ESC3701/101/0/2025

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2025

EDUCATIONAL STUDIES IN CONTEXT

ESC3701

Year Module

Name of Department
Department of Educational Foundations
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and
make sure that you have regular access to the myUnisa module
website, ESC3701-25-Y, as well as your group website.

Note: This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, available only 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 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................... 7
4.1 Lecturer(s) .......................................................................................................................................... 7
4.2 Department ........................................................................................................................................ 8
4.3 University ........................................................................................................................................... 8
5 RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................... 8
5.1 Prescribed book(s)............................................................................................................................. 8
5.2 Recommended book(s) ..................................................................................................................... 8
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ....................................................................................................... 8
5.5 Recommended guides: ...................................................................................................................... 9
5.6 Important contact information: ........................................................................................................... 9
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES .................................................................................................... 9
6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme ................................................................................ 10
6.2 Using Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to apply for module credit within a qualification. ........ 11
7. STUDY PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 12
8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE .............................................................................................................. 14
8.1 What does it mean to study fully online?......................................................................................... 14
9. ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................ 14
9.1 Assessment criteria ......................................................................................................................... 14
9.2 Assessment plan ............................................................................................................................. 15
9.3 Assessment/assignment due dates................................................................................................. 15
9.4 Submission of assessments/assignments ...................................................................................... 15
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions .......................................................................................... 16
9.5 The assessments/assignments ....................................................................................................... 17
9.6 Assignment 01, 02, 03, and 04 ........................................................................................................ 18
9.7 Other assessment methods............................................................................................................. 25
9.8 The examination .............................................................................................................................. 29
9.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring ....................................................................................................................... 29

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10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ............................................................................................................. 30

10.1 Plagiarism ........................................................................................................................................ 30
10.2 Cheating ........................................................................................................................................... 30
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ........................................................ 30
11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ..................................................................................... 30
12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ............................................................................................ 30
13. IN CLOSING .................................................................................................................................... 31

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1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

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

Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involves multiple modes of delivery, ranging from
blended to fully online learning. As a default position, all post-graduate programmes are offered
fully online with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmes are offered using
a blended mode of delivery where printed study materials are augmented with online teaching
and learning via the learner management system, myUnisa. In some instances, undergraduate
programmes are offered fully online as well.

Furthermore, our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the University.
Unisa's commitment to serving humanity and shaping futures – combined with a clear
appreciation of our location on the African continent – means that Unisa's graduates have
distinctive graduate qualities, which include:

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

• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent and taking
account of its histories, challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts

• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information
and data from multiple sources in a globalised world with ever-increasing information
and data flows and competing worldviews

• how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively

to solve real-life problems

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

This module is offered fully online.

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 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

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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 ESC3701-25-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
understanding of the theories, as well as the concepts, used in the Sociology of education. You

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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.

We wish you every success with your studies!

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 have to master several 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 that places 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 are being phased in at both
programme and module levels. 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, responsively
and within the framework of transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

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: [email protected]

The secondary lecturer for this module is:

Dr N Ndwandwe (Sociology of education)

Department: Educational Foundations
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Telephone: +27 12 429 6956
E-mail: [email protected]

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: [email protected]

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 include your student number in all correspondence.

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed book(s)

Part A: Philosophy of education - Higgs, P. & Letseka, M. 2022. 3rd 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.)

5.2 Recommended book(s)

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

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

Search for E-reserves at http://oasis.unisa.ac.za/search/r

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library webpage, option Find E-reserves

5.4 Library services and resources

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

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5.5 Recommended guides:

• For brief information on 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
• For Frequently Asked Questions, go to
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 Search Request (on your research topic)
service, go to http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Research-support
• For library training for undergraduate students, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Training
• For Lending Services, go
to https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Lending-
services
• For Services for Postgraduate students, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-Postgraduates
• For Support and Services for students with disabilities, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-students-with-
special-needs
• For Library Technology Support, go to https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
• For information on finding and using library resources and tools, go to
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• For an A–Z list of library databases, go to https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

5.6 Important contact information:

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-
[email protected]
• General library-related queries: [email protected]
• Queries related to library fines and payments: [email protected]
• Interlibrary loan service for postgraduate students: [email protected]
• Literature Search Service: [email protected]
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and X Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

To view the Library orientation video – please click here: Unisa Library and Information
Services Video_1_1 (2).mp4

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa at www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through Unisa.

