module code/101/0/2024

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2024

EDUCATIONAL STUDIES IN CONTEXT

ESC3701

Year Module

Department of Educational Foundations

Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and

make sure that you have regular access to the module website,
ESC3701-24-Y, as well as your group website on myUnisa.

This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, only available on myUnisa.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 4
2 MODULE OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Outcomes ....................................................................................................................................... 7
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ............................................................................................ 7
4 LECTURERS AND CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................... 8
4.1 Lecturers ......................................................................................................................................... 8
4.2 Department ..................................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 University ........................................................................................................................................ 8
5 RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................. 9
5.1 Prescribed books ............................................................................................................................ 9
5.2 Recommended books ..................................................................................................................... 9
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ..................................................................................................... 9
5.4 Library services and resources ..................................................................................................... 10
5.5 Glossary of terms………………………………………………………………………………………….11

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ............................................................................................... 11

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme ............................................................................................... 11
7. STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 12
8 HOW TO STUDY A FULLY ONLINE MODULE........................................................................... 14
9. ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................. 14
9.1 Assessment criteria ...................................................................................................................... 14
9.2 Assessment plan .......................................................................................................................... 15
9.3 Assessment due dates ................................................................................................................. 15
9.4 Submission of assessments ......................................................................................................... 16
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions ........................................................................................ 17
9.5 Assessment guidelines ................................................................................................................. 18
9.6 Assignments 01, 02, 03 and 04 ……………………………………………………………….23
9.7 Other assessment methods .......................................................................................................... 32
9.8 The examination ........................................................................................................................... 35
9.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................... 35
10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY .......................................................................................................... 36

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10.1 Plagiarism ..................................................................................................................................... 36

10.2 Cheating ....................................................................................................................................... 36
11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ................................................................................... 37
12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .......................................................................................... 37
13. IN CLOSING ................................................................................................................................. 37

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Dear Student

1 INTRODUCTION
We would like to welcome you to Educational Studies in Context (ESC3701). We hope that
this shared module will give you a better understanding of the philosophy of education and
sociology of education and broaden your personal academic spheres of knowledge.

Unisa is a comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution.

Our curricula encapsulate a range of offerings, from strictly vocational to strictly academic
certificates, diplomas and degrees. Unisa's "openness" and its distance eLearning character
encourage many students who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to enrol for a
higher education qualification to register at the university. Our CODeL character means that
our programmes are carefully planned and structured to ensure success for students ranging
from the under-prepared but with potential to the sufficiently prepared.

Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involves multiple modes of delivery, ranging from
blended to fully online learning. All postgraduate programmes are offered fully online, with no
printed study materials being issued, while undergraduate programmes are blended, with
printed study materials being augmented with online teaching and learning via myUnisa, the
university’s learning management system. In some instances, undergraduate programmes
are offered fully online.

Our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the university. Unisa is
committed to serving humanity and shaping futures and combines this with a clear
appreciation of our location on the African continent. Consequently, Unisa graduates have
the following distinctive qualities:

• They are independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil
and serve in multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global
communities.

• They have a sound understanding of their location on the African continent, with its
histories, challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts.

• They are able to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of
information and data from multiple sources in a globalised world, with its ever-
increasing information and data flows and competing worldviews.

• They know how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically

and creatively to solve real-life problems.

• They have an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future
potential.

Whether a module is offered either as blended or online, Unisa uses myUnisa as our virtual
campus. This is an online system that is used to administer, document and deliver

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educational material to you and support engagement with you. Look out for information from
your lecturer as well as other Unisa platforms about how to access myUnisa. Information
about the tools that you will use to engage with your lecturer and fellow students will also be
communicated via various platforms.

Because this is a fully online module, you will need to use myUnisa to study and complete the
learning activities. Please visit the website for ESC3701 on myUnisa regularly (at least twice a
week). Go to https://mymodules.dtls.unisa.ac.za; you will then be prompted to choose the
module ESC3701-24-Y from the myModules list.

The module consists of two parts, namely Part A: Philosophy of education and Part B:
Sociology of education.

In Part A you will embark on a philosophical journey in education. In simple terms, philosophy is
the theory on which we base and according to which we live our lives, including our educational
lives. All of us, either knowingly or unknowingly, are guided by a certain philosophy, or ‘life
theory’. There are a number of different ‘life theories’ available to us, and it is these philosophies
– life theories – that we will explore and discuss in this module. We will look at how these
philosophies can influence education and, in particular, the formulation of different philosophies
of education. We live in a global world, and some of these philosophies have a very definite
impact on educational practice in terms of teaching and learning. The philosophies that we will
explore are African philosophy, Empiricism, Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, Critical Theory,
Postmodernism and Critical Realism. All these philosophies have both advantages and
disadvantages, certainly as far as education is concerned. If we are to improve our educational
endeavours, we need to know what these advantages and disadvantages are. In light of the
above, this part of the module will deal with the:

• main ideas of different philosophies

• main ideas of different philosophies of education and what they have to say about
contemporary issues and problems in education

• implications of the main ideas of the different philosophies for the philosophy of
education.

We hope that in completing this module, you will be able to develop your own philosophy of
education to help you reflect critically on:

• the philosophy of education which directs the education system in your country.

• the effectiveness of your own classroom practice in the education of your learners in
preparing them to live meaningfully in their communities, society and the world.

In Part B you will gain a theoretical understanding of the Sociology of education by critically
analysing three major theories/perspectives/approaches, namely functionalism, conflict theory
and symbolic interactionism. The module also focuses on the history of citizenship education,
citizenship education, and democracy and diversity. Sociology of education provides insight into
how schools operate in society and how the broader social context can have an impact on the
individual, such as the teacher and the learner. You will start by developing a close

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 understanding of the theories, as well as the concepts, used in the Sociology of education. You
will discover that concepts such as identity, race, social class and gender are central to the
discipline.

