023138 Social and Philosophical Aspects of Secondary Education

This subject consists of two strands which together enable students to investigate the sociological and philosophical dimensions of secondary education. In the Social Bases strand, students explore social theories which seek to explain the social forces shaping schools and classrooms and the ways in which school and society interacts in the Australian context. They also investigate how social characteristics influence the educational outcomes of certain social groups and current policies and programs which address these influences. In the Critical Issues strand, students begin to clarify their own educational philosophy. They do this by analysing and evaluating a range of positions on critical educational issues which confront secondary educators at the present time. From this they determine their own stance on these issues and identify how this will impact on their professional practice.