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EDUCATION 435-4

EDUCATIONAL THEORY AND THEORY CRITICISM

FALL, 1982

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Instructor: S. C. deCastell

Telephone: 291-3627

Monday 4:30 - 8:20 ?

Office: CAE 6, Room 623

This is primarily a "reading and discussion" course. The intention is to

expose students to works which have been of major significance in educational

thought. Class discussion will give each student maximum opportunity to

develop a critical and informed understanding of a range of educational

models. Each model will be considered in terms of its implicit social and

political theory, its view of human learning, and its conceptions of human

nature and educational knowledge.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Students will be expected to read widely and to attend

classes consistently. Each student will be asked to

prepare two short discussion papers on works of their

own choice (wherever possible), and to submit a final

essay of 8 - 10 pages in length. There will be no

final exam for this course.

COURSE READINGS: Works to be examined are:

Dewey: Democracy and Education

Freire: Education for Critical Consciousness

Neill: Sunmierhill

Plato: The Republic

Rousseau: Emile

Skinner: Beyond Freedom and Dignity

All required readings will be on reserve in multiple copies in the library.

A supplementary reading list will be provided. Each session will involve

a lecture by the instructor, a student discussion paper on the week's topic,

and a seminar discussion of the text read. Some text-substitution will be

possible if desired. Pre-reading of any oftihe course texts is recommended.