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Unit of study_

EDUF2007: Social Perspectives on Education

This unit is part of the Education I-IV program which provides students with a foundation in the social scientific study of education. The aim of this unit is to critically examine the social, political and economic contexts of education. Key issues concerning difference and inequality in education are explored through sociological and historical approaches. These include social class, gender and cultural diversity in education, as well as the schooling market, school systems, and globalisation. At the end of this unit of study, students should have the capacity to discuss the impact of a range of educational practices and policies on schools, students and families. Similarly, students will be familiar with broad movements in contemporary educational reform and their association with national and global economic change. As a result of working on a substantial project students will develop a range of analytical skills. Through policy analysis tasks and workshop activities, students will be familiar with NSW Department of Education and Communities policies and procedures relating to gender, Indigenous education, and cultural diversity.

Code EDUF2007
Academic unit Education
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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(EDUF1018 and EDUF1019) or 30 credit points at 1000 level
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. assess the impact of a range of educational practices, policies and institutions on families and children/students from different cultural, socio-economic, and linguistic backgrounds
  • LO2. critically analyse contemporary education reform and outline how it is connected to national and global socio-economic change
  • LO3. apply relevant sociological concepts and theories to explain inquities in education
  • LO4. trace examples of historical contributions to current education provision in Australia
  • LO5. discuss the role of teachers in 'making a difference' or closing the gap between the demands of the curriculum and resources available in schools and early childhood education (ECE) settings
  • LO6. recognise the range of policies and policy documents that teachers in NSW may need to comply with, following employment in a school or EC Centre, including: ACECQA policies on inclusion, National Quality Standard (i.e., Element 1.15), Boys' and Girls Education Strategy, Homophobia in Schools, Aboriginal Education and Training Policy, Multicultural Education Policy, the Anti-Racism Policy.