• Semester 2 (Day)

Synopsis

This  unit is intended to provide students with an understanding of  a
number of sociological ways of seeing and explaining the social world,
and in particular, the social role of education.  The unit focuses  on
a  number  of specific sociological concepts as they apply to  or  are
witnessed in the operation of education and the school in contemporary
society, and introduces students to significant current social aspects
of  schooling.  In this last regard, specific attention is devoted  to
issues  of  the relationship between schools and society in  terms  of
constructing  gendered  and ethnically-based  social  positions.   The
social  justice  dimension of the operation of the school  is  also  a
major underlying theme of this unit.  Students are also introduced  to
some basic sociological research techniques.

The  connection  between  sociological theory  and  insights  and  the
functioning  of  schools  is  further strengthened  through  a  formal
professional experience component wherein students work in schools  to
come to a deeper understanding of their operation.