Course Title: Thinking Education

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Thinking Education

Credit Points: 12

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
TCHE2120	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2009

Course Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Geoff Shacklock

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7850

Course Coordinator Email:geoff.shacklock@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 220.3.14

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

Thinking Education explores the work of currently relevant and historically significant education thinkers. A range of educational ideas are considered within their social, political, and historical contexts. Students will gain understandings about how historical movements, political imperatives and social forces inform education today, and will be encouraged to develop and articulate an informed personal and professional stance regarding educational ideas.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Pre-service teachers will be expected to be able to:
• clarify their own values and intentions in relation to past influences on their educational journey
• identify, analyse and evaluate current and past practice in relation to current educational thinking, policy documents and other relevant documents
• discuss the changing nature of the educator’s work
• research relevant educational thinkers
• communicate and substantiate positions on ideas studied

Pre-service teachers will be expected to be able to:
• clarify their own values and intentions in relation to past influences on their educational journey
• identify, analyse and evaluate current and past practice in relation to current educational thinking, policy documents and other relevant documents
• discuss the changing nature of the educator’s work
• research relevant educational thinkers
• communicate and substantiate positions on ideas studied

Overview of Learning Activities

This course offers the opportunity to explore some of the educational thinking which has shaped our practice as teachers today, and to consider contemporary theoretical stances on education. This will be undertaken through lectures, visiting speakers, online materials, individual research and sharing of ideas through discussions and presentations. Preservice teachers will build their understanding of a range of education settings which are informed by different educational philosophies. The capacity for educational thinking/philosophy to shape the nature of policies and practice in a particular school will be explored through observation and discussions at the preservice teacher’s Professional Practice site. In addition, the preservice teacher will bring to the Professional Practice site ideas from his/her steadily growing knowledge of both current practices and ideas, and of those from the past.  Additional materials and information will be available on the course’s site on the Learning Hub.

Overview of Learning Resources

Detailed lists of learning resources will be distributed to you at the beginning of the course. A mix of text- and web-based learning resources will be available.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will incorporate both written and oral modes of presentation of your learning. You are expected to exchange aspects of your developing philosophies with peers and the lecturer. These ideas will inform your assessment.