Purpose, Structure, & Function of Education in a Democracy

Course Number:
ED 216
Transcript Title:
Purpose, Structure, & Function of Education in a Democracy
Created:
Aug 09, 2022
Updated:
Jul 11, 2023
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Hours:
30
Lecture / Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
No
Satisfies General Education requirement:
Yes
Grading Options
A-F, P/NP, Audit
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0
Prerequisites

Prerequisite/Concurrent 

WR 121 or WR 121Z

Recommended 

ED 101

Course Description

Introduces the historical, social, philosophical, political, legal and economic foundation of education in Oregon, the United States, and other countries in order to provide a framework from which to analyze contemporary educational and environmental issues in various schools, communities, and workplaces. Recommended: ED 101. Prerequisite/concurrent: WR 121 or WR 121Z. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Engage in close reading, thoughtful discussion and self-reflection about how difference, power, and discrimination impact education in the U.S.
  2. Analyze their own and other’s cultural context to better understand how difference is socially constructed and what it means to be a cross-culturally competent student.
  3. Critically evaluate traditional education structures (separation of academic disciplines, instructional delivery methods, assessment of student learning) and their relevance in today’s teaching practices.
  4. Explain how difference is socially constructed.
  5. Using historical and contemporary examples, describe how perceived differences, combined with unequal distribution of power across economic, social, and political institutions, result in discrimination.
  6. Analyze ways in which the interactions of social categories, such as race, ethnicity, social class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and age, are related to difference, power, and discrimination in the United States.

Alignment with Institutional Learning Outcomes

Major
1. Communicate effectively using appropriate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. (Communication)
Major
2. Creatively solve problems by using relevant methods of research, personal reflection, reasoning, and evaluation of information. (Critical thinking and Problem-Solving)
Not Addressed
3. Extract, interpret, evaluate, communicate, and apply quantitative information and methods to solve problems, evaluate claims, and support decisions in their academic, professional and private lives. (Quantitative Literacy)
Major
4. Use an understanding of cultural differences to constructively address issues that arise in the workplace and community. (Cultural Awareness)
Major
5. Recognize the consequences of human activity upon our social and natural world. (Community and Environmental Responsibility)

To establish an intentional learning environment, Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) require a clear definition of instructional strategies, evidence of recurrent instruction, and employment of several assessment modes.

Major Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed recurrently in the curriculum, regularly enough to establish a thorough understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a thorough understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Minor Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed adequately in the curriculum, establishing fundamental understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a fundamental understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

The determination of assessment strategies is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: writings (journals, self-reflections, pre writing exercises, essays), quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, group projects, presentations (in person, videos, etc), self-assessments, experimentations, lab reports, peer critiques, responses (to texts, podcasts, videos, films, etc), student generated questions, Escape Room, interviews, and/or portfolios.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

Outcome #1: Engage in close readings, thoughtful discussion and self-reflection about how difference, power, and discrimination impact education in the U.S.

  • Familiarize students with the history of U.S. education. (The Colonial Period, church related schools, The Common School, development of public education, & the development of secondary schools, colleges and universities.) 
  • Provide an overview of the social development of minority groups as pertains to education (African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, etc.).
  • Discuss obstacles and approaches to desegregating schools.
  • Discuss and understand Compensatory Education, Title I, Comprehensive Ecological Intervention, The No Child Left Behind Act, Multicultural Education & Instruction, Bilingual Education, education for students with disabilities. 
  • Discuss how educational goals have changed/evolved throughout the US whole-child concept, outcome-based education, state standards, No Child Left Behind.

Outcome #2: Students will analyze their own and other’s cultural context to understand what it means to be a cross-culturally competent student.

  • Explore what is it to be a cross-culturally competent student.
  • Discuss how equity in and access to education in its social-cultural context (e.g. urban, rural, suburban, ethnicity, race, and gender) impact academic success.

Outcome #3: Critically evaluate the academic disciplines from a diversity perspective.

