Philosophical And Sociological Foundations Of Education

[Merlino Riviere]

Philosophyis at the heart of curriculum development. It helps educators in formulating beliefs, arguments, and assumptions and in making value judgments. Philosophy develops a broad outlook, and it also helps in answering what schools are for, what subjects are important, how students should learn, and what materials and methods should be used. Philosophy provides the starting point . . . in decision making about education in its totality (Ogwara, et. al, 2013).

Idealism is considered one of the oldest philosophical systems, whose main proponent was the Greek philosopher, Plato. Idealism advocates that ideas constitute what is real and permanent, i.e. ideas are the only true reality. Idealism also emphasizes the spiritual component of man, i.e., man is a spiritual being.

According to this philosophy, education is the process of development of a person, his/her conscious and spiritual self. The ultimate responsibility for learning rests with learners. The school exists to develop character, increase knowledge, and cultivate aesthetic taste. The teacher is expected to be a model, friend, and guide to the learners.

Selection of study material in line with the expressed interests and concerns of the learner. Non-formal curriculum activities and physical training in areas like games, related hobbies, and other co-curricular areas.

In general, it is possible to identify elements of past education in the present-day curricula in many education systems within the United States and the rest of the world, depending on the past history.

Our interdisciplinary work promotes critical questions that challenge standard assumptions about the purposes of schools in a democratic society, the role that race, class, gender, ethnicity and sexuality play in teaching, learning, school funding, etc., and the importance of understanding critical policy analyses in the context of neoliberalism.

The Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies allows students to examine the philosophy and practice of education and to develop skills in both the methodology and the study of educational practice. Students will prepare to become policymakers and examiners of policy and the effects of policy on education.

Social foundations is a broadly conceived field of educational study that derives its character from several academic disciplines and interdisciplinary studies. At Georgia State University, the disciplines involved in social foundations inquiry are history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and political science; the interdisciplinary field is cultural studies. The purpose of social foundations study is to bring the intellectual resources derived from these areas to bear in developing interpretive, normative and critical perspectives of educational theory, policy and practices, both inside and outside of schools.

These projected course schedules are for informational purposes only and are subject to change at any time, without actual notice to individual students. The University will make every effort to keep students advised of any such changes. These schedules are tentative and not guaranteed. Course offerings can change for a variety of reasons, including instructor availability, limited resources and demand. Students must note it is their responsibility to keep apprised of current graduation requirements for their particular degree programs.

Alumni work in such fields as academic researchers, program evaluators, project coordinators, research methodologists, policymakers and college/university administrators. Examples of employers of our graduates include Atlanta Public Schools, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Institute of Technology, Fulton County School District, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and University of Georgia.

Natasha McClendon is the 2021 recipient of the Social Foundations Doctoral Award for Scholarly Achievement, given in recognition of exceptional scholarly accomplishment through original publication by doctoral students in the social foundations doctoral program.

Interpretive perspective: Students use concepts and theories from the humanities and social sciences to examine educational phenomena. Social Foundations perspectives (comparative, cultural, historical, and philosophical) are applied to examine and analyze an educational aspect or issue and these perspectives affect the meaning and interpretation of that educational issue.

Normative perspective: Students examine education in relation to differing value orientations and assumptions about schooling and education. Educational issues, policies, and practices are examined in light of differing value positions and students engage in reflection and development of their own values about education (Kubow & Fossum, 2007).

These perspectives are not only important to the development of pre-service and in-service educators but also central to the professional standards promoted by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Thus, all preparation programs for prospective teachers and other professional educators must include study in the Social Foundations of Education.

Principle #1: The educator has acquired a knowledge base of resources, theories, distinctions, and analytic techniques developed within the humanities, the social sciences, and the foundations of education. That is, the educator has developed habits of using this knowledge base in evaluating and formulating educational practice.

Principle #2: The educator understands and can apply normative perspectives on education and schooling. That is, the educator understands and employs value orientations and ethical perspectives in analyzing and interpreting educational ideas, issues, and practices.

Principle #3: The educator understands and can apply critical perspectives on education and schooling. That is, the educator has developed habits of critically examining educational practice in light of this knowledge base.

Principle #4: The educator understands how moral principles related to democratic institutions can inform and direct schooling practice, leadership, and governance. That is, the educator understands how knowledge from Social Foundations of Education illuminates the conditions that support education in a democratic society.

Principle #5: The educator understands the significance of diversity in a democratic society and how that bears on instruction, school leadership, and governance. That is, the educator understands how social and cultural differences originating outside the classroom and school affect student learning and how educational understanding includes sensitivity to human potentials and differences.

Principle #6: The educator understands how philosophical and moral commitments affect the process of evaluation at all levels of schooling practice, leadership, and governance. That is, the educator can articulate the moral and philosophical assumptions underlying evaluation measures or processes.

Critical interdisciplinary examination of schooling, society, and cultural diversity in the United States. Inquiry into the origins of contemporary ideas, issues, and problems through the disciplines of history and philosophy, and analysis grounded in the social sciences on the relationships between schooling, diversity, and institutional issues in a globalizing society. (Fulfills BG Perspectives Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) and Cultural Diversity in the US (CDUS) Requirements).

Didactic seminar and fieldwork focusing on culture and community in learning. Provides pre-service educators with supervised fieldwork experiences in schools or community agencies. Taken concurrently with EDFI 2980.

Philosophical examination of issues pertinent to educational theory and practice. Readings of influential work in classical and contemporary philosophy, educational theory, and adjacent disciplines. Reading list varies depending upon the course focus.

Comparative study and critique of the role of education in national and global development. Emphasis on the interrelationship between cultural, economic, and political factors and the roles of education in selected developed and developing nations.

Historical background of contemporary educational theory, practice, and reform. Emphasis on diversity of experience, institutional development, and the relationship between social change and education. Students are encouraged to develop focused research projects related to their professional and academic interests.

An interdisciplinary introduction to the concept of culture and its relation to education; cross-cultural and international education; globalization; text and language; immigration and displacement; human possibility, subjectivity and identity.

Cultural Foundations of Education is a highly demanding and nationally prominent interdisciplinary graduate program created to support fundamental inquiry into the nature of education. Graduate students draw on the disciplines of history, philosophy, and sociology to analyze issues related to inequality in education. Faculty interests include disability, the relationship of popular culture and mass media to education, race, racism and multiculturalism, identity and difference, democracy and education, intergroup dialogue, theories of knowledge and feminist theory. Our alumni have success finding jobs in higher education, foundations, policy research, school systems, and government agencies.

Each program is individually designed, allowing students to work with their advisors to build their own program around their research interests. This may include courses from other Syracuse University programs and colleges, including the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and the College of Arts and Sciences. At the same time, cohorts of students take courses in the department together so that students share a common vocabulary.

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