PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHING COURSE OUTLINE

Transcription

1 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHING COURSE OUTLINE

2 Course Description This course is designed for students aspiring to be educators as well as those interested in education as a field of study in and of itself who wish to explore the nature and purposes of education from a thoughtful, critical, and, ultimately, philosophical perspective. The main goal of the course is to help learners develop abilities to think, write, and speak critically, reflectively, and philosophically on issues and problems related to education, teaching, and learning. The course has twenty lectures philosophy and has a value of two units. Lecture One introduces the learner to the essence of philosophy. It is important for you to know the dictates of philosophy and apply them in your day-to-day activities. Philosophical foundations of education are very important in matters dealing with education. It is for this reason that Lecture Two tackles foundations of philosophy. Lecture Three deals with branches of philosophy. This shows clearly and distinctively the main branches of philosophy. Lecture Four analyses logic in depth with the criteria of truth. A student teacher needs to be informed about how truth and fallacies differ. Lecture Five deals with theories of knowledge and human development. Since a theory guides an action, it is good to be informed with some important rules. Lecture Six tries to put the theories of knowledge vis-a-vis metaphysics. Ethics and morality differ. Ethics deals with complex issues of conduct whereas morality deals with morality as morality. A catch twenty two? Lecture Seven encompasses theories of ethics which are paramount in educational issues. In principle there is no one philosophy of education. Lecture Eight will introduce you to the concept of education in relation to human development. Lecture Nine deals with specialization of philosophy namely: philosophy of education. Lecture Ten deals with issues of selected philosophies and philosophers of African Educational philosophers from different continents. Lecture Eleven deals with a re-conceptualisation of philosophy and the concept of teaching. Lecture Twelve is about specializations of philosophy distinguishing it from personal teaching philosophy; Lecture Thirteen covers metaphysical issues in teaching; Lecture Fourteen is about applied epistemological issues in teaching; Lecture Fifteen deals will deal with applied axiological issues in teaching. Lecture Sixteen is about applied logical argument issues in teaching; while Lecture Seventeen deals with philosophers and philosophies influencing teaching. Lecture Eighteen deals with philosophies underpinning general methods of teaching; while Lecture Nineteen is about practising philosophy of teaching through portfolios; and finally Lecture Twenty which deals with basic features of effective teaching.

3 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this course you will be able to: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) Differentiate philosophy from philosophies; Clarify specializations of philosophy in the field of education; Relate philosophy with educational issues; Use appropriate concepts to debate and discuss the importance of philosophy of education and teaching in human development; Practice philosophy of education through teaching. To use a variety of knowledge in different educational venues; To develop critical thinking; Have a deeper understanding of the theoretical or conceptual underpinnings of issues dealing with education. Gain clear understanding of philosophical concepts underpinning teaching field; Critically recognize the impact of philosophical assumptions on teaching; (xi) Comprehend difference between personal teaching philosophy versus philosophy; (xii) Invent your own teaching philosophy to guide your rational teaching actions through portfolios; (xiii) Understand influence of four fundamental issues of reality, knowledge, values and reasoning on teaching; (xiv) Adapt philosophical theories and principles to enhance effective teaching; (xv) Appreciate and analyse philosophy of teaching and teaching philosophy as a foundation of teaching profession; (xvi) Raise teaching practitioners awareness on how clarity in philosophical underpinnings triggers effective teaching and learning.

4 COURSE CONTENT LECTURE ONE: THE NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPH - Philosophy as a Systematic and Analytical Science - Methods used by Philosophers in Systematizing Knowledge -Functions of Philosophy LECTURE TWO: PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PHILOSOPHY -Fundamental Questions of Philosophy LECTURE THREE: BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY -Metaphysic -Epistemology -Axiology -Ethics and Ought -Logic LECTURE FOUR: DETAILED LOGIC - Properties of Truthful Argument - Logical Analysis in Details - Validity of Arguments -Fallacies - Arguments - Propositions - Premises -Inference - How to Avoid Making Fallacies LECTURE FIVE: THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE -Theories of Knowledge - Epistemological Sources of Knowledge LECTURE SIX: METAPHYSICS AND THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE -Pre-Socratic Philosophers -Determinism and Free Will -Phenomenon and Noumenon - Phenomena and Noumena

5 Possible Formulation of Phenomena and Noumena LECTURE SEVEN: ETHICAL THEORIES -Concept of Morality -Ethical Theories - Naturalistic Theory -Non-naturalistic Theory Motivist Theory -Teleological Theory -Deontological Theory LECTURE EIGHT: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION -Nature of Human Beings and the Need for Education -Concept of Development and Education LECTURE NINE: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT -Philosophy of Education as a Specialization LECTURE TEN: SELECTED PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION -Philosophies -Great Educational Philosophers in Europe and Africa LECTURE ELEVEN: PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING -Re-Conceptualising Philosophy and Teaching -Importance of Philosophy to a Teacher LECTURE TWELVE: SPECIALIZATIONS OF PHILOSOPHY VERSUS TEACHING PHILOSOPHY -Philosophy of Teaching as a Specialization -Philosophy of Teaching Versus Teaching Philosophy -Case Studies of the Teaching Philosophy -Reflective Teaching LECTURE THIRTEEN: APPLIED METAPHYSICS /ONTOLOGICAL REALITY ISSUES IN TEACHING - Metaphysics Versus Ontology in Teaching - Clarity of Purposes - Clarity of Vision -Clarity of Mission

