MASTER OF EDUCATION

MEd
School of Education and Cognitive Science

EPS 613
PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
(Core)
ASSIGNMENT (60%)
September 2023 semester
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INTRODUCTION

• This Guide explains the details about the Assignment.

• Follow the instructions given
• Read through the whole guide.
• ‘DO NOT COPY AND PASTE’ OR COPY FROM:
o The Learning Materials
o Any AI Tool

ACADEMIC WRITING

NOTE the following:

a) Plagiarism

i) What is Plagiarism?
Any written assignment (essays, project, take-home exams, etc) submitted by
a student must not be deceptive regarding the abilities, knowledge, or amount
of work contributed by the student. There are many ways that this rule can be
violated. Among them are:

o Paraphrases: The student paraphrases a closely reasoned argument of

an author without acknowledging that he or she has done so. (Clearly,
all our knowledge is derived from somewhere, but detailed arguments
from clearly identifiable sources must be acknowledged.)

o Outright plagiarism: Large sections of the paper are simply copied from
other sources, and are not acknowledged as quotations.

o Other sources: often include essays written by other students or sold

by unscrupulous organisations. Quoting from such papers is perfectly
legitimate if quotation marks are used and the source is cited.

o Works by others: Taking credit deliberately or not deliberately for works

produced by another without giving proper acknowledgement. Works
includes photographs, charts, graphs, drawings, statistics, video-clips,
audio-clips, verbal exchanges such as interviews or lectures,
performances on television and texts printed on the web.

o The student submits the same essay to two or more courses.

ii) How can I avoid Plagiarism?

o Insert quotation marks around ‘copy and paste’ clause, phrase,
sentence, paragraph and cite the original source

o Paraphrase clause, phrase, sentence or paragraph in your own words

and cite your source

o Adhere to the APA (American Psychological Association) stylistic

format, whichever applicable, when citing a source and when writing out
the bibliography or reference page
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o Attempt to write independently without being overly dependent of

information from another’s original works

o Educate yourself on what may be considered as common knowledge

(no copyright necessary), public domain (copyright has expired or not
protected under copyright law), or copyright (legally protected).

iii) Turnitin Plagiarism Checker

An Originality Report is an indication of similarities between a piece of work

submitted by a student and a database of previously submitted work, websites
and other sources. If a match between a submitted piece of work and an
existing work is found, Turnitin will highlight the matching text and provide a
summary on the Originality Report.

According to AeU University policy, the percentage of originality report must

not exceed 20% (Similarity Index). Please revise your assignment/ project
paper/ dissertation or thesis if more than 20%.

Please refer to the guide which is available on [MyPLS > Plagiarism Checker
> Student Guide].

b) Documenting Sources

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or otherwise refer to the work of

another, you are required to cite its source parenthetical documentation. Offered here
are some of the most commonly cited forms of material.

Direct
Simply having a thinking skill is no assurance that children will
use it. In order for such skills to become part of day-to-day
behaviour, they must be cultivated in an environment that value
and sustains them. “Just as children’s musical skills will likely lay
fallow in an environment that doesn’t encourage music, learner’s
thinking skills tend to languish in a culture that doesn’t encourage
thinking” (Tishman, Perkins and Jay, 1995, p.5)

Indirect
According to Wurman (1988), the new disease of the 21st century
will be information anxiety, which has been defined as the ever-
widening gap between what one understands and what one
thinks one should understand.
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c) Referencing

All sources that you cite in your paper should be listed in the Reference section at the
end of your paper. Here’s how you should do your Reference.

From a Journal
DuFour, R. (2002). The learning-centred principal: Educational
Leadership, 59(8). 12-15.

From an Online Journal

Evnine, S. J. (2001). The universality of logic: On the connection
between rationality and logical ability [Electronic version].
Mind, 110, 335-367.

From a Webpage
National Park Service. (2003, February 11). Abraham Lincoln
Birthplace National Historic Site. Retrieved February 13, 2003,
from http://www.nps.gov/abli/

From a Book
Naisbitt, J. and Aburdence, M. (1989). Megatrends 2000. London:
Pan Books.

From a Chapter in a Book

Nickerson, R. (1987). Why teach thinking? In J. B. Baron & R.J.
Sternberg (Eds), Teaching thinking skills: Theory and practice. New
York: W.H. Freeman and Company. 27-37.

From a Printed Newspaper

Holden, S. (1998, May 16). Frank Sinatra dies at 82:
Matchless stylist of pop. The New York Times, pp. A1,
A22-A23.
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DETAILS OF THE ASSIGNMENT (60%)

INSTRUCTION

1. There Four (4) Parts in this assignment.

2. You are required to answer ALL Parts.
3. Provide references at the end of each question.
4. Use the materials on MyPLS on the given Units and other relevant
materials.

Part A (14%) – 6 to 7 pages

Write an essay titled:

Ancient Greek Philosophers Socrates and Plato on the Goals of

Education and the Curriculum

Objective:

To explore, analyse, and compare the views on education held by ancient

Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato. Through this assignment, you s
will develop an understanding of the origin and the legacy of these
classical thinkers in contemporary educational philosophy.

Instructions:

Introduction: Provide a brief overview of Socrates and Plato, outlining

their historical context and general contributions to philosophy and
education.

Socratic Method: Explore the Socratic method as an educational

technique. How does the Socratic method prioritize inquiry and critical
thinking? What is its role in moral and intellectual development according
to Socrates?

Plato’s Education: How does Plato view the role of education in the ideal
state? What is the function of education in forming the philosopher-
king?
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Role of Teachers: Compare how Socrates and Plato viewed the role of
the teacher or educator. How do their views differ, and what might be
the implications of these differences for their respective educational
models?

