Brett Santo
Dr. David McGough
EDU 5011 - Educational Studies
December 15, 2014
Final Reflection: Educational Studies
This seminar in Educational Studies proved to be an immensely valuable class for a variety of reasons, and I am very pleased to have taken this course this semester.
Firstly, I believe that the content discussed is pertinent to virtually every career housed under the educational paradigm. Furthermore, I believe that the material provided a strong foundation for my future studies in this Masters program. I particularly enjoyed the design of the curriculum, starting with the understanding of educational theory. I believe that this set up the foundation of knowledge that is necessary to bolster one’s arguments/claims in the future. I found the Palmer readings to provide evidence of a vast array of educational theories, some of which include Empiricism, Rationalism, Dualism, Wholism, and Behaviorism. Additionally, I enjoyed learning about educational theory and then applying it to present real-world examples. This thought process allowed for further abstract analysis of various topics. I feel that the curriculum structure was conducive for a broader understanding of all the topics. I first understood educational theory, then learned about myself through life-story analyses. I then examined the history of education, and finally explored how to create an inclusive classroom. I feel that all of these topics provided me with a diverse portfolio of knowledge for my future.
Secondly, I found the diversity among the students to foster an extremely valuable experience. Being with a diverse group of students holding various job titles, provided for an experience that was both enlightening and thought-provoking. I enjoyed learning about their different perspectives on life and education. Also, the diverse knowledge and experiences that were present in the classroom allowed for truly deep discussions about the topics. I also enjoyed the fact that there were different assignments for the various cohorts of students. Having two or three different curriculums or assignments going on simultaneously allowed for even more content to be covered. I really enjoyed the infrastructure and the variety of material that was covered in this class.
Thirdly, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed all of the readings that were assigned. I found the McAdams book to be enlightening and truly enjoyable. I’ve had some experience with the concept of a “life story”, having delved into the material in various psychology classes, however, I enjoyed analyzing people’s life story through McAdams’s lenses. I found his perspectives to be truly enlightening. For example, I absolutely love the way that he describes the interconnectedness of people in the world. McAdams posits, “The stories we create influence the stories of other people, those stories give rise to still others, and soon we find meaning and connection within a web of story making and story living” (McAdams, 1993, p. 37). Moving forward, I will certainly use his perspectives to analyze many people’s life stories.
I also enjoyed the book about the history of education, as I found it intriguing and insightful. I loved the way in which she presented the different educational eras, and found her outlook on the future to be inspiring. Graham states, “Let us hope that our successors a century from now will find their educational institutions as much improved then as we find ours compared to those of our predecessors” (Graham, 2005, p. 256). The protean world of education needs teachers and professors who can be malleable and adaptive in nature. Having the knowledge of a broad range of topics allows for this flexibility.
I also found the book about inclusion to be very enjoyable as well. I particularly enjoyed how the author offered perspectives as they related to the life course. This provided the reader with various perspectives about “disabilities” and how they influence one’s life at various stages. One quote that resonated with me the most was, “The very idea of ‘curing’ disability is the core element in the discrimination of disabled people because the ‘curing ideal’ resides in conformity and normalcy” (Priestley, 2003, p. 57). I found this quote to represent one of the larger themes presented in the book, which focused on conformity and normalcy. I do not believe that there is such a thing as normalcy, or a normal person. Instead, I contend that we live in a world where we have formed an intricate web of differing people that all want the same thing - to be recognized as equal. I also have to say that I very much enjoyed the inclusion discussion assignment of the class. I found the discussion to truly delve into this important topic further than any paper or presentation could have. I certainly hope that this discussion stays in the curriculum in the future.
I strongly believe that future classes should maintain the variety of project options that were presented. I thoroughly enjoy writing, however, I feel that this class touched different aspects of one’s intelligences, and thus allowed for greater comprehension. There should always be a myriad of choices for students due to the diverse learning styles. One example that supports this claim can be seen in the Foundational Studies Project. Allowing members of the class to work together in a group allowed for an inclusive and creative environment. Additionally, presenting in front of the class fostered a further comprehension for the material. Furthermore, I gained a further appreciation and became passionate about the content of our presentation.
There are only a couple of suggestions, changes, or comments that I have about the class. Firstly, I am certainly cognizant of the importance of proper APA format, but I believe that the material should be covered in the beginning of the class curriculum, not mid-semester. This might be conducive, as teaching the proper writing style later in the class detracts from the important material that the students are writing about. Secondly, I believe that a superfluous amount of content was presented in this class. I certainly enjoyed the myriad of topics, however, at times I felt somewhat rushed, as we had many other things to cover as well. There were times when I felt that a topic could have been discussed further, yet there was no time for this, as many other topics needed to be addressed. I am not sure how to go about changing this, but I would suggest that in the future, more time is spent on all of the topics, based on their salience in the field.
In its entirety, I would say that this class was amazing. The content covered over the course of the semester was both intriguing and felicitous. Much of the material and discussion allowed for introspective analysis of both the schools we work in and the Masters class itself. Additionally, the dynamic of the class certainly fostered a thriving learning environment. I also believe that the variety of projects touched upon many different intelligences, further allowing for a deeper comprehension of the material. It is important as educators to try to touch upon the various learning styles of students, and I feel that this class certainly offered ample opportunity for such. I fully understand why this was one of the first set of classes required to advance in this Masters program, and I certainly look forward to advancing my knowledge about education in the near future.
References
Graham, P. (2007). Schooling America: How the public schools meet the nation’s changing needs. New York: Oxford University Press.
McAdams, D. (1993). The stories we live by: Personal myths and the making of the self. New York: Guilford Press.
Priestley, M. (2003). Disability: A life course approach. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
