PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

To develop in candidates an acute awareness and understanding of Philosophy and Philosophy of Education in different socio-cultural contexts and to produce specialists who are versatile, critical, creative and innovative.

2.0 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Normal Entry: Diploma in Education from an accredited and recognised institution.

3.0 PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

Areas of Study: Philosophy of Education

Specialist Focus: The development of critical awareness in educators for continual educational development that is sensitive to sustainable development.

Orientation:    Creating analytical educators who understand the pivotal role of educational ideas in the quest for social development, innovation and industrialisation

In their 1st Semester, students will be introduced to the University Innovation Hub where they will receive talks and participate in discussions on how to develop simple ideas into productive and innovative ventures.

In their 2nd and 3rd Semesters, the students will be required to take turns to visit and work in the University Industrial Park to get a feel of productive activities and industrial work and appreciate the philosophy of industrialisation.

Students are expected to use this exposure to initiate productive ventures in their schools of practice with school pupils, fellow teachers, and where possible, with the communities around the school.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Employability: Graduates can be employed as teachers, implementers of education programmes, lecturers in institutions offering education programmes, education inspectors, designers and developers of Primary, Secondary or Tertiary education curricula, consultants for educational programmes, curriculum planners, or researchers in education.

Further Studies: Master’s and Doctoral Studies in Philosophy of Education. 

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Level 1 Semester 1

 

Code    Module Description                                                                                    Credits            

BCHS101    Culture and Heritage Studies                                                       12

BPCT101     Psychology of Teaching and Learning                                                12

BPCT102     Trends and Traditions in Philosophy of Education                              12

BPCT103     Sociological Foundations in Education                                               12

BPCT104     History of Education in Africa and Zimbabwe                                    12

BED133       Information and Communication Technology                                     12

 

Level 1 Semester 2 

BED131       Research Methods and Statistics                                                    12

BPCT105     Critical Thinking, Creativity and Innovation in Education                   12

BPCT106     Assessment and Evaluation Techniques                                             12

BPCT107     Philosophical Perspectives in Inclusive and Special Needs Education  12

BPCT108     African Philosophical Thought and Education                                    12

BPCT109     Theories of Social Justice and Educational Inequalities                       12

 

Level 2 Semester 1 

BEFM231    School Administration and Financial Management in Education          12

ENTIE232   Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Education                                   12

EDGS201    Gender Studies for Educators                                                            12

BPCT201     Philosophy for Children (PC4)                                                           12

BPCT202     Critical Pedagogy and Education                                                       12

BPCT203     Freedom, Authority and Responsibility in Education                           12

 

Level 2 Semester 2 

BPCT204     Education and Sustainable Development                                        12

BPCT205     Philosophical Analysis of Human Rights Issues in Education               12

BPCT206     Philosophical Inquiry and Education                                                  12

BPCT207     Philosophy of Knowledge and Education                                           12

BPCT208     Social Justice and Education for Citizenship                                       12

BED232       Research Project                                                                               24

 

MODULE SYNOPSES

BCHS131 Cultural and Heritage Studies

The module examines the concepts of culture and heritage as they relate to Unhuism/Ubuntuism, innovation and industrialisation. Emphasis is placed on the values of social, historical, architectural, scientific and cultural heritage that can be capitalised for socio-economic development. Students explore landscapes that contain cultural heritage associated with knowledge, songs, stories, art objects and human remains.  

BPCT101 Psychology of Teaching and Learning                               

The module introduces students to the theories of human development and theories of learning that inform the instructional process and promote academic success for all learners. This shall enable them to understand individual learning styles and the relevant teaching styles as they work with all types of learners, including both those who are gifted and talented and those who have learning disabilities.

BPCT102 Trends and Traditions in Philosophy of Education

This module provides students with a basic theoretical grounding in Philosophy and Philosophy of Education. Students shall be exposed to modes of thinking and analysis that are unique to the Philosophy of Education. Foundational issues, such as the historical development, trends and traditions of human thought are explored.

BPCT103 Sociological Perspectives of Education

The module introduces students to four main sociological perspectives and exposes them to basic sociological concepts that include socialisation and dynamics that relate to social interaction. The interrelationships between the state, the education institutions, and the citizens are built into the module to provide students with the necessary social interaction skills needed to guide the process of learning in the classroom.

BPCT104 History of Education in Africa and Zimbabwe

Students are given an opportunity to analytically and critically explore the traditions, patterns and dynamics in the historical development of education in Africa and Zimbabwe. Object lessons that inform the present and future trajectories of educational development in Africa are also investigated. The module extensively encompasses the development of education in pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial Africa.

BED133 Information Communication Technology in Education

This module employs a hands-on approach to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the innovative use of information communication technology to enhance classroom teaching and learning. Topics to be covered include the role of ICT in education, software application in education, multimedia learning, the internet of things and emerging technologies and their application in classroom teaching.

BED131 Research Methods and Statistics

The module introduces students to the basic principles of research. It develops the students’ knowledge and skills in the following areas: identification of research problems in education; selection of appropriate research designs and data collection tools; data analysis techniques; research findings and conclusions; and research report writing. The module also introduces students to educational research that is aligned with sustainable development issues such as environmental conservation and poverty eradication.