If you need assistance concerning 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: [email protected] or [email protected]

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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 by visiting https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students receive a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account.

Please claim your e-mail account immediately after registering at Unisa by following this link:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/myunisa/Content/Announcements/Documents/Claim-myUnisa-
myLife-Nov-2017.pdf
Note that it can take up to 24 hours for your account to be activated after you have claimed it.

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official correspondence
between you and the University and it will remain your official primary e-mail address on record
at Unisa.

You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful and this is often true
for students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning
institution and is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It is a mega university and all its
programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully online learning. For these reasons, we
offer first-time students additional/extended support to help them navigate the Unisa teaching and learning
journey seamlessly and with little difficulty and few barriers.

Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme has been specially designed to provide you with prompt
and helpful information about the services that the institution offers.

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The following FYE services are currently available:

FYE Website Email Support

www.unisa.ac.za/FYE [email protected]

FYE1500
Post-
myUnisa; Study
Registration Referrals to Skills; Academic &
Orientation other support Digital Literacies;
services etc
e.g. 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.

6.2 Using Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to apply for module credit within a
qualification.
Now that you are a registered student, you are advised to familiarise yourself with the learning outcomes
of the module or modules you have chosen. If you have been exposed to those learning outcomes for
three years or more – either through work experience or other involvement – you can apply to be exempted
from completing assignments and writing examinations. As part of your application for this exemption, you
will be required to compile a portfolio of evidence substantiating how your experience is equivalent to the
learning outcomes. The diagram below shows the steps involved in obtaining recognition of prior learning
(RPL) for module credit. For more information on the process, RPL fees, and the contact details of your
college RPL coordinator, visit the Unisa website: www.unisa.ac.za/rpl

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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 2025

PERIOD ACTIVITY

January – February • 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

discussion forum on myUnisa.

• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on

myUnisa at least once.

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March – April • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 01

(Philosophy of education).

• 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 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 02 (Sociology

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 • Study the prescribed readings for Assignment 03

(Philosophy 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 • 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.

• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on

myUnisa at least once.

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 • Make sure that you have submitted all three assignments by
the applicable due dates.

September • Start preparing for the examinations.

• Remember to participate in the discussion forum on

myUnisa at least once.

October – November • Continue with intensive examination preparation.

• Write examination.

8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

8.1 What does it mean to study fully online?

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). We do not have
the e-tutoring support in this module.

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 04 assignments.

• All information about when and where to submit your assignments will be made available
to you via the myModules site for your module.
• Due dates for assignments, as well as the actual assignments, will be available 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%.
• 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.
• The examination will count 80% towards the final module mark.

9.3 Assessment/assignment due dates

• There are no assessment/assignment due dates included in this tutorial letter.

• Assessment/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.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates for
the submission of the assessments/assignments

9.4 Submission of assessments/assignments

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

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

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

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

myModules 2025 button to access the online 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 your 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.
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 • 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 may be tests and others may be written
assessments/assignments, while some may be 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 recorded there telling you when 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 made available online only. You must therefore access
and complete the quiz online where it has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cellphone to complete quizzes and you should please use a
desktop computer, tablet or laptop for this task. Students who use cellphones find it difficult
to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle to navigate
between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cellphones are
more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all possible,
please do not use a cellphone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments/assignments, please note the due date by which your work must
be submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment/assignment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell
on myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment to the myModules
site for the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double-
check that you have selected the correct file for uploading. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments/assignments.

9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions

All assignments are defined as either optional, mandatory, compulsory, or elective.

• Elective assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
- The best of the required submissions will count.
• Mandatory assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
• Optional assignments – You are encouraged, as a student, to do optional
assignments in order to benefit your learning.

I. Elective assignments
a. The student is given a choice of which assignments within an identified group to submit
and only the best result/s, the number of which is specified in advance, will contribute
towards the year mark.
b. Elective assignments must be grouped into an elective group.
c. For the student to select which assignment to submit, the elective assignments must
be grouped together. For such an elective group, relevant information (such as how
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many of the assignments must be submitted and how many of the assignment marks
should be combined into the year mark) will be supplied to you.
d. The selection criteria define how marks received for assignments in an elective group
are to be combined into the year mark. Three different criteria may be used for
calculating the year mark:
• The best mark should be 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 to all non-submitted or unmarked assessments. A best mark is
then calculated from all the qualifying items submitted.

