This Reader brings together a wide range of material to present an international perspective on topical issues in philosophy of education today. Focusing on the enduring trends in this field, this lively and informative Reader provides broad coverage of the field and includes crucial topics. With an emphasis on contemporary pieces that deal with issues relevant to the immediate real world, this book represents the research and views of some of the most respected authors in the field today. Wilfred Carr also provides a specially written introduction which provides a much-needed context to the role of philosophy in the current educational climate. Students of philosophy and philosophy of education will find this Reader an important route map to further reading and understanding.

In addition to providing its readership with a challenging opportunity to deepen and widen their philosophical thinking about education, the text encourages an epistemologically rich understanding of education that is infused by different philosophies of education, each giving us an entry into the nature of education and maximising a many-sided understanding of whatever educational problems are encountered in society by means of rupture as well as consensus. Philosophies include African philosophy of education; Pragmatism; Rationality; Phenomenology; Hermeneutics; Systems Theory; African feminist perspectives and education; Realism; Poststructuralism, and the place of critical theory in understanding the nature and function of education in Africa. Additional chapters look at Chinese Philosophy and education; Islam and education, and Buddhism.

Philosophy of Education in Action is an innovative, inquiry-based introductory text that invites readers to study philosophy of education through the lens of their own observations and experiences. Structured according to a "Wonder Model of Inquiry," each chapter begins by posing a fundamental What if question about curriculum, pedagogy, and the role of the school before investigating the various philosophical perspectives that guide and influence educational practices. Classroom vignettes and examples of actual schools and educational programs help to ground philosophical perspectives in real-world scenarios, while the book’s unique inquiry-based approach leads students to both think critically about philosophical questions and apply the concepts to their own teaching. Features of the text include: What if questions that structure each chapter to pique students' curiosity, stimulate creativity, and promote critical thinking. Authentic classroom vignettes that encourage students to analyze what it means to "do" philosophy and to reflect upon their own practices, examine their role in the educational process, and articulate their own philosophical beliefs. A concluding section asking readers to imagine and design their own hypothetical school or classroom as a project-based means of analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the different philosophies discussed. Accessible and thought-provoking, Philosophy of Education in Action provides a dynamic learning experience for readers to understand and apply philosophy in educational practice.

This new Reader brings together classic pieces of gender theory, as well as examples of the sophistication of contemporary gender theory and research methodologies in the field of education. Leading international gender researchers address current debates about gender, power, identity and culture and concerns about boys’ and girls’ schooling, gender achievement patterns, the boys’ education debate, and gender relationships in the curriculum, the classroom and youth cultures. The Reader is divided into six sections which reflect contemporary concerns about Gender and Education: Gender and Educational Theory Difference and Power Identity Work Knowledge and Pedagogy Reflexivity and Risk Gender and Citizenship. A specially written Introduction from the editors, both experts in feminist and masculinity research, provides a much-needed context to the current educational climate. Undergraduates, postgraduates and academics interested in education, gender studies and women’s studies will find this a stimulating and important resource. The analysis of the gender dimensions of the curriculum, teaching and alternative pedagogies also provide important insights for practitioners wishing to promote gender equality.

This Reader brings together selected papers from leading scholars to address the most significant recent development in educational policy and politics: the impact of globalisation. The papers discuss, document and analyse evidence of globalisation’s effects on the new direction of education policies and practices, and in the production of globalised agendas for the redesign of state provision and the governance of education. The Reader is organised in two parts. The first part provides a selection of articles that interrogate globalisation and its effects from a variety of analytical perspectives, and explore what kind of politics are possible in the framing context of globalisation. The second part documents and discusses different types of engagement with politics and policy in a variety of settings and sectors, including numerous European and Pacific Rim policy contexts. This important collection underlines the need to approach globalisation, education policy and politics from numerous perspectives, and offers analytical, empirical and theoretical resources for the reframing of contemporary education politics. Students of educational policy and politics will find this Reader an invaluable resource for understanding, theorising and researching in these academic fields.

This Reader brings together a wide range of material to present an international perspective on topical issues in history of education today. Focusing on the enduring trends in this field, this lively and informative Reader provides broad coverage of the subject and includes crucial topics such as: * higher education * informal agencies of education * schooling, the state and local government * education and social change and inequality * curriculum * teachers and pupils * education, work and the economy * education and national identity. With an emphasis on contemporary pieces that deal with issues relevant to the immediate real world, this book represents the research and views of some of the most respected authors in the field today. Gary McCulloch also includes a specially written introduction which provides a much-needed context to the role of history in the current educational climate. Students of history and history of education will find this Reader an important route map to further reading and understanding.

"Each chapter ends with questions and issues for reflection. The book also includes an annotated list of further reading. It is designed to encourage readers to conduct their own research. This is a useful text for practitioner, postgraduate students, researchers, academics and policy-makers in education."--Jacket.