Faculty of Humanities and Education (Postgraduate) - The University ...

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POSTGRADUATE REGULATIONS & SYLLABUSES 2012 - 2013
THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES & EDUCATION
General Objectives
To assist novice teachers in understanding:
• the diverse school environments of Trinidad and
Tobago;
• concepts and perspectives of the various stakeholders
of the school system;
• the realities of the school system; and
• how to function in a context of rapid change.
Course Content
A. Globalization and the communications revolution as
they reshape life on the planet
• Social, economic, and cultural consequences
• Impact on socialisation of the young
• Impact on work, family, nation states, schooling, and
identity in the world today
B. Macro plans for national development and the
implications for schooling
• Examination of educational reform plans in Trinidad
and Tobago
• The nature of educational change
• Proposed changes: decentralization, school-based
management, school development planning
C. The impact of information and communication
technologies in reshaping the contexts of schooling
• ICTs as a tool for transforming teaching and learning
• The new e-learner
• ICTs and learning communities
• ICTs and the teacher- pupil relationship
D. The reshaping of school contexts by the progress of
policies of inclusion
• Gender inclusion
• Poor and marginalised groups
• Male underachievement
• Special education
• Learning styles
E. Governance issues in the education system
• Role of the state
• Role of markets
• Role of private schools and denominational boards
• Structure of the school system in Trinidad and Tobago
and the Caribbean
F. School histories – trajectory of school growth
• Evolution of different schools
• Prestige schools with long histories
• Continuities and discontinuities in school histories
• Looking closely at the new sector schools
G. School as a community
• The relationships between stakeholders—parents,
alumni, students, teachers, community, government,
boards
• Exploring the nature of the compact and the changing
role of the teacher
H. School as a site of power relations
• Staff rooms as lived spaces
• Politics of school life
• School as an organisation
I. School as a community of learners
• School as a site for the professional development of
teachers
• Governance at the micro-level of the school, e.g.,
deans, heads of departments
• Schools as professional cultures
J. The legal environment of teachers’ work
• Laws governing the rights of the child
• The Education Act
• The changing nature of teachers’ work
• The law and the teacher
Course Assessment
This course will be assessed entirely by coursework. Because of
the field-based nature of the programme, the assignments will
involve research in the field. By researching an individual school
in terms of its culture, ethos, and change over time, participants
will contribute to, and apply, the knowledge derived from the
different sessions. The presentations will allow participants to
share findings about different types of schools in the education
system. The assignments shall consist of a school study (80%)
and an oral presentation (20%).
Resources
Required readings
Acker, S. (1999). The realities of teachers’ work. London, UK:
Cassell.
Abbot, C. (2001). ICT: Changing education. New York, NY:
Routledge Falmer.
Forlin, C., & Ming-Gon, J. (Eds). (2008). Reform, inclusion and
teacher education. Towards a new era of special education in
the Asia-Pacific region. New York, NY: Routledge.
Friedman,T. (2009). The world is flat. New York, NY: Picador.
Ginsburg, M. (Ed.). (1991). Understanding education reform in
global context: Economy, ideology and the state. New York,
NY: Garland.
Hargreaves, A. (2001). Changing teachers, changing times. London,
UK: Cassell.
Ka-ho Mok, J., & Chan, D.K. K. (Eds.). (2002). Globalization and
education. The quest for quality education in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press
Smyth, J., Dow, A., Hattam, R., Reid, A., & Shacklock, G. (2000).
Teachers work in a globalizing economy. New York, NY:
Falmer Press.
Stromquist, N., & Monkman, K. (2000). Globalization and education.
Integration and contestation across cultures. Lanham, MD:
Rowman & Littlefield.