EDFD522: Pragmatism in Education

An intensive study of the doctrines and principles developed in the writings of John Dewey and his followers, with special reference to critical issues in education today. Introduction into pragmatic thought through the writings of Dewey, Pierce, and James, and the implications of this philosophy studied through the works of Kilpatrick, Counts, Bode, Childs, Bramald, and others. 3 sh.

EDFD581: Critical Thinking, Community and Self

Attention will be given to the basic techiques of forming classroom communities of inquiry through the study of the broad historical tradition of educational philosophy from Plato to Passmore. Particular attention will be given to philosophers who have dealt with the nature of reflection, thinking skills, ethical inquiry, pedagogical methods, children's rights, dialogue, community, personhood, and the general aims of education. 3 sh.

PHLC501: Teaching Children Philosophical Thinking I

This course is designed to equip teachers with the skills and background essential for teaching philosophical thinking in the classroom. Teachers will be introduced to the curriculum materials in philosophy for children, the history of philosophical ideas which form an essential component of the approach, the nature of formal and informal reasoning and an analysis of educational issues which are affected by the introduction of philosophy into the classroom. This course will not count toward the undergraduate major in philosophy. May be repeated for credit three times for a total of twelve credits as long as the content is different with each repetition. 3 - 12 sh.

PHLC502: Teaching Children Philosophical Thinking II

This course provides those who have taken an introductory course or workshop in critical thinking or Philosophy for Children the opportunity to practice engaging students in critical and/or philosophical thinking and to reflect on that experience. Each student, in consultation with the course instructor, will plan and execute a complex critical thinking or philosophy project in a classroom setting. Course hours will be divided among time spent in the classroom and consultation with the instructor. If the student is not a certified teacher with her/his own classroom, the instructor will arrange for the student to execute her/his project in a classroom with a teacher who has experience in critical thinking or Philosophy for Children. 3 - 12 sh.

PHLC508: Teaching Philosophical Reasoning I

This course aims to acquaint teachers with reasoning skills that are employed in everyday conversation, reading, listening and writing, so as to prepare them to think more reasonably and judiciously. 2 sh.

PHLC509: Teaching Philosophical Reasoning II

This course aims to assist teachers to operationalize reasoning skills while at the same time utilizing certain aspects of philosophy of language, aesthetics and epistemology for the enhancement of writing skills. 2 sh.

PHLC511: Teaching Philosophical Reasoning III

The aim of this course is to assist prospective teachers to operationalize reasoning skills and to utilize certain aspects of philosophy of language, aesthetics, and epistemology for the enhancement of writing skills. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHLC 509.

PHLC512: Value Inquiry

Prospective teachers are introduced to the techniques by which reasoning can deal with moral issues in the objective and impartial fashion known as ethical inquiry for children. 3 sh.

PHLC513: Social Inquiry

This course will enable prospective teachers who have already taken the foundational course in philosophy for children to teach children to apply basic reasoning skills to the social studies. The program, therefore, represents an integration of philosophy, logic and the social sciences. It is also a way of presenting the social studies as a discussion course in which the conceptual foundations of the behavioral sciences are reviewed and appraised. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PHLC 508, 509 and 511.

PHLC614: Scientific Reasoning

This course aims at familiarizing students with a variety of reasoning skills that are useful in scientific inquiry, while at the same time teaching them how to create a cognitive readiness in children to do science. 2 sh.

PHLC615: Foundations of Philosophy for Children

The course focuses on the educational relationship between children and thinking. It aims to assist students to understand the role of ideas in children's learning, the ways in which children can be encouraged to deliberate with regard to ill-defined conceptual issues, and to assist students to understand the relationship of Philosophy for Children to critical and creative thinking. 2 sh.