EDUC 488 Philosophy of Education

Fall 2004, M 4:30-7 PM South 235

Instructor: Dr. Jane Fowler Morse

Office: South Hall 221C

Office Phone: 245-5381

Home Phone: 243-3046 (Please do not call me at home later at 9 PM.)

Office Hours: before and after class by appointment, or at other times by appointment (regular undergraduate office hours are MWF 1:30- 2:25 PM)

E-mail:

Philosophy of Education will allow interested graduate students to approach philosophical topics in education in depth and detail, ultimately connecting theory to practice. Education is a purposeful human activity that is crucial to the survival and flourishing of the human race. The success of education relies on sound philosophical assumptions and principles which govern ways of thinking about education. Education is a purposeful, rational activity in pursuing which educators intend to select good means to wise ends. In doing so, educators must examine their philosophical assumptions about human nature and the nature of learning, the nature of knowledge, the principles governing ethical and social behavior, and other topics of concern to educators, such as theories of race, ideas about how to set up a fair and just society, ideas of what constitutes a good life, theories of evaluation, the communication of human thought, and other topics.

The class will approach philosophy of education eclectically, in an attempt to review a number of varying theories on philosophical topics of importance to educators. Although we cannot cover every possible topic, my hope is that the readings I have chosen will stimulate class members to think about the philosophical bases on which educational practice is constructed and evaluated. The final project will correlate theory and practice in a project to be presented to the class in oral , written, and visual and visual (powerpoint, posters, or overheads) format.

The following books have been ordered at Sundance.

bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress, Education as the Practice of Freedom
Plato, the Protagoras
Plato, the Theatetus
Kant, Prolegomena to the Study of Any Future Metaphysics
Lev Vygotsky, Thought and Language
Bernasconi and Lott, eds., The Idea of Race
Cornel West, Race Matters
Nel Noddings, Caring
Tianlong Yu, In the Name of Morality

Reading Assignments

Week: / Date: / Reading: / Pages:
Week One / August 31 / Introduction to the class, buy books
Week Two / Sept. 7 / bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress / Pages 1-44
Week Three / Sept. 14 / Theaetetus
Week Four / Sept. 21 / Theaetetus, Protagoras
Week Five / Sept 28 / Protagoras, hooks, two dialogues
Week Six / Oct. 5 / Kant, Prolegomena / Pages 1-63
Fall Break / Oct. 11, 12 / NO CLASS, Take-home midterm due on email Oct. 18; or hard copy due in class Oct. 19 / Exam posted in outbox by Sunday (earlier if possible)
Week Seven / Oct.19 / Vygotsky / Common Chapters 1 and 2
Week Eight / Oct.26 / Vygotsky / Common Chapters; Individual Chapters 2-6; Chapter 7
Week Nine / Nov. 2 / West / Common chapters
Week Ten / Nov. 9 / West
Bernasconi and Lott
Term paper or project, outline and tentative bibliography due / Individual chapters Common Chapters, 1-4, pages 1-26; 10, pages 85-88; 14, 118-135.
Week Eleven / Nov. 16 / Bernasconi and Lott / Chapter 18, 181-212;
Individual Chapters
Week Twelve / Nov. 23 / Noddings / Common Chapters; Individual Chapters
Week Thirteen / Nov. 30 / Yu / Common Chapters;
Individual Chapters
Week Fourteen / Dec. 7 / hooks, written components of project due by December 14 / Pages 45-75 and 129-165, Pages 177-207; individual sections
Week Fifteen
(Exam Week) / Dec. 20, 3:30-6:30 PM / FINAL PROJECTS, PRESENTATIONS / Presentations of papers/projects

Assignments: As you can see, this class requires an enormous amount of complicated reading. Therefore, the writing assignments will be based on the assigned readings. Each student to write two position papers evaluating the significance of two the readings for their own educational practice (or experience, for those who are not yet practicing teachers.) In these papers (3-4 pages long), students will explain the philosophical theory in the reading that they chose to write about and discuss the impact of that theory on educational practice (either real or supposed). Although students may choose to incorporate additional secondary readings into your papers, you are not required to do so. These papers will be due to presented to the class according to a schedule (depending on enrollment and sign-ups).

