PSE4801/101/0/2020
Tutorial Letter 101/0/2020
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND
SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
PSE4801
YEAR MODULE
Department of Educational
Foundations
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................4
1.1 Tutorial matter...........................................................................................................6
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES..................................................................................6
2.1 Purpose..................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Outcomes..................................................................................................................6
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS...............................................................7
3.1 Lecturer(s)................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 Department............................................................................................................... 7
3.3 University.................................................................................................................. 7
4 RESOURCES............................................................................................................8
4.1 Prescribed books (2).................................................................................................8
4.1.1 Study guide............................................................................................................... 8
4.2 Recommended books...............................................................................................9
4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)................................................................................9
4.4 Library services and resources information.............................................................10
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES..........................................................................10
6 STUDY PLAN......................................................................................................... 10
7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING...............................12
8 ASSESSMENT........................................................................................................12
8.1 Assessment criteria.................................................................................................12
8.2 Assessment plan.....................................................................................................13
8.3 Assignment numbers...............................................................................................14
8.3.1 General assignment numbers.................................................................................14
8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers...................................................................................14
8.4 Assignment due dates.............................................................................................14
8.5 Submission of assignments.....................................................................................14
8.6 The assignments.....................................................................................................15
8.6.1 Guidelines for answering multiple-choice questions................................................15
8.6.2 Guidelines for answering essay-type Assignments 02 & 03....................................16
8.7 Other assessment methods.....................................................................................38
8.8 Year mark and examination.....................................................................................38
2
, PSE4801/101
8.8.1 Year mark................................................................................................................ 38
8.8.2 Examination............................................................................................................ 38
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.....................................................................39
10 SOURCES CONSULTED.......................................................................................39
11 IN CLOSING........................................................................................................... 39
3
, Dear Student
As part of this tutorial letter, we wish to inform you that Unisa has implemented a
Transformation Charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In response to
this charter, we have also placed curriculum transformation high on the agenda. For
your information, curriculum transformation includes the following pillars: student-
centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment practices,
the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. These pillars and their principles will be integrated at both
programme and module levels, as a phased-in approach. You will notice the
implementation thereof in your modules, and we encourage you to fully embrace
these changes during your studies at Unisa.
1 INTRODUCTION
We would like to welcome you to the module, Philosophy of education and Sociology
of education (PSE4801)! We are sure you will find the content of the module
interesting and rewarding. We further hope that this combined module will provide a
better understanding of Philosophy of education and Sociology of education, and
broaden your personal academic spheres of knowledge.
Therefore, the module consists of two parts, namely Part A: Philosophy of education
and Part B: Sociology of education.
In Part A of the module we are concerned with a Pluralistic Problem-Centred
Approach to Philosophy of education. The ideal of such an approach to Philosophy
of education is to create an epistemologically rich educational environment, infused
by different philosophies of education, each giving us an entry into the nature of
education and maximising a diverse understanding of whatever educational
problems are encountered in society by means of intellectual rupture, as well as
consensus. In doing so, the main aims of a Pluralistic Problem-Centred Approach to
Philosophy of education are to:
o promote a critical philosophy of education
o draw on different philosophies of education for new perspectives on a variety
of educational problems and themes
o analyse, research and reflect critically on the influence of different
philosophies of education on education policy, theory and practice and,
content and methodology
o assist students to acquire the concepts and vocabulary, necessary to assess
critically claims made about the nature and aims of education, teaching and
learning;
o provide students with the conceptual and experiential tools necessary for
4
Tutorial Letter 101/0/2020
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND
SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
PSE4801
YEAR MODULE
Department of Educational
Foundations
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................4
1.1 Tutorial matter...........................................................................................................6
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES..................................................................................6
2.1 Purpose..................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Outcomes..................................................................................................................6
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS...............................................................7
3.1 Lecturer(s)................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 Department............................................................................................................... 7
3.3 University.................................................................................................................. 7
4 RESOURCES............................................................................................................8
4.1 Prescribed books (2).................................................................................................8
4.1.1 Study guide............................................................................................................... 8
4.2 Recommended books...............................................................................................9
4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)................................................................................9
4.4 Library services and resources information.............................................................10
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES..........................................................................10
6 STUDY PLAN......................................................................................................... 10
7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING...............................12
8 ASSESSMENT........................................................................................................12
8.1 Assessment criteria.................................................................................................12
8.2 Assessment plan.....................................................................................................13
8.3 Assignment numbers...............................................................................................14
8.3.1 General assignment numbers.................................................................................14
8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers...................................................................................14
8.4 Assignment due dates.............................................................................................14
8.5 Submission of assignments.....................................................................................14
8.6 The assignments.....................................................................................................15
8.6.1 Guidelines for answering multiple-choice questions................................................15
8.6.2 Guidelines for answering essay-type Assignments 02 & 03....................................16
8.7 Other assessment methods.....................................................................................38
8.8 Year mark and examination.....................................................................................38
2
, PSE4801/101
8.8.1 Year mark................................................................................................................ 38
8.8.2 Examination............................................................................................................ 38
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.....................................................................39
10 SOURCES CONSULTED.......................................................................................39
11 IN CLOSING........................................................................................................... 39
3
, Dear Student
As part of this tutorial letter, we wish to inform you that Unisa has implemented a
Transformation Charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In response to
this charter, we have also placed curriculum transformation high on the agenda. For
your information, curriculum transformation includes the following pillars: student-
centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment practices,
the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. These pillars and their principles will be integrated at both
programme and module levels, as a phased-in approach. You will notice the
implementation thereof in your modules, and we encourage you to fully embrace
these changes during your studies at Unisa.
1 INTRODUCTION
We would like to welcome you to the module, Philosophy of education and Sociology
of education (PSE4801)! We are sure you will find the content of the module
interesting and rewarding. We further hope that this combined module will provide a
better understanding of Philosophy of education and Sociology of education, and
broaden your personal academic spheres of knowledge.
Therefore, the module consists of two parts, namely Part A: Philosophy of education
and Part B: Sociology of education.
In Part A of the module we are concerned with a Pluralistic Problem-Centred
Approach to Philosophy of education. The ideal of such an approach to Philosophy
of education is to create an epistemologically rich educational environment, infused
by different philosophies of education, each giving us an entry into the nature of
education and maximising a diverse understanding of whatever educational
problems are encountered in society by means of intellectual rupture, as well as
consensus. In doing so, the main aims of a Pluralistic Problem-Centred Approach to
Philosophy of education are to:
o promote a critical philosophy of education
o draw on different philosophies of education for new perspectives on a variety
of educational problems and themes
o analyse, research and reflect critically on the influence of different
philosophies of education on education policy, theory and practice and,
content and methodology
o assist students to acquire the concepts and vocabulary, necessary to assess
critically claims made about the nature and aims of education, teaching and
learning;
o provide students with the conceptual and experiential tools necessary for
4
