Part I
In the second year of the Education Tripos, students take a total of five papers. All students take the following two education papers:
Disciplines Paper 1: Psychology and Philosophy
This paper is split into two sections
Psychology of Education
The course is concerned with the understanding of psychological development and the significance of this field of knowledge for education, focusing on two major areas of development: Cognitive and Social. The cognitive development strand looks at how different aspects of cognitive development unfold during infancy and childhood. The course surveys the basic kinds of knowledge that are central in human cognitive development and the development of learning, memory and reasoning. The social development strand looks at how we develop a concept of 'self', including gender identity and how the view we have of ourselves influences the way we approach and interact with others through looking at, for example, peer group relationships.
Philosophy of Education
The aim of this course is to develop in students the ability to apply methods of philosophical analysis to education issues, including the development of philosophical thinking - such as clarity of expression, critical reflection, the justification of truth claims, and notions of cogency, coherence and consistency. The course will introduce students to a variety of questions that are representative of the philosophy of education drawing on the following areas: education, values and aims, philosophical perspectives on teaching and learning and the role of the state in education.
Disciplines Paper 2: Sociology and History
This paper is split into two sections
Sociology of Education
The course concentrates on the in-depth study of the major thinkers in the social sciences who have addressed the relationship of education to contemporary society (e.g., Weber, Durkheim, Marx, Mannheim, Bernstein, Bourdieu, Foucault). By studying the original writings of these theorists, students are able to engage with the complexity of social life and its shaping by the educational system. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how we can conceptualise the role of educational knowledge, the intelligentsia and the social impact of, for example, traditional and child centred pedagogies in modern society. Such theories encourage discussion about whether and if so how the economy and governments perpetuate the inequal distribution of social capital and privilege within and across different social classes. They highlight the particular forms of power, regulation, and control of individuals and communities. Further students are introduced to traditions such as feminist research and poststructuralism which explore the power of knowledge to shape individuals’ consciousness, identity and desire.
History of Education
This course examines aspects of educational change across the long nineteenth century, covering the period from the French Revolution to the First World War. In particular, the course looks at successive conceptual formulations associated with the idea of progressive education, alongside social movements predicated upon education as an emancipatory ideal or practice.
In terms of the social movements involved, the course focuses chiefly upon the British experience in the first half of the nineteenth century, at a time when unprecedented industrial and urban development was under way. Against this background, the principal objects for consideration are the educational dimensions of the utopian socialism associated with the industrialist and educational reformer Robert Owen and the educational elements of the radical currents for political reform that gathered under the name of Chartism. In terms of the progressivist ideas examined, the course draws upon the works of British, Continental and American educationists.
Subject and Optional papers
In addition, students take two subject papers. A fifth paper may comprise the following Education paper or an additional subject paper.
Modernity, Globalisation and Education
This paper will examine the roots of Modernity, its transformations and consequences, its impact on global developments and the challenges created for Education in three sections: Modernity and the Western Enlightenment, Human Rights, Justice and Education.
Modernity and the Western Enlightenment The first section raises the general problem of 'modernity' in terms of its relationship to the Western age of enlightenment together with the historical framework of modernity and the role of non-Western influences (e.g. from Islam and the Arab world). It will also consider the changing role of women and children, enlightenment debates about gender, the problems modernity presents for societies and cultures in terms of social change in its challenge to traditional values and forms of authority. In conclusion, it will explore the tensions and contradictions in enlightenment rationality and its relationship to modernity.
Human Rights, Justice and Education In this section, we explore larger theoretical and practical questions that seek to confront the relationship between justice, human rights and education in global contexts. There is growing recognition among social scientists and human rights advocates that bounded, state-centered notions of justice may no longer provide an ethical framework that educators can legitimately affiliate with as they seek to exercise justice in their work. Even more importantly, educators are often expected to assume some understanding of these terms without any educational background in related areas. It is with this recognition in mind that a critical overview of concepts such as a 'justice' and 'human rights' in a transnational/international context is offered. Emphasis is placed on justice and human rights in urban international contexts, particularly in relation to emerging forms of global conflict, diverse migration patterns and radical urban changes in the 'new global city', as well as the associated conflicts and challenges for diverse groups of low-income youth living in urban concentrations of poverty.
Education, Equity and Development This section of the paper will focus on understanding the role of education in achieving equity and development. A focus on poverty and the goal of poverty reduction has become the salient concern of stakeholders at national and international levels. Using an interdisciplinary lens, this paper will examine issues of poverty, gender, disability and global migration and the challenges that these pose to our current educational systems. It will also reflect on the various strategies that are being adopted to address these important concerns for the 21st century.