BA History and Sociology

Year of entry: 2023

Course unit details:
Education and Society

Course unit fact file
Unit code SOCY20052
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Sociology
Available as a free choice unit? Yes

Overview

Key topics will include an overview of the relationship between educational outcomes and social inequalities; different theoretical perspectives on the purpose of education, including functionalism and cultural reproduction theory; higher education, employability and the knowledge economy; schooling and the negotiation of masculinities and femininities; schooling, ethnicity and whiteness; and critical pedagogy as a movement and a philosophy of education.

Aims

· To introduce students to sociological perspectives on education and schooling

· To explore how experiences of schooling are affected by variables such as social class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality and (dis)-ability.

· To consider how formal schooling systems shape individual and collective identities and reflect and reinforce and challenge dominant societal values.

· To appreciate education’s contested nature as a site for social change.

 

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will:

(i) be able to distinguish between key sociological perspectives on educational inequalities and demonstrate how these may be applied to a range of contemporary educational concerns.

(ii) have identified a range of topics of contemporary concern to educational sociologists and evaluate the validity of different approaches to those topics, drawing upon relevant theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence.

(iii) be able to reflect on their own experiences of schooling in a theoretically-informed manner.

(iv) to appreciate education’s relationship to economic, political, and cultural power.

Teaching and learning methods

Weekly two-hour lecture and one-hour tutorial, incorporating small group discussion of key readings focussed upon questions set by the lecturer, focused small group tasks, and whole group interactive learning.

Assessment methods

Exam and essay (50/50) with  a mid-semester essay and end of semester exam.

Feedback methods

 

All Sociology courses include both formative feedback – which lets you know how you’re getting on and what you could do to improve – and summative feedback – which gives you a mark for your assessed work.
 

Recommended reading

Apple, M.W., Ball, S.J., Gandin, L.A. (2010) The Routledge International Handbook of the Sociology of Education, New York: Routledge.

 

Arnot, M. and Mac An Ghaill, M. (2006) (eds.) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Gender and Education, RoutledgeFalmer, London: Routledge.

 

Ball, S.J. (2004) (ed.) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in the Sociology of Education, RoutledgeFalmer, London: Routledge

Coffey, Amanda (2001) Education and Social Change, Buckingham: Open University Press.

 

Francis, B. and Skelton, C. (2001) (eds.) Investigating Gender: Contemporary Perspectives in Education, Buckingham: Open University Press

 

Gewirtz, Sharon and Cribb, Allan (2012) Understanding Education: A Sociological Perspective, Cambridge: Polity Press.

 

Taylor, E., Gillborn, D., and Ladson-Billings, G. (2015) (eds.) Foundations of Critical Race Theory in Education, London: Routledge.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Assessment written exam 2
Lectures 20
Seminars 10
Independent study hours
Independent study 168

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Nadim Mirshak Unit coordinator

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