Curriculum and Subjects: Examine the subjects and curriculum that

Socrates and Plato believed to be important. Were there similarities or
differences in what they considered essential knowledge?

Ethics and Education: Both philosophers place a strong emphasis on the

moral dimension of education. Compare their views on the relationship
between education and ethical development.

Contemporary Relevance: Discuss the relevance of Socratic and Platonic

educational philosophies in today’s educational landscape. Are there
current educational models or methods that seem to draw from these
ancient philosophies?

Personal Reflection: Based on your analysis, do you find the views of

Socrates or Plato more compelling or applicable to modern education?
Explain why.

Conclusion: Summarize your key findings and reflections.

• Use your own words

• The above is a guide and you are free to add and go beyond the above
statements.
• Write critically giving your own opinion.
• Cite the sources you referred to at the end of your answer using the
APA format.
• DO NOT USE any AI Tool
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Part B (12%) – 6 pages

Write an essay titled:

Education and Social Mobility among Men and Women

To critically analyse the role of education in facilitating or hindering

social mobility among men and women.

Instructions:

Part A – 2 pages

Brief description on what is social mobility and the different types of

social mobility

Part B – 4 pages

• Does education promote or hinder social mobility?

• Is there is difference in social mobility between men and women?

• You can decide on the format of the essay.

• Use your own words
• Write critically giving your own opinion.
• Cite the sources you referred to at the end of your answer using the
APA format.
• DO NOT USE any AI Tools
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Part C (14%) – 6 to 7 pages

Write an essay titled:

The Educational Philosophies of Confucius and Al-Farabi

Objective:

To explore, analyse, and compare the views on education espoused by al-

Farabi, an Islamic philosopher, and Confucius, a Chinese philosopher.

Instructions:

Introduction: Begin by providing a brief background on al-Farabi and

Confucius, highlighting their historical and cultural contexts.

Al-Farabi's Views on Education: Discuss the core elements of al-Farabi's

philosophy on education, including the goals of education, the roles of
teachers and students, and the subjects considered important.

Confucius’s Views on Education: Outline the essential aspects of

Confucian education, focusing on the goals, roles of teachers and
students, and key subjects.

Comparative Analysis: Compare and contrast the educational philosophies

of al-Farabi and Confucius. Consider the purpose of education, role of
ethics or virtue, role of teachers and student, and what should be taught.
Are there any specific curricular elements that they both emphasize or
differ on?

Modern Applications: Evaluate the applicability of these ancient

philosophies in contemporary education systems. Are there elements
from each that you believe are particularly relevant today?

Personal Reflection: Reflect on how learning about these philosophers

has influenced your own views on education. Are there principles from al-
Farabi or Confucius that resonate with you? Why or why not?
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• The above is just a guide. You can decide on your format of the essay.
• Use your own words
• Write critically giving your own opinion.
• Cite the sources you referred to at the end of your answer using the
APA format.
• DO NOT USE any AI Tools

Part D (20%) - 10-11 pages

Objective:
To critically analyse and reflect on how your school experience has played
a role in your socialisation. This exercise encourages you to think deeply
about the influence of school on your social development, value systems,
interpersonal relationships, and understanding of societal norms and
expectations.

Instructions:

Introduction: Begin by briefly outlining what socialisation means to you and

state the main aspects of your identity that you believe have been
influenced by your schooling (e.g., social skills, cultural awareness, gender
roles, etc.).

Social Norms and Rules: Describe the implicit and explicit social norms and
rules you have learned in school. For example, you might discuss how school
taught you about authority, discipline, punctuality, and social hierarchies.

Peer Interaction: Discuss the role of peer relationships in your

socialization process. How have friendships, group dynamics, and peer
pressure influenced your behavior, values, and self-perception?
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Influence of Teachers and Curriculum: Consider how teachers, teaching

styles, and the curriculum have influenced your social development. Were
there any subjects, lessons, or teaching methods that particularly
influenced your understanding of society?

Extracurricular Activities: If applicable, discuss the role of

extracurricular activities (like sports, clubs, or volunteer work) in shaping
your social skills, interests, and community engagement.

Impact of Diversity: Reflect on how diversity in the school environment

(race, ethnicity, religion, gender, etc.) has influenced your understanding
of the wider world. Did it challenge or reaffirm pre-existing beliefs?

Family vs. School: Compare and contrast the socialization you've

experienced in school with that from your family. Are there conflicting
messages? How have you reconciled them?

Positive and Negative Impacts: Identify and analyse both the positive and
negative impacts that school socialization has had on you. This could include
skills you’ve acquired, stereotypes you've confronted or internalised, etc.

Critical Evaluation: Critically evaluate the socialisation process in school.

Do you believe it could be improved to better prepare students for life? If
so, provide specific recommendations.

Conclusion: Summarize your main points and offer final reflections on the
overall role of school in your socialization.

FORMAT

a) Format for the assignment:

a. 12 New Times Roman font

b. 1½ spacing

b) Submit online to MyPLS all the parts A, B, C and D in ONE FILE

c) Submit the Turnitin Report (the similarity index must be below 20%).
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d) APA style citations and references. You will be evaluated on adherence

to APA style

e) Use the Cover Page.

f) Name the file as SubjectCode_StudentID_YourName

END OF ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

ASSIGNMENT (60%)

SEPTEMBER 2023 SEMESTER

SUBJECT CODE : EPS 613

SUBJECT TITLE : PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIOLOGY OF

EDUCATION
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LEVEL : MASTER

STUDENT’S NAME :

MATRIC NO. :

:
PROGRAMME MASTER EDUCATION (MEd)

ACADEMIC :
FACILITATOR

LEARNING CENTRE :