EDUC42650 Philosophy, Ethics and Education

Academic Year 2018/2019

This module raises a cluster of compelling questions in the context of Philosophy, Ethics and Education. Welcoming students from a variety of backgrounds and professional contexts, it will be of interest to those working in formal (early-years, primary, secondary and third-level schooling) as well as informal educational modes.

No primary knowledge of philosophy is assumed, though students will be expected to keep up with assigned readings/podcasts week on week.

The key ambition of this module is to introduce students to novel and compelling ideas from a range of philosophical and educational thinkers. These include the challenging Hannah Arendt and Judith Butler; the evocative Gert Biesta and Stanley Cavell; and the timely Bruce Macfarlane and Jennifer Saul. It is hoped that the ideas of these thinkers will provoke, unsettle and inspire - and that their significance will be appreciated in students' everyday as well as their professional lives.

In a general sense, our weekly discussions will be structured by four complementary themes: Ethics, Identity, Freedom and Risk. I include some indicative questions below.

1. Ethics:
What is the moral responsibility of the teacher and the student? Do we teach for autonomy, for citizenry, or for compassion? What is the responsibility of the teacher and the student? How might the reading of literature enhance our moral lives?

2. Identity:
Can we live with others radically different to ourselves? How might Gender and Sexuality find expression in the classroom space?

3. Freedom:
Do third-level students have the right to learn in their own way? Is there a hidden curriculum to which they must conform? What about university professors? Are they free? Are they happy?

4. Risk:
Should education involve strength (prediction and control) or weakness (discontinuity and surprise)? Can we measure the importance of human encounter?

Our two-hour class will incorporate a variety of teaching styles. These will include the traditional lecture, reflective writing blocks, pair work/group discussion, and the Matthew Lipman-inspired pedagogy, P4C (Philosophy for Children).