EDUC101 Education and Society

An examination of the political, social and cultural dimensions of contemporary educational practice.

Education serves a vital role in society and is often at the heart of public debate. Throughout history, educational institutions have helped transmit societal knowledge, values, and culture, while also challenging the status quo.
This paper introduces students to key political, social, and cultural debates related to contemporary education practice. It provides provocations and tools to help inform, enrich, and extend students' understanding of the complex and multiple roles of education in society, especially in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. More specifically, students will critically examine:

1. how assumptions about children and young people have changed over time and how this has shaped approaches to education;
2. the historical and ongoing impact of key education reforms in Aotearoa New Zealand (especially the 1877 and 1989 Education Acts); and
3. how schools have the potential to both include and exclude children and young people based on culture, gender, sexuality, disability, and class.

Such critical and empirically-informed understandings are a huge asset for all students, especially those hoping to work and teach within contemporary educational contexts.

Paper title	Education and Society
Paper code	EDUC101
Subject	Education
EFTS	0.1500
Points	18 points 18 points
Teaching period(s)	Second Semester, Second Semester
Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD)	$868.95
International Tuition Fees (NZD)	$3,656.70

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Restriction

EDUT 131, EDTX 131

Schedule C

Arts and Music

Contact

Dr Catherine Hartung (Lecturer in Education Studies): catherine.hartung@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Paper Co-ordinator and Lecturers: (Dunedin) Dr Catherine Hartung
(Invercargill) Jill Paris & Adair Polson-Genge
Other staff: to be confirmed

Paper Structure

The paper is structured around the following questions:

1. How have changing understandings of children and young people shaped education?
2. How is education organised, developed, and debated in Aotearoa New Zealand?
3. How does education respond to societal issues and work to include/exclude children and young people?

Students will explore answers to these questions and develop informed positions in relation to key debates by:

• attending and actively engaging in the lectures (1 hour/week) and workshops (2 hours/week);
• collaborating with peers in workshops to explore, formulate, debate, and evaluate course material from different points of view;
• completing the weekly readings and making connections with lectures and workshops; and
• demonstrating depth of understanding of the course material via two written assignments and a final exam.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Textbooks

There is no textbook for this course, instead the weekly readings (journal articles and book chapters) will be available online via eReserve and/or the Robertson Library course reserve.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the paper, students will be able to recognise and critically examine:

1. the significant, multiple, and complex functions of schooling in contemporary society;
2. the changing and debated nature of education systems from earlier times to present;
3. the problematic and taken-for-granted discourses that impact schooling and the educative process;
4. how relationship between education, culture, and society.

In addition to these key objectives, the paper will also assist in the development of important academic and professional skills, particularly in relation to academic writing conventions (e.g., clarity, grammar, punctuation, referencing, etc.) and team work.

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