Course

The History of Education in the Western World Since 1500

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
History
Course code
HIST 2230
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
HIST 2230 explores the history of education in western societies from 1500 to the present, employing both chronological and thematic analysis of selected topics.
Major themes include: scholarly approaches to the study of education; the rise and transformation of educational institutions; the relationship between schools, professions, and society; the professionalization of teaching; educational policy, curriculum and pedagogy; the politics of education; streaming, vocationalism, testing, and inclusivity; and the ways in which gender, social class, and ethnocultural identity have shaped the experiences of students and teachers.
Course content

A sample course outline may include the following topics.

Note: Content may vary according to the instructor’s selection of topics.

  1. Introduction
  2. The Transformation of Education from the Classical World to the Renaissance
  3. Literacy, the Printing Press and the Transformation of Learning
  4. Education, the Enlightenment, and the Nature of Childhood
  5. Common Schooling and Elite Education
  6. Education, Aculturation and Assimilation in an Industrial Era
  7. Progressive Education: Child-Centred Education and Scientific Management
  8. Separate and Unequal: Indigenous Children and Schooling
  9. Schools, Militarism, Nationalism, and Education for Democracy
  10. Becoming a Teacher
  11. School and Society in the Cold War Era
  12. Education for the Workplace, Education for the Professions
  13. Contested Terrain: Contemporary Debates
  14. Histories of Education in the Twenty-First Century
Learning activities

Classroom instruction will include both lectures and seminar discussions. Lectures will provide instruction on weekly topics with opportunities for student inquiry and discussion. Seminars will encourage active class participation in the analysis of assigned primary and secondary readings. Classroom instruction may also include facilitation of student-led projects, student presentations on specific readings and/or topics, and other types of student-led activities. Classroom instruction may also include tutorials and workshops on transferrable skills, including research methods, academic citation practice, and presentation skills.

Means of assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the ºÚÁϱ¬ÁÏÍø student evaluation policy. Students may conduct research with human participants as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsibl