Curricula

Objectives

The purpose of the study unit

In this study unit, you will consider the relationships between society and education. You will familiarise yourself with the basic concepts and perspectives of the Sociology of Education and based on these you will consider current phenomena related to education and their significance for the work of a teacher. You will learn about the future of education and current research on this topic.

Study unit competences

In this study unit, you will promote and develop your professional pedagogical competence, future orientation and reflection skills.

Professional pedagogical competence refers to the theoretical, ethical, and philosophical principles for vocational competence and learning. It refers to your ability to act in different learning guidance sessions in accordance with the set learning objectives, and the documents that define teaching. It refers to your ability to analyse and justify your own facilitating learning activities.

In teacher education, future orientation refers to the history and current trends of Finnish vocational education. It refers to your ability to perceive the changes in your own field, and the impact of these changes in the professional competencies. It also means the ability to understand the opportunities in education for promoting social equality, culture, and sustainable development. 

Reflection skills refer to your ability to recognise and assess your own pedagogical assumptions, and working methods as a facilitator of learning. It refers also to an ability to assess in realistic way your own learning and competence and ability to set new goals as a facilitator of learning.

Learning objectives

You will be able to examine issues related to education and upbringing from the educational sociology perspective as societal and cultural phenomena. You will also be able to assess your own assumptions and objectives as an actor within the sphere of vocational education and training and as a facilitator of learning.

Content

You will familiarise yourself with the basic concepts and perspectives of the Sociology of Education, and with current sociological phenomena and their significance in the work of a teacher. You will learn about the future of education and current research on this topic.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Meighan, R. & Harber, C. 2007. A sociology of educating. New York.

You will find additional learning materials and assignments in the Optima online learning environment.

Teaching methods

This is an online study unit, which includes self-directed learning, prescribed reading, online learning sessions and assignments.

You will reflect on your own learning based on the goals you set in your personal study plan (PLP) and the feedback you received from peers. You will document your self-evaluation in your learning diary and your portfolio.

Alternative completion methods

You can acquire the competence required by this course by participating in the online course and completing the learning assignments and reflection tasks.

Previously completed university level studies in Educational Sciences or Adult Education Sciences can be substituted for this course.

Student workload

In total, the course consists of 162 hours (6 x 27h) of students’ work:

Orientation 6 h
- Self-directed learning in online environment, reading the learning materials, completing the learning assignments 146 h
- Peer tutoring and self-assessment 10 h

Content scheduling

The course starts right at the beginning of your studies and lasts throughout your studies.

Further information for students

The assessment is qualitative and is based on learning objectives. The methods for evaluation of the learning process are feedback and self-assessment. Competence assessment is based on criteria and the teacher educator makes the assessment decision once all the learning activities have been completed. The assessment material consists of the learning activities of the course and self-assessment activities.

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Evaluation criteria, pass/failed

The criteria for assessing the approved level are as follows:

Professional pedagogical skills and knowledge
- You will utilise in your teaching work your knowledge of professional competence and of the theoretical, ethical and philosophical foundations of learning.

Future orientation
- You will examine the current state of education and training from a critical and research-based perspective.
- You will get an understanding of the future trends for education and for your own field in order to develop your own teaching work and your work community.

Reflection skills
- You will assess your pedagogical perspectives, ways of thinking and operating methods
- You will realistically assess your own learning and competence and
- You will set yourself new goals as a facilitator of learning