The module is also concerned with practical school and classroom matters, as you will be
required to implement the theories within a schooling context. To put it differently, you should
think about how sociological theory can assist you in understanding and gaining insight into
schooling and your learners’ social contexts. For example, knowing something about the social
class position of your learners can provide you, as a teacher, with a theoretical ‘handle’ on
some of the difficulties certain students face at home, at school and in society. Therefore, there
are close ties between theory and practice in this module. In addition, a central focus of the
module is the encouragement of critical thinking – we do not want you to accept a theory
without thinking carefully about it and critiquing it. You will develop the ability to formulate a
critique by working through questions relating to selected theories.

Therefore, this part of the module will deal with:

• sociology of education theories and concepts

• the application of these theories and concepts to schooling and classroom practice

• critiques of the theories of sociology of education.

Although we are here to support you throughout your studies, if you are to complete this module
successfully, you will need to take responsibility for your own progress. You will receive tutorial
letters at the beginning of the year. These tutorial letters will contain important information about
teaching, learning and assessment. Please read all the tutorial letters you receive immediately
and be able to refer to them as you need to as you work through the rest of the study material.
Please study the general and administrative information relating to this module carefully.

2 MODULE OVERVIEW
2.1 Purpose

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to a pluralistic, problem-centred approach to

Philosophy of education and Sociology of education. Qualifying graduates are encouraged to
reflect critically on the various philosophies of education and come to an understanding of the
possible meaning of education for learners and their communities. The module prepares
qualifying graduates to discuss the relationships between the various theoretical frameworks,
with special emphasis on African philosophy and epistemological traditions, including
indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). The module will also provide qualifying graduates with an
understanding of the social nature of education as a process and schooling as an evolving
social construct so as to maximise opportunities for teaching and learning by means of social
interaction. The module will serve as a framework for the analysis of social change in the South
African education and schooling system, with emphasis on issues such as constitutional and
educational social values, social processes, stratification in education linked to social cohesion,
and social justice on all levels.

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2.2 Outcomes

For this module, you will need to achieve the following outcomes:

Learning outcomes 1 to 3 (Philosophy of education)

• Identify and reflect critically on different philosophical ideas.
• Identify and reflect critically on different philosophies of education.
• Discuss the key philosophical ideas that need to be present in a philosophy of
education that best suits the South African context.

Learning outcomes 4 to 6 (Sociology of education)

• Analyse the nature/scope of and theories grounded in the Sociology of education for
solving educational problems.
• Examine the family and the school as micro and meso social construct systems of
education to overcome societal inequalities in both areas of analysis.
• Identify and apply a variety of societal roles, within the context of democratic
citizenship and diversity, linked to contextual realities relating to structural functions,
educational values and social justice.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as a
result of this you will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented
by Unisa, together with the way in which the content is conceptualised in your modules. We
encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way
within the framework of transformation.

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4 LECTURERS AND CONTACT DETAILS
4.1 Lecturers

The primary lecturer for this module is:

Mrs TM Myende (Philosophy of education and Sociology of education)
Department: Educational Foundations
Telephone: +27 12 444 8812
E-mail: myendtm@unisa.ac.za

The secondary lecturer for this module is:

Dr N Ndwandwe (Sociology of education)

Department: Educational Foundations
Telephone: +27 12 429 6956
E-mail: ndwannd@unisa.ac.za

4.2 Department

Contact details for the Department of Educational Foundations are as follows:

Departmental Secretary: Mrs D Tjikana

NS Radipere Building, Room 6-82

Telephone: 012 429 6009

E-mail: ndaladn1@unisa.ac.za

4.3 University

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please supply your student number in all correspondence with the university.

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed books

Part A: Philosophy of education - Higgs, P. & Smith, J. 2017. 2nd edition. Philosophy of
education today: An introduction. Cape Town: Juta. (We will use the abbreviation PE to refer to
this source.)

Part B: Sociology of education - Siyakwazi, P., Du Plessis, S. et al 2018. Sociology of

education. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. (We will use the abbreviation SoE to refer to
this source.)

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5.2 Recommended books

There are no recommended books for this module. (See E-reserves below.)

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library webpage. More information is available
at: http://oasis.unisa.ac.za/search/r

Philosophy of education

Higgs, P. 2012. The decolonization of education in Africa: some critical reflections. Education
Philosophy and Theory, 44(2):37–55.

Ramose, M. 2004. In search of an African philosophy of education. South African Journal of

Higher Education, 18(3):138–152.

Sabol, T.J. 2012. Recent trends in research on teacher–child relationships. Journal of

Attachment and Human Development, 14(3):213–231.

Hultgren, F.E. 1995. The phenomenology of doing ‘phenomenology’: the experience of teaching
and learning together. Human Studies, 18, 372–388.

Steyn, D.M. 2011. You had me Foucault: living pedagogically in the digital age. Journal of Text
and Performance Quarterly, 31(3):249–266.

Rata, E. 2012. The politics of knowledge in education. British Educational Research Journal,
38(1):103–124.

Cruickshank, J. 2002. Critical realism and critical theory. Journal of Critical Realism, 1(10):49–
66.

Sociology of education

Anatasiu, I. 2011. Family and school understood as agents of socialization. Eurometer Journal,
2(2):1–7.

Ballantine, J., Hammock, F.M. & Stuber, J. 2017. A sociology of education: a systematic
analysis. 8th edition. California: Sage. Chapter 4: Gender.

Ballantine, J. & Spade, J. 2015. Schools and society: a sociological approach to education.
California: Pine Forge Press. Chapter 1: What is Sociology of Education? pp 1–34.

Barbier, E.B. 2016. Does land degradation increase poverty in developing countries? PLos One,
11(5)(e0152973).

Bronfenbrenner, U., 1994. Ecological models of human development. International

Encyclopedia of Education, 3(2), pp 37-43.

Feinberg, W. & Soltis, J.F. 2009. Schools and society. 5th edition. New York: Teachers College
Press. Chapter 4: Marxist theory and education. pp 41–56.

