Education and Society

This course examines recent cultural and institutional changes in school environments at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The topics will include theoretical approaches to education, a socio-historical examination of the development of education systems, the relationship between education and the economy, including the debate over neo-liberalist reforms emphasising students’ performance testing. Other issues discussed will include the role of the state and transnational agencies in shaping educational policy, critical approaches to literacy and numeracy, youth subcultures within schools and the challenges facing teachers. All topics will be treated in a comparative perspective, although the Australian context will receive considerable attention.