Education Studies: Essential Issues

Citation

Wells, S. (2003), "Education Studies: Essential Issues", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 17 No. 7, pp. 360-360. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijem.2003.17.7.360.1

Since the late 1980s, the study of education has moved away from a focus on the initial foundation subjects of history, sociology, philosophy and psychology that aimed to help future practitioners have a theoretical understanding of teaching; on which they would be able to make informed judgements about their work, and contribute to debates about the nature of education; to a system now whereby education departments are doing little more than producing “technicians” able to implement government policy directives.

This situation is best exemplified by the move away from potential head‐teachers studying for higher degrees in education with an emphasis on theoretical knowledge, to studying for the new government required qualification on headship, which is a totally practice‐based qualification. It is interesting to note that the leading research group universities with intakes of essentially upper socio‐economic students, offer BA degrees in the theoretical study of education without qualified teacher status, to students who will be looking for careers in management. While the former polytechnics essentially provide education degrees with qualified teacher status to, by and large, poorer students, perhaps we have not moved as far away from the nineteenth‐century divide of a leadership education for the middle classes and a vocational education for the poor, as we would like to think.

Therefore, this book is especially to be welcomed, focusing as it does on the theoretical underpinning ofeducation as a field of enquiry. The 11 chapters cover important topics, varying from early years education to globalization. In each case the authors examine their topic insightfully making astute comments drawing on the underpinning disciplines of the social sciences that inform education as a field of enquiry. This book is essential reading for all those concerned about education, especially for those working within the education system. For, unlike Lady Thatcher, who questioned why are we teaching “history of education to teachers”, 1 would argue if teachers are to have a powerful voice, then it is one that must be informed with more than a knowledge of the national curriculum.