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Giddens, A. & Sutton, P.W. 2009. Sociology. 6th edition. Cambridge: Polity Press. Chapter 1:
What is sociology? pp 3-31.

Giddens, A. & Sutton, P.W. 2009. Sociology. 6th edition. Cambridge: Polity Press. Chapter 16:
Race, ethnicity and migration. pp 704–723.

Kemper, T.D. 1976. Marxist and Functionalist theories in the study of stratification. Common
elements that lead to a test. Social Forces, 54:559–578.

Woods, P. 2012. Sociology and the school. An interactionist viewpoint. London: Routledge &
Kegan Paul. Chapter 1: Interactionism and the school. pp 1–17

5.4 Library services and resources

The Unisa library offers a range of information services and resources. The library has
created numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:

• For brief information about the library, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance

• For more detailed library information, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• Frequently Asked Questions,
visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Frequently-Asked-Questions
• For research support and services such as the Personal Librarian service and the
Information Search Librarian's Literature. For a Search Request (on your research topic)
service, visit http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Research-support.
• For library training for undergraduate
students, visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Training
• Lending Services - https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Lending-services
• Services for Postgraduate students -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-Postgraduates
• Support and Services for students with disabilities -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-students-with-
special-needs
• Library Technology Support - https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
• Finding and using library resources and tools -
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• A–Z list of library databases - https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-
help@unisa.ac.za
• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Interlibrary loan service for postgraduate students: libr-ill@unisa.ac.za
• Literature Search Service: Lib-search@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

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5.5 Glossary of terms

Glossaries for Philosophy of Education and Sociology of Education are available on myUnisa
(on the module site).

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Visit the Study @ Unisa site for important information and guidelines for successful studies
through Unisa.

If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the
following contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessments
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university, and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is
also true in the case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open
distance e-learning institution, and it is very different from face-to-face or contact institutions. It
is a mega university, and all our programmes are offered through either blended or fully online
learning. It is for this reason that we thought it necessary to offer first-time students additional or
extended support to help them seamlessly navigate teaching and learning at Unisa with little
difficulty and few barriers. We therefore offer a specialised student support programme to
students enrolling at Unisa for the first time – this is Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE)

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Programme, designed to provide prompt and helpful information about services that the
institution offers and how to access information. The following FYE services are currently offered:

FYE Website Email Support

www.unisa.ac.za/FYE fye@unisa.ac.za

FYE1500
Post
myUnisa; Study
Registration
Referrals to Skills; Academic &
Orientation Digital Literacies;
other support
services i.e. etc
Counselling;
Reading & Writing
workshops

To ensure that you do not miss out on important academic and support communication
from the SRU, please check your myLife inbox regularly.

7 STUDY PLAN
Consult the Study @ Unisa site for guidance regarding general time management and planning.
The site contains valuable information on where to begin with your studies. The closing dates
for assignments will be communicated later on the myUnisa platform. Plan your studies around
those dates.

YEAR PLANNER

PERIOD ACTIVITY

January – February 2024 • Familiarise yourself with the study material by reading
through the relevant chapters in the prescribed textbooks
for both streams.
• Introduce yourself to us and your fellow students on the

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discussion forum on myUnisa.

• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.

March – April 2024 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 01.
• Complete and submit Assignment 01 by the due date.
• Complete the activities in the relevant chapters of the
prescribed textbook and the online activities on myUnisa for
self-study. Do not submit your answers.
• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.
May 2024 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 02
(Philosophy of education).
• Complete and submit Assignment 02 by the due date.
• Complete the activities in the relevant chapters of the
prescribed textbook and online activities on myUnisa for
self-study. Do not submit your answers.
• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.
June 2024 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 03 (Sociology
of education).
• Complete and submit Assignment 03 by the due date.
• Complete the activities in the relevant chapters of the
prescribed textbook and online activities on myUnisa for
self-study. Do not submit your answers.
• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.
• Make sure that you have submitted all three assignments
July – August 2024 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 04 (Sociology
of education).
• Complete and submit Assignment 04 by the due date.
• Complete the activities in the relevant chapters of the
prescribed textbook and online activities on myUnisa for
self-study. Do not submit your answers.

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 • Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.
• Make sure that you have submitted all three assignments by
the applicable due dates.
September 2024 • Start preparing for the examinations.
• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on
myUnisa at least once.
October – November • Continue with intensive examination preparation.
2024 • Write examination.

8 HOW TO STUDY A FULLY ONLINE MODULE

Using the myUnisa platform is an important part of your online learning. You need to be able to
access your study material on the myModules platform from within myUnisa; participate in
discussion forums; submit assignments and examinations online; check the announcements for
each module and attend e-tutoring for some of your modules (where applicable).

For more information on what online learning entails, follow the link below:

myUnisa_Basic_Skills.pdf

9 ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria

You need to acquire knowledge that will allow you to reflect critically on contemporary issues
and problems in education, and on your own teaching practice in the classroom. The
assessment in this module will focus on your ability to:

• Identify and reflect critically on a number of philosophical ideas and philosophies of

education.
• Discuss the key philosophical ideas that need to be present in a philosophy of education
that best suits the South African context.
• Analyse the nature or scope of and theories grounded in the Sociology of education for
solving educational problems.
• Examine the family and the school as micro- and meso-social construct systems of
education to overcome societal inequalities in both areas of analysis.
• Identify and apply a variety of societal roles, within the context of democratic citizenship
and diversity, linked to contextual realities relating to structural functions, educational
values and social justice.

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9.2 Assessment plan

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit four (4) assessments.
• You will find all the information about when and where to submit your assessments on
the myModules site for this module.
• You will find the due dates for the assessments, as well as the assessments themselves
(also available on the tutorial letter), on the myModules site for this module.
• To gain admission to the examination, you must submit Assignment 01.
• The assignment weighting for the module is 20% – in other words, the combined mark for
all your assignments contributes 20% to your final mark.

