SS 213 - School and Society

Credit Hours: 3

This course surveys American education and schooling in social, philosophical and historical contexts. Topics include formal and informal education, as well as education in preliterate societies. Selected issues to be explored include education’s historical, philosophical and social foundations, democracy and education, diversity and desegregation, testing, sex discrimination, educational excellence and international competition, curriculum debates and questions of local, state and national school education control and finance. Videos and guest speakers may supplement readings. Attendance at one school board meeting is required.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

identify and describe the historical development of America’s public school system;
analyze and distinguish between schooling and education;
identify and apply basic educational philosophies;
identify, describe, and analyze diversity in education including students and staff;
understand how schools are financed;
understand the No Child Left Behind Act and how it relates to increased standardized testing;
identify issues relating to problems and possibilities in education relating to issues of globalization; and
understand how modern day school board meetings are run and how teachers and parents relate to them.

Prerequisites: EN 110 or permission of the department chair or coordinator of a teacher preparation program.
F/S (C, N, S)