II. Mandatory assessments/assignments (all four ESC3701 assignments will be

mandatory)
a. Mandatory assessments/assignments contribute 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 attached to
such an assignment when the final mark for the module is calculated.

III. Optional assessments assignments – You are encouraged, as a student, to do

optional assessments/assignments in order to benefit your learning.

9.5 The assessments/assignments

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete 04 assessments/assignments for this module.
Details of the tasks set will appear on the assessments/assignments themselves on myModules.

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

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 to 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

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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
• Sufficient argumentation
• 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

9.6 Assignment 01, 02, 03, and 04

ASSIGNMENT 01: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (PART A)

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

DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa

UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

African philosophy and an African philosophy of education

Question 1

Explain the relevance of African indigenous knowledge systems within education. (10)
Question 2

Differentiate between ubuntu and communality as vital African values in education. (10)

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Empiricism and an Empirical philosophy of education

Question 3
In education, Empiricism insists that teaching and learning can only occur in those subjects that
provide humankind with ‘real knowledge’. These subjects are mathematics, the sciences (biology,
physics, chemistry) and engineering (which is applied science). Other subjects, such as those
dealing with art, literature and music, are not seen as worthless, but teachers and educators need
to recognise that these subjects are no more – and no less – than expressions of the learners’
values.
Discuss the implications of the above thinking by highlighting the shortcomings of Empirical
philosophy in education. (10)

Phenomenology and Phenomenological Philosophy of Education

Question 4
Explain ways in which Phenomenology can contribute to education. (10)

Hermeneutics and a Hermeneutic philosophy of education

Question 5
An educator who can be regarded as working with the philosophy of Hermeneutics is Rudolf
Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education.

Explain how his contributions to Waldorf education have steered away from education prescribed
by the state/government. (10)

Critical Theory and a Critical Theory of education

Question 6

Justify why you think critical theory relates to education. (10)

Feminism and a Feminist Philosophy of Education

Question 7
How would you describe your understanding of a Feminist philosophy of education? (10)

Question 8
Discuss the feminist issues that you think should be addressed in the classroom and what
feminism can help us achieve in education. (10)

Question 9
Describe the similarities between feminism and the critical theory. (10)

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Postmodernism and a postmodern philosophy of education

Question 10
Explain how postmodernism emanated from modernism. (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
Functionalism is one of the major theories in Sociology of education.

Provide a brief explanation of what Sociology of education as discipline entails. (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
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 5
Symbolic interactionism takes place when people interact with each other by means of symbols.

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Briefly argue the principles of symbolic interactionism and how it applies to society. (10)

Question 6
Culture defines acceptable ways of behaving for members of a particular society and to a large
degree, culture determines how members of society think and feel: It directs their actions and
defines their outlook on life.

Briefly discuss what the concept of “culture” entails. (10)

Question 7
Define the concept ‘social stratification’ and briefly explain the two characteristic criteria that form
the basis of social stratification. (10)

Question 8
Promoting patriotism in post-apartheid South African schools is important.

Argue this point in detail and indicate why, according to Brighthouse (2008), patriotism
should be promoted in local schools. (10)

Question 9
Class is a large-scale grouping of people who share common economic resources, influencing
the types of lifestyles they lead.

Briefly elaborate on the Marxist and Functionalist points of view on class, with special
reference to the South African context. (10)

Question 10
Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development proposed a conceptual and
operational network that divides the environment into different levels.

Differentiate between the five levels of Bronfenbrenner’s theory which position the family
and school in the social system context. (10)
TOTAL [100 MARKS]

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Assignment 03: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (PART A)

(ESSAY-TYPE and KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION-TYPE QUESTIONS) (100 marks) – on the

myUnisa Moodle platform
DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa

UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

SECTION A (ESSAY-TYPE QUESTION) [50 marks]

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

Empiricism and an Empirical Philosophy of education

Structure your essay as follows:

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

education. (10)

2. Body of the essay, in which you discuss the contribution of empirical philosophy in terms
of:

2.1 The important role of empirical philosophy in education (15)

2.2 Implications for education (provide examples to substantiate your response) (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. Remember that your bibliography must be arranged in alphabetical order

according to author surname. In completing your essay, consult the sources available on
the myUnisa module site under E-reserves. You can also add any additional references
to support your writing. (5)

SECTION B (KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION-TYPE QUESTION) [50 marks]