Formative assessment

• Short questions (mandatory Assignments 01 & 02) (online submissions only).

• Essay-type questions (written assessment) (mandatory Assignments 03 & 04) (online
submissions only).

Summative assessment

• The mark you achieve for the examination will contribute 80% to your final mark. You will
write the examination online in October/November 2024.
• Feedback on assignments will be provided in Tutorial Letter 201 after the assignment
submission dates. The tutorial letter will also contain guidelines for examination
preparation.
• You will receive examination information via the myModules sites. Please watch out for
announcements on how examinations for the modules for which you are registered will
be conducted.

9.3 Assessment due dates

• The assignment due dates do not appear in this tutorial letter.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the myUnisa landing page for this
module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for the module.

9.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

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 • The myUnisa virtual campus offers students access to the myModules site, where
learning material is available online and where assessments are to be completed. This is
an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational material
to students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the

myModules 2024 button to access the sites for the modules that you are registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning
management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site
regularly, as this is where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter
(Tutorial Letter 101) and are only made available online. You must therefore access the
quiz online and complete it online where the quiz has been created.

• We do not recommend using a cell phone to complete quizzes – please rather use a
desktop computer, tablet or laptop to do so. Students who use a cell phone find it difficult
to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen, and often struggle to
navigate between questions in order to complete quizzes successfully. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• In the case of written assessments, please adhere to the due date by which the
assessment must be submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your
lecturer to complete the assessment. To upload your written assignment on the module
site, click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on myModules.
Before you finalise the upload, double check that you have selected the correct file.
Remember, you will not earn any marks if you submit the wrong assessment.

9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions

Assignments are defined as either optional, mandatory, compulsory, or elective.

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• Elective assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
- The best of the required submissions will count.
• Mandatory assignments (all four ESC3701 assignments will be mandatory)
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
• Compulsory assignments
- If not submitted, the result on the student’s academic record will be absent.
• Optional assignments – You are encouraged as a student to do optional
assignment so that it may benefit your learning.

I. Elective assignments
a. The student is given a choice of which assignments within an identified group to
submit. Only the best results, the number of which is specified in advance, will
contribute towards the student’s year mark.
b. Elective assignments must be grouped into an elective group.
c. In order for the student to select which assignment to submit, the elective
assignments must be grouped together. The student must be given relevant
information, such as how many of the assignments must be submitted and how many
of the assignment marks will be taken into account for the year mark.
d. The selection criteria define how marks received for assignments in an elective group
are to be combined to make up the year mark. Three different criteria may be used for
calculating the year mark:
• The best mark is used, or
• If the student submits fewer than the required number of assignments per group or
no assignment in a group, a mark of 0% will be used.
• 0% is awarded in the case of all non-submitted or unmarked assessments. A best
mark is then calculated from all items.

II. Mandatory assignments

a. The mark awarded for a mandatory assignment contributes to the year mark.
b. If a student fails to submit a mandatory assignment, no mark is awarded and the year
mark is calculated accordingly. The student will therefore forfeit the marks allocated to
this assignment when the final mark for the module is calculated.

III. Compulsory assessment

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 a. If a student fails to submit a compulsory assessment, they will fail a continuous
assessment module, but will be shown as absent from the examination in the case of
other modules.

IV. Optional assignments – Students are encouraged to do optional assignments, as these

may benefit their learning.

9.5 Assessment guidelines

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete four (4) mandatory assessments for this
module.

Guidelines for answering short questions (Assignments 01 and 02):

You are required to complete two assignments made up of short questions; each of these
assignments consist of 100 marks.

Part A (Philosophy of education): short questions are set on chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10

of the prescribed textbook (PE) (Learning units 1–7). These questions cover the core aspects of
these chapters. We believe that you need a broad overview of the subject matter so as to
develop a reasonable knowledge of all the philosophical perspectives pertaining to the human
and social sciences.

Part B (Sociology of education): short questions are set on chapters 1 to 4 of the prescribed
textbook (SoE) (Learning units 8 – 14). We suggest that you study the relevant chapters of your
prescribed book (SoE) carefully and work through the activities based on these chapters before
you attempt to complete these assignments.

Guidelines for answering the essay-type questions (Assignments 03 and 04)

Although students may plan together when preparing assignments, each student must write and
submit their own, individual assignment. In other words, your assignment must reflect your own
ideas expressed in your own words, with the possible inclusion of short, relevant quotations that
are properly referenced. It is unacceptable for several students to submit identical assignments
on the basis that they worked together. No assignment should be shared. Submitting identical
assignments is copying, which is a form of plagiarism, and none of these assignments will be
marked.

What will your lecturer be looking at when marking your assignment?

• Organisation of content
• Definition and use of relevant terms
• Correctness and relevance of information taken from the textbook, recommended
books and articles
• The correct use of the Harvard method of reference
• Integration, comparison and assessment of the collected facts
• Insufficient argumentation

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• Your own contributions, practical examples and conclusions.

• Correct language usage, spelling and sentence structure. Students often fail their
assignments due to one or more of the following:
➢ Lack of references in text
➢ Copying directly from the textbook without acknowledging the author – this
constitutes plagiarism
➢ No paraphrasing, ideas not expressed in the student’s own words
➢ Inadequate research, e.g. outdated sources; incorrect, incomplete or no bibliography
➢ Prescribed textbooks were not properly consulted
➢ Vague and common generalities that did not apply to the focus of the assignment

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism as it relates to academic writing is an enormous problem globally in this electronic

age. In this context, it involves taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others, and passing
them off as your own. This makes it a form of theft.

Unisa has a strict policy against plagiarism, articulated in the Disciplinary Code for Students
(2004), which is issued to all students at registration. Please study this code, especially sections
2.1.13 and 2.2.14 (2004:3–4). Also read the university’s Policy on Copyright Infringement and
Plagiarism.

For more information about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, and for guidelines on
developing paraphrasing skills, Google ‘plagiarism’ and ‘plagiarism examples’.

To avoid being guilty of plagiarism, please follow the guidelines below.

Reference techniques in the text

You may present information from other sources in either a direct or an indirect way:

• If you take information directly, or verbatim, from another source, you must present this as a
quotation, enclosed within inverted commas, and you must acknowledge the source. When
you quote directly, reproduce the wording, punctuation, spelling and emphasis used by the
original author exactly, even if it seems incorrect to you.
• If you present information from another source indirectly, you in essence paraphrase it; this
means that you give an account of or express another author’s thoughts or ideas in your
own words. However, you still need to acknowledge this author both in the text and in the
reference list or bibliography.
• We prefer the Harvard referencing method. According to this system, in-text references
consist of the author’s surname, the year in which the source was published, and the page
19
 number or page range in the cited work, in brackets.

In the example below, the in-text reference appears at the end of the direct quotation.

For example:

“Teachers and parents should try to make sure that the first experience of reading and writing is
purposeful and pleasurable for all children” (Reason & Boote 2005:15).

Please note the position of the full stop.

If the author’s name forms part of the sentence, only the year of publication and the page
number(s) in the work cited appear in brackets.

For example:

Lewis and Doorlag (1995:100) suggest several strategies for the management of classroom
behaviour.

Note:

Where the names of two or more authors form part of the sentence, use the word ‘and’, not
the ampersand (&). However, use the ampersand when the authors’ names appear between
brackets, as in the first example.

In an in-text reference to a source by two authors, give the surnames of both the authors. In an
in-text reference to a source by three or more authors, list the surnames of all the authors the
first time you acknowledge the source. However, after that, you give the surname of the first
author, followed by ‘et al.’.

For example:
The first time the source is mentioned:
Richel, Smith, Ntuli and Sithole (2003:27) are of the opinion that…
After that, you would write:
Richel et al. (2003:27) further state that…

Note:

Note the capitalisation in in-text references to sources by authors with surnames such as Van

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Wyk, Du Toit or De Wet:

For example:

Goldberg (1974) is quoted in Du Toit, Ntuli, Van Wyk, Naidoo and De Wet (2015:76) as being of
the opinion that every child should be seen as a unique human being.

• Entries in the bibliography

In a bibliography the entries are arranged in alphabetical order according to the surnames of the
authors. After the surname, the other information follows in a fixed sequence. Please follow this
exactly.

• Journal articles

Entries for journal articles consist of the surname and initials of the author, the date of
publication, the full title of the article, the name of the journal (this must be in italics/underlined),
the volume, the number (in that year) and then the number(s) of the page(s) on which the article
appears.

For example:

Lindsey, G. 2000. Assessing children with learning difficulties in the new era. Support of
Learning, 4(4):2009–215.

• The internet

You will find valuable information about recent research on the internet.

For example:

Source with an identified author:

Butler, K. 2006. Beyond rivalry: a hidden world of sibling violence. The New York Times, 28
February. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/health/28sibl.html (accessed 2019/10/11).

• More than one source by the same author published in the same year

21
If you refer to more than one source by the same author published in the same year, you
arrange the bibliography entries alphabetically according to the title of the source, and
distinguish between them by inserting the letter a, b, c, d and so on after the date of publication.

For example:
Malema, S. 1990a. A study of….
Malema, S. 1990b. Studies in….
Malema, S. 1990c. Xenophobia as a…
Malema, S. 1990d. Zacharia, book of…

In your in-text references, you would follow the same system.

For example:
Malema (1990d:376) conducted an in-depth analysis of…

The following assessment indicators will be used to assess your Assignments 03 and 04:

ASSESSMENT INDICATORS FOR ESSAY-TYPE ASSIGNMENTS

20– 49%:
• Did not follow assignment and reference instructions in Tutorial Letter 101/2024.
• Plagiarism detected.
• Assignment copied from another student – mark obtained equals to zero (0).

50 – 59%:
• Language and style: Use of English fairly correct; style fairly logical.
• Formulation: Comprehensible; meaning of sentences and paragraphs can be
understood.
• Structure: The discussion is in the form of an essay with an introduction and conclusion.
• Content: Reasonably detailed; information supported and relevant to the instructions,
with the correct referencing technique having been applied.
• No plagiarism.
60 – 69%
• Language and style: English correctly and idiomatically used; style logical.

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• Formulation: Ideas well formulated and meaning very clear.

• Essay-type structure: Well-organised essay with introduction, body and conclusion.
• Content: Theoretical and/or practical components were presented satisfactorily
according to the instructions; information supported and relevant, with the correct
referencing technique having been applied.
• No plagiarism.
70 – 74%
• The level of this category is higher than the previous one, but not yet worthy of a
distinction.
• Correct referencing technique was applied throughout.
• No plagiarism.
75 – 80%
• Language and style: Excellent proficiency in terms of grammar and idiom; fluent and
logical style.
• Formulation: Excellent formulation of ideas; meaning crystal clear.
• Structure: Near perfect structure in terms of introduction, body and conclusion; length
according to the requirements.
• Content: Theoretical and/or practical components discussed or explained in full detail
according to the instructions.
• Correct referencing technique was applied throughout.
• No plagiarism.
81 – 95%
• All the requirements of the above category are fulfilled to an outstanding degree to a
level above that of an initial distinction.
• Correct referencing technique was applied throughout.
• No plagiarism.

9.6 ASSIGNMENTS 01, 02, 03 AND 04

NB: All assessments should have the Honesty Declaration form attached.

ASSIGNMENT 01: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (PART A)

(SHORT QUESTIONS) (100 marks) – on the myUnisa Moodle platform

DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa

23
UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

Assignment 01 (short questions)

African Philosophy and an African Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 1
In comparing African Philosophy with Western philosophies, explain how empiricists would
define the four discourses of African Philosophy. (10)

QUESTION 2
According to Higgs and Letseka (2022: 14), “ubuntu translates to a commitment to peaceful co-
existence among ordinary South Africans despite their differences”. Recommend what learners
should be taught so that they are able to interact with their educators according to the principles
of ubuntu despite diversity and the power relations that prevail between educators and learners
in the classroom. (10)

QUESTION 3
Explain the implications of the infusion of indigenous knowledge systems into the South African
school curriculum. (10)

Empiricism and an Empirical Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 4
Examine the focus of Empiricism in education and highlight the key arguments of education
philosophers Locke, Peters, Waghid and Siegel. (10)

Phenomenology and a Phenomenological Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 5
Describe five strategies that you would use to implement a Phenomenological Philosophy of
Education in the classroom. (10)

Hermeneutics and a Hermeneutic Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 6

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Hermeneutics today is about the interpretation of life itself. Explain the relevance of
hermeneutics in education. (10)

Critical Theory and a Critical Theory Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 7

Discuss the most pertinent rejections of society that critical theorists express. (10)

QUESTION 8

In the 20th century, the influence of Critical Theory on Africa’s emancipation from colonial rule
was significant. Explain the influences that Critical Theory has had on education policies to
allow for progression in society. (10)

Postmodernism and a Postmodern Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 9

Explain to a layperson Postmodernism’s rejection of any unifying life theory that asserts that its
claims are universally true. (10)

Critical Realism and a Critical Realist Philosophy of Education

QUESTION 10

Explain the view held by Critical Realists of ontological and epistemological truths. What are the
implications of this for our understanding of knowledge? (10)

TOTAL: 100 MARKS

ASSIGNMENT 02: SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION (PART B)

(SHORT QUESTIONS) (100 marks) – on the myUnisa Moodle platform

DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa

UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

QUESTION 1
25
From a sociological point of view, education fulfils a number of functions.

Provide a brief explanation of how the function ‘activation of constructive and creative
forces’ can be understood. (10)

QUESTION 2
Talcott Parsons elaborates on how society functions as a system, and thus creates balance and
equilibrium.

With the above in mind, briefly explain Parsons’s view on the fundamental premises of
functionalism. (10)

QUESTION 3
Conflict Theorists have identified certain assumptions as being evident in the foundation of
conflict theory.

Briefly elaborate on the assumptions of conflict theory. (10)

QUESTION 4
Symbolic interactionism has been associated with family studies since the 1920s.

Briefly discuss in your own words how this theory is applied to family studies. (10)

QUESTION 5
Social institutions can be understood as established sub-systems that satisfy the basic needs of
society. Each institution has different responsibilities that contribute to the overall functioning
and stability of society.

Briefly explain the role of religion and the economy as social institutions. (10)

QUESTION 6
A healthy school ecology reflects the school’s own unique character and is an extremely
powerful force that can exert either a positive or a negative influence on the school community.

Briefly elaborate on the distinctive features of the school ecology as argued by Botha
(2002). (10)

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QUESTION 7

Read the case study ‘The dilemma of first- and third-world education systems’ (page 47 of the
prescribed textbook), and answer the following questions:

• If you were Katlego, how would you improve the South African national school
system? [5]
• How would you overcome the differences evident in the functioning of first- and
third-world schools? [5]
(10)

QUESTION 8

The citizenship education programme in post-apartheid South Africa provides valuable

opportunities for teaching about citizenship in schools and beyond.

Argue this point in detail and indicate whether this programme is adequate in producing
active, patriotic and global (cosmopolitan) citizens. (10)

QUESTION 9

Define the concept ‘social stratification’ and briefly explain the two characteristic criteria that
form the basis of social stratification. (10)

QUESTION 10
Gender is the socially learnt expectations and behaviours associated with members of each sex
(Anderson & Taylor 2009).

Based on the above statement, briefly analyse how the symbolic interactionists and
functionalists regard and apply the concept of gender in society. (10)

TOTAL: 100 MARKS

ASSIGNMENT 03: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (PART A)

(ESSAY-TYPE QUESTIONS) (100 marks) – on the myUnisa Moodle platform

27
DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa
UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

SECTION A [50 marks]

Hermeneutics and a Hermeneutics Philosophy of Education

Write an essay of not more than 5 typed pages (bibliography excluded) on the following
topic:

Hermeneutics

Structure your essay as follows:

1. Introduction to the essay, in which you define hermeneutics and hermeneutics in

education. (10)
2. Body of the essay, in which you discuss the contribution of hermeneutics theory in
terms of the:
2.1 Effect on student–teacher relationships (15)
2.2 Important role of critical theory in education (15)

3. Conclusion to the essay, in which you summarise the points discussed in the essay. No
new sources or new information should be introduced in the conclusion. (5)

4. Bibliography. Below are some references that you should consult in writing your essay.
You may, of course, consult other relevant sources. Remember that your bibliography
must be arranged in alphabetical order according to author surname.
(5)
References:

• Brauer, D. 2009. Alternate readings: Student hermeneutics and academic discourse.

Rhetoric Review, 29(1):69–87.
• Higgins, C. 2010. Teaching experience: toward a hermeneutic of teaching and teacher
education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 44(2/3):435–478.
• Maggioni, L. & Parkinson, M.H. 2008. The role of teachers’ epistemic cognition, epistemic
beliefs, and calibration of success. Educational Psychology Review, 20(4):445–461.

