EDST - Education Studies
EDST 175
Education and the Liberal Arts
When people argue that a liberal arts education champions "learning for its own sake," what do they mean? Is such a thing possible or desirable? If so, how does it enable someone to survive in today's world? This course addresses the philosophical foundations, historical traditions, and contemporary debates associated with liberal arts education. It is intended for students interested in learning more about the significance of their Lawrence degree, particularly in a modern society in which technical knowledge and professionally-oriented courses of study seem ascendant. Units: 6.
EDST 180
Psychology of Learning
An investigation of how people learn. This course examines learning theories (e.g., behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, constructivist) and their implications for the educational process in schools. Other topics include learning and the brain, the nature of expertise, the design of learning environments, and approaches to instruction that promote meaningful learning. Practicum of 20 hours required. Units: 6.
Also listed as Psychology 180
EDST 191
Directed Study in Education Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
EDST 240
History of Education in the U.S.
This course provides students with an overview of the development of educational institutions and practices within the U.S. over the last 230 years. The course will address key debates and turning points in American education, including contemporary issues such as school choice, accountability and assessment, and multicultural education. Practicum of 20 hours required. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 260
Philosophical Foundations of Education
This course provides students with an introduction to seminal texts, central questions, and rival traditions in the philosophy of education. Course readings take students on a journey from ancient Greece, through the Renaissance and Enlightenment, and into our (post)modern era—all of which have influenced the nature (i.e., aims, content, and process) of education as it is experienced today. Throughout the term, students are encouraged to consider how the course works assist them in developing a personal philosophy of education. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 300
International and Compartive Education
This course invites students to develop a global perspective as they deepen their understanding of the field of education. It engages in a comparative study of the theories, policies, and practices embraced by schools in other regions of the world, and it asks students to critically analyze the ways in which culture, politics, economics, and non-governmental organizations influence educational development and reforms. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of the instructor
EDST 310
Ethics and Education
What is ethics and how does it connect with morals? What do either have to do with the activities of teaching and learning? Students in this class confront such questions by exploring the role of moral decision-making in classroom practices, and by examining how the practice of education promotes certain notions of human flourishing. Particular attention is given to an analysis of the "ethics of teaching." Readings draw from classical and contemporary works associated with the disciplines of philosophy and of education. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 330
School and Society
This course focuses on the relationship between schools and the socio-political environments in which they exist. Students will consider the extent to which schools should be developed to meet the needs and expectations of the societies in which they are housed, as well as the role schools may play in fostering social change. We will study texts by classical political theorists such as Plato, Rousseau, and Kant, as well as works from 20th century scholars such as Dewey, Althusser, and Freire. Practicum of 20 hours required. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 340
Sociology of Education
An examination of the social foundations of education in the United States with particular attention paid to the cultural, political, and economic functions of education in modern society. Other topics include the reproductive function of schooling in a society divided along lines of race/ethnicity and class, schools as sites of cultural production, and the historical tension in the U.S. between “equality” and “excellence” in education. Practicum of 20 hours required. Units: 6.
Also listed as Ethnic Studies 240
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 345
Distributed Cognition
Distributed cognition explores the role of the environment, artifacts, social interaction, and culture in human reasoning, problem-solving, and learning. Domains of study range from the sophisticated (ship navigation) to the everyday (time-telling). Emphasis is placed on studies of cognition in real-world settings. Units: 6.
Also listed as Anthropology 345, Psychology 345
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 350
Ethnicity, Cultural Diversity, and Education
A study of the experience of children and adolescents from different ethnic, cultural, and economic groups. Emphasis on understanding the social consequences of these differences and how such differences affect educational achievement and attainment. The sources and educational effects of individual, institutional, and systemic racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and discrimination will also be examined. Practicum of 20 hours required. Units: 6.
Also listed as Ethnic Studies 241
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
EDST 390
Tutorial in Education Studies
Tutorial studies in the fields of educational policy, environmental education, history of education, comparative education and on various topics related to the social foundations of education. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required
EDST 391
Directed Study in Education Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
EDST 399
Independent Study in Education Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required
EDST 400
The Environment, Community, and Education
A study of education, the creation and maintenance of community, and the development of ecological intelligence. Emphasis on how schools respond to their surroundings, the extent to which modern forms of education “fit” students to live in local communities, and the idea of community as a sense of place. Emphasis will also be placed on cultural assumptions about the environment implicit within the curriculum, the effect of schooling on students’ understanding of and relationship to the environment, and the role of education in promoting ecological and social sustainability. Units: 6.
Also listed as Environmental Studies 460
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
EDST 545
Gesture Studies
Gesture studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the use of the hands and other parts of the body in communication and cognition. In this seminar we discuss studies of gesture types, universals, and variations; gesture development; gesture production and perception; relations of gesture to thought and language (spoken and signed); and functions of gesture in human interaction, problem-solving, and learning. Units: 6.
Also listed as Linguistics 545, Psychology 545
Prerequisite: One course in linguistics or psychology, or consent of the instructor
EDST 590
Tutorial in Education Studies
Tutorial studies in the fields of educational policy, environmental education, history of education, comparative education and on various topics related to the social foundations of education. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required
EDST 591
Directed Study in Education Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
EDST 599
Independent Study in Education Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required
EDST 690
Tutorial in Education Studies
Tutorial studies in the fields of educational policy, environmental education, history of education, comparative education and on various topics related to the social foundations of education. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required
EDST 691
Directed Study in Education Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
EDST 699
Independent Study in Education Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required