The final paper/project will consist of a description of philosophical theory that has had some impact on your teaching or on your educational experience (for those who are not yet practicing teachers). The final project may be based on one of your position papers, or on another or other of the readings we do. It may take the form a set of five interrelated lesson plans with the philosophical rationale related to the course readings explained; a unit plan outlines and explained, with resources and at least three lessons, again with the philosophical rationale explained; a description of a school-wide improvement plan, a classroom organization and pedagogical plan for teaching and learning,or a practical application of the thory foujd in the readings to some other aspect of the educational venture, all of which will incorporate and explain the relation to the philosophical theories that we have examined in the course.

Presentation of final projects written components will be due by email (or hard copy) on December 14 by 5 PM. Oral and visual elements of final projects will take the place of a final examination and be conducted during the final class period on December 20.

Graded components of the course include the following:

Two position papers 30% (15% each; one may be rewritten for a maximum of an additional 10 points)

Leading discussion10% (by sign up)

Class participation10%

Take-home midterm20%

Final presentation and project30% (10 % each component, written, oral and visual)

Participation will be graded on the basis of (a) preparation of the readings and assignments, (b) participation in class discussions and group work, (c) presentation of position papers and discussion, and (d) attendance (if you are not present, you can’t participate). Your presence will be important not only for your contribution to group work and discussions in class, but also to remain current on the readings and the schedule. The listed readings and the schedule may well be adjusted to meet the needs and interests of the class, so stay tuned!!

I calculate my grades on a spreadsheet, rounding each graded component down from .4 and up from .5 as I enter them. Final grades, which are calculated from rounded individual graded components, are rounded in the same way. If you wish to discuss a grade, you must do so within two days of receiving the graded item back from me. I will not consider changing any grades later. I keep all final examinations, but invite you to come by my office to see yours anytime during the semester following this.

I encourage you to consult me concerning a final position paper topic and resources early in the session. You will submit a tentative outline and bibliography on April 1, but you should be thinking about your paper long before that. I will be happy to consult with you about your term paper, given enough time. The library also offers an individualized term paper consultation service. You may request this by clicking on Request Forms in Libraries on the Geneseo home page at ( Late papers will not be accepted without a prior agreement with me.

Writers of plagiarized papers will fail the course. Be sure to document all sources carefully. (The definition of plagiarism and a description of the procedure to be followed in cases of plagiarism are to be found in the Guide to Graduate Studies and or in the Undergraduate Bulletin.)

Scale of final letter grades:

A100-94%

A-93-90%

B+89-87%

B86-84%

B-83-80%

C+79-77%

C76-74%

C-73-71%

D69-66%;

E65% or below.

Final Presentations will be graded on the following rubric:

Rubric for Evaluating Final presentations:

Topic/type / Target: / Acceptable: / Unacceptable:
Five lesson plans / Philosophical rational solidly related to the readings; excellent resources identified; interrelation of lesson plans clear and sequential; oral, written, and visual presentations well organized, clear, and incisive; interesting and relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational related to the readings, but not as cogently as in Target projects; resources identified; interrelation of lesson plans present but not as clear and sequential as in target project; oral , written, and visual presentations clear; adequate bibliography / Philosophical rational weak, only marginally related to the readings; few or weak resources identified; interrelation of lesson plans unclear and not sequential; oral , written, and visual presentations short, disorganized, or lacking in coherence; inadequate bibliography
Unit with three lesson plans / Philosophical rational solidly related to the readings; unit outline provides an interesting connection/application of the readings; excellent resources identified; interrelation of three lesson plans clear and sequential; oral , written, and visual presentations well organized, clear, and incisive; interesting and relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational related to the readings but not as solidly as I target projects; unit outline provides connection
to or application of the readings; adequate resources identified; interrelation of three lesson plans is adequate but not as clear and sequential as in target units; oral , written, and visual presentations organized and clear, adequate bibliography / Philosophical rational only weakly related to the readings; unit outline provides only a weak connection/application of the readings; inadequate resources identified; the three lesson plans lack a clear interrelation or connection to the unit; oral , written, and visual presentations short, disorganized, or uninteresting; inadequate bibliography
School-wide improvement plan / Philosophical rational solidly related to the readings; improvement plan provides an interesting and cogent connection to or application of the readings; excellent resources identified; elements of the plan are significantly related to real world school problems; oral , written, and visual presentations well organized, clear, and incisive; interesting and relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational weakly related to the readings; improvement plan provides a connection to or application of the readings, but not as cogent not as interesting as target plans; adequate resources identified; elements of the plan are adequately related to real world school problems; oral , written, and visual presentations organized and clear; interesting and relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational solidly related to the readings; improvement plan provides an interesting and cogent connection to or application of the readings; excellent resources identified; elements of the plan are significantly related to real world school problems; oral , written, and visual presentations unclear, too short, or uninteresting; inadequate bibliography
Classroom organization and pedagogical plan for teaching and learning / Philosophical rational solidly related to the readings; classroom plan provides an interesting and cogent connection to or application of the readings; excellent resources identified; elements of the plan are significantly related to real world school goals and problems; oral , written, and visual presentations well organized, clear, and incisive; interesting and relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational adequately related to the readings; improvement plan provides a connection or application of the readings but not as interesting and cogent as target plans; adequate resources identified; elements of the plan are somewhat related to real world school problems; oral , written, and visual presentations clear; relevant bibliography / Philosophical rational weakly related to the readings; improvement plan provides little application of the readings; inadequate resources identified; elements of the plan are weakly related to real world school problems; oral , written, and visual presentations too short, disorganized, and/or uninteresting; inadequate bibliography
Other
(you propose a project) / Similar categories

