After a jaundiced experience of the heated and unproductive Troppo education wars where Kevin Donnelly the education expert seemed primarily to be teaching people every standard right wing trope and rhetorical fallacy in the manual, it’s refreshing to read and participate in a serious and civilised discussion of secondary curricula at Catallaxy.
Note: After an email seeking clarification, I should point out that I’m not saying many of the participants in the Troppo debates were discourteous or uncivil nor on reflection that some productive insights didn’t arise. However, I don’t resile from my belief that Dr Donnelly mischaracterised others’ positions and breached courtesy and any sort of blog etiquette by referring to private emails in comments and deliberately mischaracterising my position – the same behaviour that when allegedly perpertrated by Left bloggers attracts the condemnation of the Right.
The education wars are interesting as I’ve gone back to university (via Open learning) and just finished my first essay on how my world view has been influcenced via gender, culture and other experiences.
At first I though it was postmodernist tripe and was worried how I would cope. However an excellent paper on how health care needs to account for Indigenous culture and language in the top end clarified some of the concepts. In turn I could relate the concepts back to my days as an English teacher in Japan. Hence I soon had a first draft of 1000 words. As I intend to take the philosophy stream it will be interesting to see if and when the dreaded bogeys of the education wars emerge.
The education wars are interesting as I’ve gone back to university (via Open learning) and just finished my first essay on how my world view has been influcenced via gender, culture and other experiences.
At first I though it was postmodernist tripe and was worried how I would cope. However an excellent paper on how health care needs to account for Indigenous culture and language in the top end clarified some of the concepts. In turn I could relate the concepts back to my days as an English teacher in Japan. Hence I soon had a first draft of 1000 words. As I intend to take the philosophy stream it will be interesting to see if and when the dreaded bogeys of the education wars emerge.
Interesting, Irant. It’s more sociology than po/mo or anything else (hence I’d chuck in class as well!) – we did a similar exercise over the course of a semester with first year Criminology students and found that people really enjoyed the opportunity of reflecting how their views had been shaped.
Interesting, Irant. It’s more sociology than po/mo or anything else (hence I’d chuck in class as well!) – we did a similar exercise over the course of a semester with first year Criminology students and found that people really enjoyed the opportunity of reflecting how their views had been shaped.
One of the readings for the essay had explicit po/mo concepts regarding knowledge and concepts of the self. It was presented as an historical overview of knowledge and learning though the author did lean to po/mo conclusions. But the exercise was quite interesting.
The course I am doing is an introduction to university learning (as 15 yrs have elapsed and thought it would be a good refresher). It is nowhere near as dry as I thought it would be and have enjoyed it so far (apart from spending the Easter weekend reading and writing to make this Friday’s deadline).
One of the readings for the essay had explicit po/mo concepts regarding knowledge and concepts of the self. It was presented as an historical overview of knowledge and learning though the author did lean to po/mo conclusions. But the exercise was quite interesting.
The course I am doing is an introduction to university learning (as 15 yrs have elapsed and thought it would be a good refresher). It is nowhere near as dry as I thought it would be and have enjoyed it so far (apart from spending the Easter weekend reading and writing to make this Friday’s deadline).
Ok. I’ve always said that the old po/mo has some useful epistemological perspectives!
Ok. I’ve always said that the old po/mo has some useful epistemological perspectives!
who was the author, Irant?
who was the author, Irant?
Kim,
The paper on indigenous culture or the lecture which delved into pomo?
I agree that pomo is useful Mark. A discussion regarding pomo on a mailing list many moons ago lead to an exchange with a US prof who kindly spent a fair bit of time via email pointing out some of the errors in my thinking (I was one of may going off about those dastradly French philosophers). It was very illuminating and changed my attitude to being more positive in regards to pomo.
Kim,
The paper on indigenous culture or the lecture which delved into pomo?
I agree that pomo is useful Mark. A discussion regarding pomo on a mailing list many moons ago lead to an exchange with a US prof who kindly spent a fair bit of time via email pointing out some of the errors in my thinking (I was one of may going off about those dastradly French philosophers). It was very illuminating and changed my attitude to being more positive in regards to pomo.
4ggt7vtv654v86b6
4ggt7vtv654v86b6