Time Schedule:
Pamela Bolotin Joseph
B EDUC 491
Bothell Campus
Class description
This course offers a holistic study of the moral dimensions of education focusing on these questions: How do schools transmit societal values? How can educators create moral environments in classrooms and schools? How can educators integrate ethical inquiry into the academic curriculum? Course topics include: moral philosophy and ethics as applied to educational practice, theories of moral development and the role of culture, and historical and contemporary approaches to moral education. Students also will pose their own questions and pursue answers through various readings, reflection, activities, and discussion as incorporated into independent studies. Learning from these independent studies will be shared in class and through on-line discussions. This course is intended for undergraduates in the IAS major Ethics, Society & Human Behavior as well as students in the Education & Society minor and is open to students in other majors and degree programs who are interested in education, ethics, psychology, philosophy, and cultural studies and has particular relevance for teachers.
Student learning goals
Explore the concepts of morality and ethics, particularly within the field of education.
Acquire knowledge of moral development theories including the influence of culture.
Analyze historical and contemporary models of moral education curriculum including interdisciplinary ethical inquiry.
Discern the moral dimensions of teaching including ethical practice and agency.
Understand how schools transmit values and how classrooms and schools may become moral communities.
Pose questions and develop answers around individual interests, e.g., moral development, moral education, and values in schooling.
General method of instruction
Seminar, small group discussions, film, student and instructor presentations.
Recommended preparation
No prerequisites but students are encouraged to consider what topics or questions relating to moral dimensions of education that they would like to explore in the course.
Class assignments and grading
Midterm and Final Reading Synthesis Papers, Independent Studies and Presentations, On-Line and Class Participation
A grading rubric will be provided in the syllabus to inform about levels of achievement, from satisfactory to outstanding, for papers, presentations, and class contribution.
