

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 against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

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 at 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.

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.

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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 20/12/2019 08:20 a.m.