Philosophy of Education: A Community Engaged Introduction

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In this community-engaged course, you will journey through an active, experiential, and reflective introduction to the Philosophy of Education. We won't just learn content -- we will experience it and reflect on it in real time. We will critically examine historical and contemporary debates, with an emphasis on ethical, political, and social questions like: What is the purpose of education? What makes for a good or just educational system? What are the features of inclusive teaching? In this course, you will learn by doing--both in the classroom community we create, as well as in the broader South Bend community in which you will volunteer. Classtime will be active and engaging: you will work in small groups, discuss, and reflect on your own educational experiences, ideals, and aspirations. By the end of the course, you will articulate your own vision of the value of education and defend it by means of clear, careful, and sound argumentation. In addition, you will apply your personal philosophy of education to your own life by setting educational goals for yourself that align with your vision. This is a community-engaged, service learning course. As part of the course requirements, you will apply what you are learning in the classroom to experiences in the broader South Bend community by volunteering two hours a week as a tutor at Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC).