Detailed study of theoretical and policy topics and issues related to education studies. May be repeated for credit with different topics. May not be taken pass/fail.
| Distribution Area | Prerequisites | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 course |
As an area of study, educational futures does not aim to predict the future. Instead, it imagines possible, probable, and preferable futures for education. This course takes a transdisciplinary and global approach to map social and political alternatives for educational futures. Particular emphasis is placed on the roles of education, schooling, and curriculum in world building. Through film, art, theory, current scholarship, and other relevant materials, we will develop intellectual and practical strategies to ethically and creatively address urgent challenges.
"Mossing" in Japan, rising sea levels in the Pacific Ocean, "moss girl summer" on social media, and dramatic economic inequality: how do these connect? Educational landscapes are rapidly shifting due to the intensifying ecological crisis and Empire. Using moss and other plants as collective "conceptual handholds," students will gain a critical understanding of how diverse perspectives beyond the U.S. grapple with teaching and learning these issues. They will trace the plant's stories through education's contemporary theories to first, make sense of, and second, to critically analyze the complex globalized relationships between Empire and ecological crisis. Scholarly work from Finland, Norway, and Oceania, including Aotearoa New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands, and popular culture such as film and art from Japan, Belgium, and the UK will provide context. Drawing upon these cross-cultural engagements, students will develop a two-part project designed to connect the local to the planetary, selecting an object as their own "conceptual handhold" to teach new--creative and ethical--stories about Empire and eco-crisis.