  • Discuss academic disciplines (Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Formal Sciences, Applied Sciences) and how they relate to students with different backgrounds and traditional educational pathways.
  • Explore how to critically evaluate academic disciplines from a diversity perspective.

Outcome #4: Using historical and contemporary examples, describe how perceived differences, combine with unequal distribution of power across economic, social, and political institutions, result in discrimination. 

  • Closely read and discuss the origins of education (Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, Renaissance, etc.). 
  • Discuss philosophical terminology (metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and logic) that is applicable to education.
  • Explore through close reading and class discussion the philosophies of education (Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Existentialism & Postmodernism).
  • Discuss the major historical, social, cultural, economic, and political forces in educational history.
  • Explore curriculum and instruction.
    • Subject-centered curricula (perennialism and essentialism) and student centered curricula (activity-centered curriculum, humanistic approach to curriculum, relevant curriculum, etc.)
    • Examine how educational goals shift with national priorities and social pressures. 

Outcome #5: Analyze ways in which the interactions of social categories, such as race, ethnicity, social class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and age, are related to difference, power, and discrimination in the United States.

  • Develop an understanding of the major socializing institutions in a child’s life: family: (single vs. double-parent families), overindulged children, latchkey kid, child abuse/neglect, homelessness; Peers: culture at school, extracurricular activities, bullying; school culture: classroom culture, “hidden culture”; television & digital media: effects of tv in the classroom & at home, social media.
  • Explore traditional and changing gender roles for boys, girls, men & women.
    • Differences in achievement and ability.
    • Increase in women’s education, plight of working-class and low-skilled men.
  • Explore adolescent and youth problems
    • Drugs, drinking, suicide, teenage pregnancy, delinquency and violence.
  • Articulate the relationship between social class, race, and ethnicity in the educational system.
  • Explore the question “do schools equalize opportunity?”
  • Traditional vs. Revisionist Interpretations
  • Discuss how difference, power, and discrimination impact education

Outcome #6: Identify and explain basic financial and legal aspects of educational institutions.

  • Communicate the legal rights and responsibilities of teachers (Contract, tenure, due process in dismissal, etc.)
  • Communicate students’ rights and responsibilities (freedom of expression, school newspaper, cyberbullying, dress code,  sexual harassment or molestation, corporal punishment)
  • Articulate a general overview of the US court system that affect schools and teachers (the state and federal court system, Tort Liability and Negligence, Reporting child abuse, Copyright Laws, etc.).  
  • Begin to develop an understanding of how public education is financed through taxes, and the roles that state and local school districts play in budget decisions.
  • Have an understanding of the major laws that impact education in schools, communities, and workplaces.
  • Understand the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it applies to students’ education records and confidentiality.

Suggested Texts and Materials

Ornstein, A.C., Levine, D.U., Gutek, G.L. & Vocke, D.E. (2017).  Foundations of Education, (13th ed.). Boston: Cengage Learning.

Relevant websites:

Videos to possibly include in class:

  • Children in America’s Schools (58:44 minutes)-poverty and wealth and the effects on schools.
  • Eyes on the Prize (Emmet Till)
  • Stupid in America documentary
  • A Vision of Students Today video
  • Manifestoon video

Department Notes

  1. Inclusion of assignments that have potential for inclusion in the student portfolio should be in all ED and HEC courses. Since it is required for the program, all ED faculty should be aware of the potential for students to incorporate materials from the course.
  2. As per Oregon State University’s Bacc core Requirements, the following material needs to be covered in your course. While these content related to these outcomes has been integrated within the content of the course, you should be aware that these outcomes need to be addressed (for transferability, CGCC needs to fulfill these outcomes for our articulation agreement with OSU).

Students in Difference, Power, and Discrimination (DPD) courses shall:

  1. Explain how difference is socially constructed,
  2. Using historical and contemporary examples, describe how perceived differences, combined with unequal distribution of power across economic, social, and political institutions, result in discrimination
  3. Analyze ways in which the interactions of social categories, such as race, ethnicity, social class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and age, are related to difference, power, and discrimination in the United States.