A Student-centred Sociology of Australian Education: Voices of Experience (Critical Studies of Education, 13)

"This book is based on a comparative study from 2018, of four different approaches to education, according to 2,500 Australians' experiences of them, on a range of topics. It shows that whilst the critical approach has strong research-based support across the board, sometimes a liberal, conservative or post-modern approach may have some merit for certain outcomes. This is a book about challenging our biases and calling on ourselves to aim higher for education, than what our own pre-conceived ideas might allow. What and who is valued in education, and the social roles and identity messages learned, differ wildly from school to school. Education is most impacted by the orientation of education dominant in that context - whether conservative, liberal, critical or post-modern. These terms are often used with little practical data on the real-life schooling they entail. Who learns what in which approach? Who learns best with which approach, on which topic and why? This book provides this previously missing information. It offers holistic, detailed descriptions of conservative, liberal, critical and post-modern approaches to education broadly. It provides statistics and stories from real students on how the four approaches work practically in schools in relation to: age, gender, sexuality, social class, race, news-media, popular culture and technology. Chapters offer background information to the four perspectives, data from student participants, tutorial questions and activities, and suggestions for further reading." -- prové de l'editor Contents Chapter 1: Introducing Sociology of Education 1.1 What Is the Sociology of Education? 1.2 Why Is the Sociology of Education Useful? 1.2.1 Conservative Education 1.2.2 Liberal Education 1.2.3 Critical Education 1.2.4 Post-modern Education 1.3 Research Frame and Aims References Chapter 2: Designing a Comparative Sociological Education Study 2.1 Reference Group 2.2 Overall Approach 2.3 Data Collection Tool 2.4 Terminology Use in the Study 2.5 Ethical Considerations 2.6 Sampling 2.7 Study Concept, Recruitment and Promotion 2.8 Data Analysis and Reporting References Chapter 3: Basic Demographics for Voices of Experience Participants 3.1 Number of Participants 3.2 Age 3.3 Cultural and Language Diversity (CALD) 3.4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Representation 3.5 Sex Marker Assigned at Birth 3.6 Gender Identity Now 3.7 Intersex Variation 3.8 Sexual Orientation 3.9 Disability 3.10 Wealth/Level of Resources 3.11 State/Territory of School 3.12 Sector/Type of School References Chapter 4: Paradigm: Australia’s Largely Liberal and Conservative Schools 4.1 Introduction to Australia’s Largely Liberal and Conservative Schools 4.2 Australian School Education Orientations Data 4.3 Conservative Australian Schools 4.4 Liberal Australian Schools 4.5 Critical Australian Schools 4.6 Post-modern Australian Schools References Chapter 5: Age: Australia’s Staging of Ageing via Spiral Curricula 5.1 Introduction to Staging of Ageing 5.2 Australian School Age Approaches Data 5.3 Conservative Age Approaches: Protecting the Romantic and Knowing Child 5.4 Liberal Age Approaches: Upskilling Informed and Developing Decision-Makers 5.5 Critical Age Approaches: Empowering Future Citizens 5.6 Post-modern Age Approaches: Deconstructing Social Constructs and Partial Subjects References Chapter 6: Sex and Gender: Australian Schools Shout Sex and Whisper Gender 6.1 Introduction to Gender Wars 6.2 Australian School Gender Approaches Data 6.3 Conservative Gender Approaches: Sex Segregation 6.4 Liberal Gender Approaches: Equal Opportunity 6.5 Critical Gender Approaches: Feminism and Gender Diversity 6.6 Post-modern Gender Approaches: Deconstructing Gender References Chapter 7: Sexuality: Australian Schools’ Sexuality Wars 7.1 Introduction to Sexuality Wars 7.1.1 Australian School Sexuality Approaches Data 7.2 Conservative Sexuality Approaches: Transmitting Dominant Sexualities 7.3 Liberal Sexuality Approaches: Teaching Sexuality Skills and Knowledge 7.4 Critical Sexuality Approaches: Redressing Marginalised Sexualities 7.5 Post-modern Sexuality Approaches: Exploring Sexuality Frameworks References Chapter 8: Social Class: Australian Schools Won’t Merit the Need 8.1 Introduction to Class Wars 8.2 Australian School Class Approaches Data 8.3 Conservative Class Approaches: Charitably Stratified 8.4 Liberal Class Approaches: Competitively Meritocratic 8.5 Critical Class Approaches: Equal Outcomes-Focused Schemes 8.6 Post-modern Class Approaches: Questioning Class Systems References Chapter 9: Race: Australia’s Critical Racial and Cultural Curricula 9.1 Introduction to Race Wars 9.2 Australian School Race Approaches Data 9.3 Conservative Race Approaches: Racial Segregation 9.4 Liberal Race Approaches: Assimilation and Add-Ons 9.5 Critical Race Approaches: Anti-racist Multi-culturalism 9.6 Post-modern Race Approaches: Complexifying ‘Race’ References Chapter 10: News Media: Australian Schools on Fake News and Media Objectivity 10.1 Introduction to News Media Objectivity Debates 10.2 Australian News Media Approaches Data 10.3 Conservative Media Approaches: Acritical Authorisation 10.4 Liberal Media Approaches: Balanced Neutrality 10.5 Critical Media Approaches: Exposing Propaganda 10.6 Post-modern Media Approaches: Norm-Challenging References Chapter 11: Popular Culture: Teaching Traditional Canons vs. Playing with Post-Modern Pastiche 11.1 Introduction to Popular Culture Wars 11.2 Australian Popular Culture Approaches Data 11.3 Conservative Culture Approaches: Canonical Classics 11.4 Liberal Culture Approaches: Learning Lures 11.5 Critical Culture Approaches: Revolutionary Art 11.6 Post-Modern Culture Approaches: Post-Modern Pastiche References Chapter 12: Technology: Australia’s Phone Bans and Educational Use 12.1 Introduction to Technology Debates 12.2 Australian Technology Approaches Data 12.3 Conservative Technology Approaches: Restrictive Use 12.4 Liberal Technology Approaches: Competitive Use/ BYOD 12.5 Critical Technology Approaches: Equitable Use 12.6 Post-modern Technology Approaches: Complex Tech Ethics References Chapter 13: Conclusion and Recommendations 13.1 Conclusion and Recommendations 13.2 The Dominant Approaches to Education in Australian Schools 13.3 Different Dominant Approaches on Specific Issues or in Specific Schools 13.4 Useful Approaches for Educational Engagement, Wellbeing and Resilience Outcomes 13.5 Harmful Approaches for Educational Engagement, Wellbeing and Resilience Outcomes 13.6 Rethinking Teacher Education, Educational Advocacy and Research References Index