Bibliography of suggested additional readings:

Idealism

Teloh, Henry, Socratic Education

Plato, the Republic

Descartes, Rene, Discourse on Method, Meditations on First Philosophy

Kant, On Education, Prolegomena to the Study of any Future Metaphysics

Morse, Jane Fowler, “Fostering Autonomy” (Educational Theory) available on e-res or ERIC

Realism

Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics, The Politics

Locke, John, Some Thoughts Concerning Education

Hume, An Abstract (e-res for EDUC 488)

Pragmatism

William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Pragmatism

John Dewey, Democracy and Education (All of Dewey’s writings are available on line through Columbia University)

John Dewey, The Moral principles underlying Education, School and Society, the Child and the Curriculum

Reconstructionis

Reitman, Sanford, The Educational Messiah Complex

Illich, Ivan, Deschooling Society

Counts, George, “Address to the Teachers of this Nation” (available on e-res for my INTD 203)

Behaviorism

Skinner, B. F., About Behaviorism, Walden Two, The Technology of Teaching

Kohn, Alfie, Punished by Rewards, The Schools Our Children Deserve

Feminism:

Martin, Jane Roland, The Schoolhome, The Ideal of the Educated Woman

AAUP, How Our Schools Shortchange Girls, Gender Gaps

Helen Bradford Thompson, The Mental Traits of Sex (conclusion available on e-res for my INTD 203)

Sadker David and Myra, Failing at Fairness

Existentialism

Freire, Paulo, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Maxine Greene, Landscapes of Learning

Constructivism

Louis Moll, get title at school

Lev Vygotsky, Thought and Language

Piaget, The Child’s Conception of the World, The Psychology of the Child

Wheatley, get article name available on e-res

Marxism

Morse article in International Journal on Marx and Mill get up on e-res

Vygotsky article in Vitae Scholasticae available on e-resfor EDUC 501

Michael Apple, Cultural Politics andEducation

Postmodernism

Rorty, Richard, The Mirror of Nature

Henry Giroux, Border Crossings

Miscellaneous articles

Rorty, Amelia, Philosophers on Philosophy of Education (a compendium of articles by contemporary philosophers on classical philosophers of education; a good source for article reviews.)

Good Journals in Philosophy of Education

Educational Theory on line at

Journal of Educational Thought

International Journal of Philosophers of Education

Inquiry

National Women’s Studies Association Journal

Educational Studies

Educational Foundations

Praxis (online journal)

Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies (

Education and Social Justice, a student journal available online at Geneseo, get address)

Rethinking Schools (online at

Open Society for Philosophy of Education (many fabulous online matrials)

National Accreditation

The Ella Cline Shear School of Education is seeking national accreditation for its programs through the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education [NCATE]. Part of the accreditation process includes review of samples of teacher candidates' course work by professional societies and the NCATE Board of Examiners. Therefore, some parts of your course work may be selected and used as an example to demonstrate that the learning outcomes are being addressed and achieved in this course.

Please be advised that to ensure your privacy, names will be removed from the selected work. If you do not wish to participate in this process, please state your intent in writing by Friday of the first week of the semester.

Plagiarism