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SPECIAL TOPICS: THE IMAGINATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Semester: 1990-1 ?

Instructor: Kieran Egan

Telephone: 291.4671

OBJECTWES:

To introduce students to various conceptions of imagination, to help them

become clearer about what it is and its roles in cognition, and to explore ways

in which it can enhance teaching and learning.

OUTLINE OF THE COURSE:

For descriptive purposes the course can be divided into three parts, even though

they will be somewhat intermingled during instruction.

1.

What is imagination?

This section will explore past conceptions of imagination, from the ancient

Greeks and Hebrews through the Enlightenment and Romantic periods.

2.

Imagination in teaching.

This section will explore ways in which individual teachers can bring

imagination to bear particularly on the planning of units and lessons, and

on their execution. We will draw on a variety of texts and ideas.

3.

Imagination

and learning.

Obviously this cannot sensibly be separated from section 2 above. We will,

however, consider in some detail characteristics of the changing

imaginative lives of children, K-12, and explore ways in which we can draw

on these to make what we teach more engaging and meaningful. The

implications of this section will involve discussion and critical reflection on

the curriculum as well as on teaching practices and learning opportunities.

REQUIRED BOOKS:

Egan, K., & Nadaner, D. (eds.) Imarin

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n and Education. New York:

Teachers College Press.

Warnock, Mary. Jmanin

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n. Faber.

Egan, K.

Teaching

as Story Telling. Althouse Press.

Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imninatipn. Toronto: CBC Learning Systems.

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N.B. This course will be taught entirely through the medium of the MTS *FORUM

computer system. It is designed for students who are remote from the S.F.U.

campus but who have a computer and a modem. (If you do not already have a

sign-on I.D. on the S.F.U. computer system, you will need to arrange this

before the course begins.)

If you are interested in taking this course you should write at your earliest convenience

to:

Sylvia Foran

Undergraduate Program

Faculty of Education

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, B.C.

V5A 1S6

Once you register and pay fees you will be sent a package which will include the

readings, information on how to access the

*FORUM

system through which the

course will be conducted, and a schedule of readings and assignments.