SECTION B [50 marks]

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Phenomenology and a phenomenological philosophy of education

Write an essay of not more than 5 typed pages (bibliography excluded) on the following
topic:

Phenomenology

Structure your essay as follows:

1. Introduction to the essay, in which you explain what phenomenology and

phenomenology in education are. (10)

2. Body of the essay, in which you:

2.1 discuss the contribution of phenomenology as a theory to our understanding of teaching

and learning. (15)

2.2 examine the teacher’s role in a phenomenological approach to education. (15)

3. Conclusion to the essay, in which you indicate the impact of phenomenology as a

theory in encouraging engaging learning environments.
(5)

4. Bibliography. Below are some references that you should consult in writing your essay.
You may, of course, consult other relevant sources. Remember that your bibliography
must be arranged in alphabetical order according to author surname.
(5)

References
• Hultgren, F.E. 1995. The phenomenology of doing “phenomenology”: the experience of
teaching and learning together. Human Studies, 18:372–388.
• Roth, W-M., Masciotra, D. & Boyd, N. 1999. Becoming-in-the-classroom: a case study of teaching
development through co-teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 15(7):777–784.
• Berndtsson, I., Claesson, S., Friberg, F. & Ohlen, J. 2007. Issues about thinking
phenomenologically while doing phenomenology. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology,
38(2):256–277.

ASSIGNMENT 04: SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

ASSIGNMENT 04 CONSISTS OF TWO ESSAY-TYPE QUESTIONS, EACH MARKED OUT

29
OF 50.
DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa
UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

QUESTION 1 [50 marks]

Write an essay of not more than five (5) typed pages (10 marks per page, reference list
excluded) on the following topic:

As a socialisation agent, the school as a human institution contributes towards the process of
‘creating a social self’ in an individual in society.
Discuss this statement by referring to the role of the school as socialisation agent in
society within the contexts of functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism.

Structure your essay as follows:

1. Introduction to the essay: Discuss the school as organisation and socialisation agent in
society. (5)

2. Body of the essay: Discuss the various functions of the school. (5)

3. Then present the social complexities related to the school as socialisation agent in
terms of the following perspectives/approaches:
• Functionalism and schooling (10)
• Conflict (Marxist) theory and schooling (10)
• Symbolic interactionism and schooling (10)

3. Conclusion: Finalise your essay by summarising the main points

that you raised. Do not include any new sources or new information in the conclusion. (5)

4. Reference list: Include only those sources that you have cited in the text in the
reference list. The reference list entries must be arranged in alphabetical order according
to author surname. In writing your essay, consult the sources available on the module
site, under e-Reserves. You may also consult additional articles that you find online by
using Google Scholar. (5)

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ESSAY-TYPE QUESTION 2 [50 marks]

Write an essay of not more than five (5) typed pages (10 marks per page, reference list
excluded) on the following topic:

The social construction of race refers to the process by which people define a group as a race
based on their physical characteristics, as well as historical, cultural and economic factors.
Discuss this statement by referring to race as social construct and linking race to how
functionalists, conflict theorists and symbolic interactionists view the racial issue in the
societal context.

Structure your essay as follows:

1. Introduction: Introduce what you intend to discuss in the essay,
and define your key terms. (10)
2. Body of the essay, in which you deal with the following:
• The functionalist’s view of race (10)
• The conflict theorist’s view of race (10)
• The symbolic interactionist’s view of race (10)

3. Conclusion: Finalise your essay by summarising the main points that you raised. Do not
include any new sources or new information in the conclusion. (5)
4. Reference list: Include only those sources that you have cited in the text in the
reference list. The reference list entries must be arranged in alphabetical order according
to author surname. In writing your essay, consult the sources available on the module
site, under e-Reserves. You may also consult additional articles that you find online by
using Google Scholar. (5)
TOTAL: 100 MARKS

9.7 OTHER ASSESSMENT METHODS

SELF-STUDY QUESTIONS (Philosophy of education)

There are a number of activities in each of the chapters in your prescribed book, and a number
of questions in the activities on myUnisa. Work through these activities and questions
systematically, recording your answers in a workbook of your own for future reference and for
31
study purposes. Your assignments and the examination will be partly based on these activities
and questions, so we recommend that you take the time to formulate comprehensive answers
to them. Please do not submit the answers to the questions in the activities. However, we have
selected a number of questions related to the content and activities in chapters 1 to 7 of the
prescribed textbook and included these below. Please do your best to answer them, and we will
provide feedback on them in a future tutorial letter.

CHAPTER 1: African Philosophy and education

1 What does it mean when someone says, “I am an African”? Does this claim refer merely
to the fact that the person lives in Africa, or does it say something more?
2 How can the notion of ubuntu be incorporated in:
• classroom practice and,
• the life of the school in general?
3 African Philosophy finds expression in four distinct discourses. List these discourses.
4 Does a sense of communality exist in your educational context, be it at school, college
or university? Provide examples to support your answer.
5 What educational values does African traditional thought emphasise?

CHAPTER 2: Empiricism and education

1 According to the empiricist point of view, how do we attain knowledge?
2 What can Empiricism help us to achieve in education?
3 What is the danger of Empiricism when applied to education?
4 What do you think the biggest problem in South African classrooms is today? Explain
the problem as clearly as you can and stick to the facts. When you have done this,
identify the philosophy you have based your explanation on and state why you believe
this to be the most applicable philosophy.
5 A philosophy that is similar to Empiricism is Pragmatism. What does Pragmatism teach
us?

CHAPTER 3: Scientific Rationalism and education

1 What does Scientific Rationalism (sometimes called Critical Rationalism) teach us?
2 What is the aim of Scientific Rationalism?
3 Why does Scientific Rationalism have only a very limited influence on formal education
systems?
4 What can Scientific Rationalism help us achieve in education?

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 ESC3701/101/0/2024

5 Can Scientific Rationalism be used by teachers in their classroom practice? Give

reasons for your answer.

CHAPTER 4: Phenomenology and education

1 What is Phenomenology?
2 In terms of Phenomenology as a philosophy, what is our biggest problem today, and
how should we go about dealing with or solving it?
3 Contemporary Phenomenology started with the work of which philosopher?
4 What does a phenomenological approach to education focus on?
5 How does Phenomenology respond to formal education systems?

CHAPTER 5: Hermeneutics and education

1 What is Hermeneutics?
2 If we use Hermeneutics as a philosophy of education, how will we view a problem?
3 If we follow the philosophy of Hermeneutics, what will our educational aims be?
4 Give the name of a philosopher who worked with Hermeneutics.
5 Constructivism is based on the philosophy of Hermeneutics. What is Constructivism’s
claim concerning knowledge and education?

