Syllabus
Syllabus
1. Education, equity and social justice: Basic concepts and theories. - Theories of social justice -Rawls, Nozick, utilitarianism - 3 Different conceptions of equity: 1st Equality of opportunity/access, 2nd Equality of treatment/conditions, and 3rd Equality of results. - Sociological theories: social and cultural reproduction (Bourdieu, Bernstein, Bowles and Gintis), rational action theory (Boudon, Goldthorpe, Breen)
2. Tracking and inequality: research evidence and cross-country comparison - What are the mechanisms of tracking (separating students for instruction into different tracks, classes, and groups according to their abilities) and what are the effects of tracking on student achievement and self-esteem? - Selective and comprehensive education systems in comparative perspectives
3. Measuring inequalities in Education - Large-scale international studies of students? achievement (PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS etc.) and its impact on equity of education systems. - Set of indicators to measure equity in education systems (comparison of 27 EU member states).
4. Educational strategies for socio-culturally disadvantaged students - Tackling educational inequalities by policy measures in different countries (area-based approaches, targeting special population, etc.) Comparison of development of strategies in Europe and U.S.A. .
5. Fair school - An international comparison of pupils? perspectives - Results of international survey on student voice and students feelings of being treated with justice in schools in Czech Republic, England, France, Belgium and Italy. - Students perspectives on following issues: What is a fair school? What is the biggest injustice students experienced in school? How the teachers treat students, What are the charactestics of fair students? assessment? etc?
Annotation
What makes an education system equitable and which school is fair? Why educational inequalities (e.g. social class, gender) persist over time unchanged and what is the role of schools and states in tackling these inequalities and social exclusion? How could we measure such elusive concepts as justice, fairness and equity? Is the purpose of schooling to provide all students with a common socialization or is it to differentiate students for varied future? Shall we teach students to cooperate with each other or to compete?
In this course we are going to discuss and look for answers to these questions based on the research findings and in international comparison. Besides learning extensively on issues of equity in education, following this course you will learn also about methodology of educational research and you will get to know more familiar with education systems worldwide (comparison will be based mainly on developed OECD member countries). Erasmus students from various countries are warmly welcomed to sign for this course.