BPCT105 Critical Thinking, Creativity and Innovation in Education

This module exposes students to the twin processes of critical thinking and creativity. It allows students to explore the importance and usefulness of creative and critical thinking in modern problem -solving based learning and living environments. The module draws students to appreciate the critical symbiotic relationships between critical thinking, creativity and innovation in and outside the educative process.

BPCT106 Assessment and Evaluation Techniques

The module covers assessment and evaluation issues in education across all subject areas. The content of the module includes an analysis of the concepts of evaluation, assessment and measurement in education; contemporary ideas on how to improve assessment and evaluation in schools; test designing; analysis of test results; national examinations and grading.

BPCT107 Philosophical Perspectives in Inclusive and Special Needs Education

The module explores different philosophical views of Special Needs and Inclusive education. It analyses the philosophical basis of such education and compares the different ways of assisting both the learners with challenges and those with exceptionalities while critiquing some special needs education practices and theories.

BPCT108 African Philosophical Thought and Education

The module introduces students to the meaning, history and content of African philosophy and African philosophic thought systems. It explores the contested space of the existence and the nature of African philosophy and allows students to examine the implications of African thinking to educational practice in the contemporary world.

BPCT109 Theories of Social Justice and Educational Inequalities

This module looks at various theories of social justice and compares their implications for educational practice. It brings to the fore the numerous instances of educational inequalities that exist in learning environments. Students should appreciate the use of social justice principles to achieve fairness and equality of educational opportunity.

BEFM231 School Administration and Financial Management in Education

The module introduces students to sound administration and financial management practices followed in schools and other educational institutions. It tackles the basic tenets of the nature and purpose of administration and familiarises students with skills in budgeting and budgetary control. Students are further introduced to the accounting systems in schools and the interpretation of policies and statutes that govern financial and asset management in educational institutions.

ENTIE232 Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Education

The module exposes students to entrepreneurship and innovation theories in educational contexts. The module provides students with the skills needed to develop, create and manage businesses. Emphasis is placed on career development through a variety of experiential activities and projects, which include the production of goods and services.

 EDGS231 Gender Studies for Educators

The module aims to provide students with an introduction to the concept of gender and its significance to education. The module exposes students to how education spaces construct gender differences, the implications of these differences on learners and how schools can close the gender gaps. Key issues to be studied include theoretical perspectives on gender, cultural dimensions of gender, and deconstruction of gender and their implications for the education sector.

BPCT201 Philosophy for Children (P4C) 

The module focuses on the need to develop philosophical thinking in young children. It introduces students to the Philosophy for Children (P4C) movement and allows them to make efforts to design materials to help children develop thinking skills using stories that are specially crafted for the purpose.

BPCT202 Critical Pedagogy and Education                                   

The module traces the origins of Critical Pedagogy in Critical Theory and follows its development to modern times. It makes students question the overt and covert functions of education. Students are exposed to alternative critical pedagogies that may make a difference in the lives of many disadvantaged and marginalised learners.

BPCT203 Freedom, Authority and Responsibility in Education  

The module examines the concepts of freedom and authority. It lets students appreciate the close relationship between the two in educational practice as well as the need to achieve proper balance between them. The module further analyses how a balance of authority and freedom in education circles can be instrumental in developing a healthy sense of responsibility in children.                                             

BPCT204 Education and Sustainable Development

The module interrogates the relationship between education and socio-economic development. It equips students with tools that are useful in enhancing development, e.g. creativity, innovation, production and entrepreneurship. Students assess various philosophical perspectives on development and find ways of making education serve development. 

BPCT205 Philosophical Analysis of Human Rights Issues in Education

This module provides students with an opportunity to deploy the philosophical theories, concepts and modes of analysis to attain a critical understanding of human rights issues in education. The students shall also explore the philosophical foundations and historical development of human rights discourses and practices. The module allows students to identify and analyse issues such as the categories of human rights, and international and national legal instruments pertaining to human rights.

BPCT206 Philosophical Inquiry and Education

Students are given an opportunity to develop their understanding and skills in philosophical inquiry and research.  This is a seminar/workshop-based module which creates space for students to deploy philosophical research methods to explore self-chosen topics in education.                                                    

BPCT207 Philosophy of Knowledge and Education

The module explores the meaning of knowledge and the philosophical discourse surrounding Epistemology. Students examine different types of knowledge systems, including the major orientations of African, Eastern and Western perspectives on knowledge. The concepts of scepticism and the ‘epistemology of ignorance’ are examined in relation to their application in education.

BPCT208 Social Justice and Education for Citizenship   

The module provides students with a firm grounding in the interplay between social justice and citizenship education. Students explore, through multiple theoretical lenses, historical and contemporary instances of social injustices in education. Students shall also interrogate theoretical frameworks that inform citizenship education, examining issues such as the nature of democracy, democracy in education, human rights and peace education.

BED232 Research Project

In this final year, two-semester module each student carries out a research project in an area of his/her choice under the guidance of a supervisor. Through the study, students are expected to apply their knowledge and skills in research in the resolution of an identified research problem, as well as show their appreciation of research as a viable process of addressing contemporary challenges and issues in education and their local environments.