CHAPTER 6: Critical Theory and education

1 What is Critical Theory?
2 Where did Critical Theory start, and which philosophers developed Critical Theory as a
philosophy?
3 What is Critical Theory’s criticism of modern schooling?
4 Paulo Freire’s major work, published in 1968, was entitled, Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Which two aspects of education disturbed him the most?
5 How do the proponents of Critical Theory view examination systems in education?

CHAPTER 7: Postmodernism and education

1 What is Postmodernism?
2 Give the names of three of the leading advocates of Postmodernism.
3 It is claimed by some educators that Postmodernism makes education more realistic.
Why is this claim made?
4 Where does Postmodernism succeed in education?
5. Deconstruction is Postmodernism’s partner; in that it helps postmodernists to view

33
 things differently. What would a deconstructionist working in education focus on?

Year mark

• In order for the final mark to be determined, Unisa requires students to have obtained a
year mark. For this module, Assignments 01, 02, 03 and 04 are all online compulsory
assignments, and each will contribute to the year mark as follows:

o Assignment 01: Year mark weight 15

o Assignment 02: Year mark weight 15
o Assignment 03: Year mark weight 35
o Assignment 04: Year mark weight 35
Total: Year mark weight 100

• Your combined mark for Assignments 01, 02, 03 and 04 will contribute 20% to your
examination final mark final mark, and your examination mark will contribute 80% to
your final mark. However, you will need to obtain a subminimum of 50% for the
examination in order to pass and to benefit from the year mark system.

You will receive examination information and details on the format of the examination
online via myUnisa. Look out for information that will be shared with you by your lecturer
and for communication from the university.

• Demarcation or “scoping” of examinations and assessments

In terms of a decision reached by the Colleges, lecturers may not demarcate or “scope”
specific work for examination purposes, and examination questions must be based on all
the work covered during the notional hours specified for modules. Lecturers should
therefore encourage students to study the full scope of the work. In cases where
competencies or skills are assessed differently during the tuition period, the various
methods of assessment will be clearly indicated by the lecturer in Tutorial Letter 201.
According to Assessment Procedure Manual 2013, paragraph 4.5.2(e), the examination
memorandums (guidelines, rubrics, and so on) will not be made available to
students.

• Examination paper

The examination is a three-hour online paper, which is marked out of 100.

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 ESC3701/101/0/2024

You will receive information about the composition of the examination paper in
Tutorial Letter 201 at the end of September 2024. At this stage we envisage that the
examination paper will consist of two parts (Part A: Philosophy of education and Part B:
Sociology of education), and will be written in October/November.

We suggest that you study the following when preparing for the examination:
Part A: the answers to the activities in the prescribed textbook, and the assignments.
Part B: the guidelines in Tutorial Letter 201, the assignments and the prescribed
textbook.

Previous examination papers are available to students on myUnisa in 2024. Consult

the Study @ Unisa site for general examination guidelines.

Finally, manage your examination preparation according to a strict time schedule that will
suit your personal circumstances and workload. With diligence and perseverance, you will
improve your chances of passing the examination and completing your studies
successfully.

9.8 THE EXAMINATION

As we stated earlier, examination information and details about the format of the examination
will be made available to you online via myUnisa. Look out for information that will be shared
with you by your lecturer and e-tutors (where relevant) and for communication from the
university.

9.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring
Since 2020 Unisa has been conducting all its assessments online. Given the stringent
requirements set by professional bodies and the increased solicitation of Unisa students by third
parties offering to unlawfully assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations,
the university is obliged to ensure its assessment integrity through the utilisation of various
proctoring tools: Turnitin, Moodle Proctoring, the Invigilator App and IRIS. These tools will
authenticate the student’s identity and flag suspicious behaviour to assure credibility of
students’ responses during assessments. The description below is for your benefit, as you may
encounter any or all of these in your registered modules.

35
Turnitin is plagiarism detection software that facilitates checks for originality in students’
submissions against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud
and ghost writing. Turnitin requires students to submit typed responses.

The Moodle Proctoring tool is facial recognition software that authenticates students’ identity
during their quiz assessments. This tool requires access to a student’s mobile or laptop
camera. Students must ensure that their camera is activated in their browser settings prior to
their assessment.

The Invigilator mobile application-based service verifies the identity of an assessment

participant. The Invigilator Mobile App detects student dishonesty-by-proxy and ensures that the
assessment participant is indeed the registered student. This invigilation tool requires students
to download the app from the Play Store (Google, Huawei, and Apple) on their mobile devices
(camera enabled) prior to their assessment.

IRIS Invigilation software verifies the identity of a student during assessment and provides for
both manual and automated facial verification. It has the ability to record and review a student’s
assessment session. It flags suspicious behaviour by a student for review by an academic
administrator. IRIS software requires installation on students’ laptop devices that are enabled
with a webcam.

Students who are identified and flagged for suspected dishonest behaviour on the basis of the
invigilation and proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceedings.

Check the module assessment information on the module site for the module for which you are
registered to find out which proctoring or invigilation tool will be utilised for your formative and
summative assessments.

10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
10.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism entails taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as your
own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references, or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.

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 ESC3701/101/0/2024

10.2 Cheating

Cheating includes the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another

student during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (this is termed contract
cheating).

For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.

If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact (Mrs T Myende at myendtm@unisa.ac.za) to discuss
the assistance that you need.

12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You will find an A–Z guide
of the most relevant study information on the Study @ Unisa site.

13 IN CLOSING

If you encounter academic problems relating to your studies, please contact us as soon as
possible either by e-mail or telephonically on Microsoft Teams.

We wish you every success with your studies!

Your lecturers

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Mrs T Myende, Dr S Ngobeni, Dr S du Plessis and Dr N Ndwandwe

©
Unisa 2024

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