6 -Clarity of Aims -Clarity of Instructional Objectives - Clarity of Learning Objectives LECTURE FOURTEEN: APPLIED EPISTEMOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ISSUES IN TEACHING -Essence of Knowledge in Teaching - African Perspective of Knowledge -Field Competencies LECTURE FIFTEEN: APPLIED AXIOLOGICAL ISSUES AND NATURE OF VALUES IN TEACHING -Axiological Issues in Teaching - Professionalism and Teachers Code of Conduct in Teaching -Philosophies About Rationale of Rewards and Punishment -Theology and Theodicy in Teaching -Aesthetics as Beauty and Arts in Teaching LECTURE SIXTEEN: APPLIED LOGICAL ARGUMENT ISSUES IN TEACHING - Unpopular Logical Coherence Theory in Teachers Lesson Plans -The Logical Process in Teaching the Academic Classroom -Table of Specification for Assessing Taught Contents LECTURE SEVENTEEN: PHILOSOPHERS AND PHILOSOPHIES INFLUENCING TEACHING - Philosophy and Philosophers Versus Philosophies -The Place of Different Philosophers in Teaching LECTURE EIGHTEEN: PHILOSOPHIES UNDERLYING GENERAL METHODS OF TEACHING -Operational Terms on Teaching Methods -Some Specific Philosophies Underlying Teaching Methods LECTURE NINTEEN: PRACTISING PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING THROUGH PORTFOLIOS - Teacher s Portfolios as a Means to Reflective Teaching

7 -Learning Skills LECTURE TWENTY: BASIC FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE (QUALITY) TEACHING -The Concept of Teaching Effectiveness -Life Long Learning and Teaching Course Evaluation Students will be assessed through the following types of assessment tools: Main Test (MTT)...30% Annual Examination...70% References Readings Angeles, P. A. (Ed.) (1992). The Harper Collins Dictionary of Philosophy.

8 New York: Harper Perennial. Ayer, A. J. et al. (Ed.) (1994). A Dictionary of Philosophical Oxford: Blackwell Reference, Basil Blackwell Ltd. Quotations. Blackburn, S. (Ed.) (1996). The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bunnin, N. et al. (Ed.) (1996). The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy. Blackwell Companions to Philosophy. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Hodge, J. and Radick, G. (Eds.) (2003). Cambridge Companion. CUP. Cambridge: Long, A. (1999). Early Greek Philosophy. Cambridge: CUP. Mwanahewa, S. A. (1999). Philosophy of Education, Dept. of Distance Education, Institute of Adult and Continuing Education, Makerere University. Popkin, R. H. (1999). The Columbia History of Western Philosophy. York: Columbia University Press. New Randall Curren (Ed.) (2003). A Companion to the Philosophy of Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Education. Runes, D. (Ed.) (1942). The Dictionary of Philosophy. New York: The Philosophical Library, Inc. Russell, B. (1979). A History of Western Philosophy. London: Unwin Paperbacks. Warburton, N. (1999). Philosophy the Basics, 3rd Ed. Routledge, Tailor Francis Group. and

9 Angeles, P. A., Ed. (1992). The Harper Collins Dictionary of New York, Harper Perennial. Ayer, A. J. et al. (Ed.) (1994) A Dictionary of Philosophical Blackwell Reference Oxford. Oxford, Basil Blackwell Ltd. Blackburn, S., Ed. (1996). The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford University Press. Philosophy. Quotations. Oxford, Bunnin, N. et al., (Ed.) (1996). The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy. Blackwell Companions to Philosophy. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Hodge, J., and Radick, G. (Eds.) (2003). Cambridge Companion. Darwin, Cambridge, CUP. Long, A. (1999) Early Greek Philosophy, Cambridge, CUP. Mwanahewa, S. A. (1999) Philosophy of Education, Dept. of Distance Education, Institute of Adult and Continuing Education, Makerere University Popkin, R. H. (1999). The Columbia History of Western Philosophy. York, Columbia University Press. New Randall Curren (Ed.) (2003). A Companion to the Philosophy of Oxford, Blackwell Publishing Education, Runes, D. (Ed.) (1942). The Dictionary of Philosophy. New York, The Philosophical Library, Inc. Russell, B. (1979). A History of Western Philosophy. London, Unwin Paperbacks. Warburton, N. (1999). Philosophy: The Basics, 3rd Ed. Routledge, and Francis group. Tailor