Download Reflection Assignment #1 - Educational Settings and the Sociology

EDUC 3400
Glenys MacLeod
Intent:
1. Review course outline, assignments and timeline,
2. What is sociology?
3. What are the characteristics of our society?
4. How can we measure the success of a society?
4. Reflection Assignment #1
Educational Settings and the Sociology of Learning EDUC 3400
This course is an introduction to the study of learning utilizing sociological
principles. Social factors affecting teaching and learning will be examined. It will
consider educational settings as learning environments, examining such features as
the social characteristics of students, schools and their surroundings, that have an
impact on school performance. Some attention is given to a consideration of the
relationship between school learning environments and educational reform.
• □ To examine the relationship between education and society,
• □ To discuss the role of education in Canada as seen through the lens of
various social theories,
• □ To explore the role of factors such as gender, ethnicity, class and
disabilities in social reproduction, in social capital, in teaching and
learning, in the education system and in society.
• □ To develop a critical perspective on classrooms and schools.
Wotherspoon, Terry. (2009). The Sociology of Education in Canada. Third Edition. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press
Canada.
Reflection Assignments
30%
September 16, 20, 30, October 14, 28
Reflect or respond to a relevant issue or specific question form our class discussions. Criteria for these assignments will be
developed during our first class. Length: 1 - 1 ½ typed, double spaced pages (approximately 300 words)
Educational Settings
20%
Saturday, October 4
Choose two educational settings. Provide a physical description of the settings. Discuss the learning objectives, the curriculum
and teaching strategies present. Compare the social factors that contribute to a learner’s success in each environment making
reference to topics discussed in the first four classes. Length: 3 - 4 typed, double spaced pages (750 - 1000 words).
Inequality in Educational Settings Presentations 20%
Saturday, November 15 and Saturday, November 25
In this 15—20 minute presentation individual students or student groups will discus a dimension of Educational Inequality.
The discussion will focus on the factors surrounding this type of inequality: the effect on individual student learning, the
impact on the classroom and school community, support for the learner and examples from the field.
Planning for Social Factors in Classroom Learning Environments 30%
Saturday, November 29
Create a series of lessons (minimum 5 lessons) in which you incorporate the major themes of the course. You
will be provided with a fictional class, school and community to guide your planning. Each lesson must include
specific curricular outcomes, teaching strategies, learning activities and an assessment plan. A discussion section
must follow each lesson and will include an analysis of equality of access, opportunity and achievement,
evidence of differentiation, links to the purpose of education, incorporation of employability skills, opportunities
for the development of learning behaviours, as well as an evaluation of the elements of social and cultural capital
that may favor some students over others.
You will share a Project Proposal, a 2 or 3 minute summary of your ideas (What outcomes you have chosen?
What assessments are you considering? Which social factors will be the most difficult accommodate? How will
you support struggling learners? and How can we help?) on Saturday, November 1 2014.
Please add your
ideas, comments,
questions here.
The scientific study of society including patterns of social relationships, social
interactions and culture.
Auguste Compte, 1830, synthetic science uniting all knowledge about human
activity.
Sociologists study human interactions between two people (micro) to complex
multination relationships (macro).
Dictionary of social sciences, Craig Calhoun, 2002, New York, Oxford University Press
Options Do only 1
“We create society at the same time as we are created by it.” Anthony Gidden
Illustrate this quote through words, drawing, models…
Create an analogy to describe school. Create an analogy to describe society.
Society is like…
 Learning the Student Role
 Reflection Assignment