Philosophies of Education: Critical Approaches and Ethical Practices

This course is designed to explore philosophical dimensions of educationalpolicy and practice. Teachers will study major philosophical orientations of education, knowledge and ethics, focusing on the concepts of justice, equity, and other ideas that guide decision making in public education. They will critically engage with key philosophical texts, both classic and contemporary, and use case studies from a variety of educational contexts to grapple with “real life” ethical dimensions of education and schooling. Participants will look to theory andevidence in evaluating educational decisions and practices, with attention to the effects that school/educator choices and actions have on others (including learners, families, other professionals, and various communities). As a culminating project,learners will work collaboratively to create and analyze their own original “real world” case studies.