Introduction
This course operates on the assumption that education, knowledge, and curriculum are three worthwhile topics for you to study. The approach we will take, then, will be to consider the three questions implied by the course title (along with the questions that follow): What is education? What is knowledge? What is curriculum?
These questions are not new. Previous coursework has already considered them at length, especially the first one. The questions will not be considered equally, either. We will look most closely at questions two and three. If I were to use technical academic terms to describe this class, I would call it a course in âepistemologyâ (the study of knowledge) and âcurriculum theoryâ (the study of what is worthwhile to know). Both of these fields of study (epistemology and curriculum theory) are rooted in the humanities, especially in the intellectual tradition and discipline of philosophy. The content, skills, and dispositions that this class will offer you, then, will primarily be philosophical.
Final answers in philosophy are scarce, but your studies should enable you to think in a more clear and rigorous way that contributes to your overall ability to become a more thoughtful and conscientious person. In other words, the main takeaway from this class will be the ability to become more thoughtful, to think and even to think about thinking. Regardless of what or where you plan to teachâand even if you decide to not become a professional school-teacherâbecoming a more thoughtful person will always be a tremendous asset to you.
All studies worthy of the name participate in the work of education, knowledge, and curriculum, but they rarely acknowledge this fact or study it outright. In this class, by contrast, our principal focus will be on things we are already immersed in. Look closely. This syllabus you are reading is already a form of education, knowledge, and curriculum. How could it be otherwise? This class will try and understand what this is all about, why it is so and, perhaps, how it might be otherwise.
Considering the course in this philosophical way, then, the principal questions listed earlier will lead us to even more questions. Here are four of them, and there are surely many others:
- In what ways are these three things (education, knowledge, and curriculum) interrelated and alike and in what other ways are they different and distinct?
- How is it possible to study these things while we are already doing them, and are there better and worse ways to do this?
- Are there really multiple forms of education, knowledge, and curriculum and, if so, in what sense are they different and what/who determines those differences?
- How do we know what we think that we know and consider to be worth knowing, i.e., what do truth, belief, and justification have to do with knowledge and curriculum?
What We Will and Will Not Do
We will meet six times, once per week, for two hours per session. There will be some weeks when we will have readings or other assignments (e.g., short writing assignments and/or YouTube videos to watch) to complete before class. All of this is listed in the course schedule and I will notify you of any changes via email or in class. The only text you need to purchase is a copy of my short book, A Primer for Philosophy and Education. Inside this book, you will find the writing assignments, exercises, and activities we will be using.
We will collectively observe two rules during each class session, one positive the other negative. These two rules should embody different approaches to thinking about knowledge and other things; they should also serve as intentional educational practices to reflect on and consider as curricular content.
- The negative rule: The use of most forms of modern technology will be disallowed during class. This includes everything that is obvious: cell phones, tablets, computers, and other devices. Books, writing instruments, and paper can be used. As a result, the class will be a mostly oral community where presence, speech, memory, attention, and repetition will be crucial. This will surely raise questions about what constitutes âmodern technologyâ and what technology more generally has to do with education, knowledge, and curriculum. All of these questions are welcome.
- The positive rule: We will take time to be silent together. In our first meeting, we will be silent for one minute; in each session thereafter, we will add one more minute.
A few words on class participation: The most obvious way to participate during/in class is to be present, which involves more than just showing up on time and staying there until it is over (although you should do that too). âBeing thereâ in a passive way is one thing; âbeing thereâ in an active way is another. So, while attendance is required, simply attending class will not be good enough. This does not mean that you need to be an extrovert. There is a place for quiet, shy, and silent active participation. Listening well is a deeply active and dynamic practice. Little things count and add up, like being attentive and undistracted, being prepared and asking questions in good faith that clarify or challenge, pointing out something that was missed or seems interesting, looking at who is speaking or closing your eyes to focus on an idea.
A few words on what a class session will look like: On most days, I will not have a fully pre-determined plan of activities for the entire duration of the class. I will be prepared to discuss the readings and/or themes of interest and will also hold myself responsible to provide extra content, ideas, and/or questions. Perhaps there will be days when you come disposed to listen and your colleagues happen to share that disposition. On those days, you can expect the class to proceed more like a lecture. I may pose questions and you may simply respond by saying that you donât feel prepared to offer a response. This is fine; I often feel that way myself. On other days, you might come ready to press a point, ask a question, share an insight, or rehearse an observation, claim, or argument. On those days, especially if your colleagues are in a similar mood, we will have something that resembles a discussion. On most days, I suspect the result will be mixed. There may be times when I think additional questions need to be raised or I will attempt to add some context that seems important, and I even might moderate a topic by raising an additional distinction, objection, or thought experiment.
Please, do not take anything I say during class as simply âgivenâ or as âcommon sense.â Everything here is questionable and can be disputed and dissected. What matters most is the way the questions and disputes emerge: the care, thought, and communication. This style of classroom interaction will require an intense civility, but it will also require openness, wit, imagination, and even a sense of fun and play. Feel very free to eat or drink during class and excuse yourself as needed.
Your only assignment will be a final paper, which is nothing more or less than the collection of the written works you did throughout the course, along with a brief introductory reflection on it. You will do the work incrementally and share a draft at the penultimate class to ensure that you are prepared. The final version is due at our final class session. I will not accept late work.