According to Hoppers (2001), education authorities need to acknowledge and recognise the
cultural diversity of African societies, especially in matters pertaining to curriculum issues in
education on the African continent.
With this said, write a lesson plan in which you teach about the topic “African Philosophy and
Indigenous African knowledge Systems” to your Grade 10 learners. Consider the below aspects
in your response:

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• Name of school
• Grade
• Phase
• Topic
• Duration of the lesson
• Outcomes/objectives (at least 3)
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• [Infuse teacher and learner activities in the introduction, body and conclusion]
• Learning and teaching support material (LTSMs)
• Teaching method
• Assessment
• Africanisation (how you plan to incorporate the learners’ culture or heritage into this
lesson – playing a traditional game, or doing a traditional activity, singing a song, telling a
story that relates to the learners’ culture, using a traditional African teaching strategy – be
creative and make this lesson relevant to the learners’ culture):
• Differentiation (How did this lesson accommodate diverse learner needs? How can
you/did you cater for learners who need enrichment or those who have special needs? BE
SPECIFIC AND PLAN FOR THIS IN A DETAILED MANNER. You may also refer to various
teaching and learning strategies used in the lesson and include worksheets after the lesson
plan.)
• Evidence of resources used (pictures of textbook, worksheet, PPT slides, etc.)
TOTAL [100 MARKS]

ASSIGNMENT 04: PART B - SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

ASSIGNMENT 04 CONSISTS OF TWO ESSAY-TYPE QUESTIONS MARKED OUT OF 50

DUE DATE: To be communicated on myUnisa

UNIQUE NUMBER: To be communicated on myUnisa

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SECTION A (ESSAY-TYPE QUESTION) [50 marks]

Write an essay in not more than five typed pages (10 marks per page, bibliography
excluded) on the following topic:

Diversity in school context and its impact on classroom practices

Structure your essay as follows:
1. Introduction: Introduce what you intend to discuss in the essay and define your key terms.
(5)
2. Body of the essay, in which you should deal with the following:
o Discuss the three theoretical perspectives on diversity: Race, class and gender.
(20)
o Discuss why an understanding of the concepts race, class and gender is essential
and how such an understanding can assist with classroom practice and insight into
learners’ social contexts. (10)
o Provide three short, relevant educational examples to substantiate the above point.
(10)

3. Conclusion in which you wrap up your response, return and summarise the main points
in the essay. No new sources of information should be added to the conclusion. (5)
4. Bibliography: The sources in the bibliography should be in alphabetical order. In
completing your essay, consult the sources available on the myUnisa module site under e-
Reserves. You can also add any additional references to support your writing. (5)

SECTION B: ESSAY-TYPE QUESTION 2 (50)

In not more than five typed pages (10 marks per page, bibliography excluded), write an
essay on the following topic:

Discuss the role of the school as a social institution and argue the very different views held by the
functionalists and conflict theorists in this regard. (50)

Structure your essay as follows:

1. Introduction: Introduce what you intend to discuss in the essay and define your key terms.
(5)

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2. Body of the essay, in which you deal with the following:

o What is the role of the school? (10)

o Argue in detail how the two different theoretical perspectives view the role of the school in
society. (25)

3. Conclusion, in which you wrap up your responses, and summarise the main points in the
essay. No new ideas or sources of information should be added to the conclusion. (5)

4. Bibliography: The sources in the bibliography should be in alphabetical order. In

completing your essay, consult the sources available on the myUnisa module site under
E-reserves. You can also add any additional references to support your writing. (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
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.

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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?
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.

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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
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

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 • 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.

You will receive information about the composition of the examination paper in Tutorial
Letter 201 at the end of September 2025. 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 2025. Consult the
Study @ Unisa site for general examination guidelines.

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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

Examination information and details on the format of the examination will be made available to
you online via the myUnisa site. Look out for information that will be shared with you by your
lecturer and e-tutors (where relevant), as well as for communication from the University.

9.8.1 Invigilation/proctoring

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

Turnitin is plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and
ghostwriting. Students are expected to submit typed responses when using the Turnitin software.

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

The Invigilator is a mobile application-based service that verifies the identity of an assessment
participant. The Invigilator app detects student dishonesty-by-proxy and ensures that the
assessment participant is the student registered for the module concerned. This invigilation tool
requires students to download the app from the Google Play Store (Android devices), the Huawei
AppGallery (Huawei devices) or the Apple App Store (Apple devices) on their camera-enabled
mobile devices prior to their assessment.

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

Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious or dishonest behaviour arising from the
invigilation and proctoring reports will be referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceedings.

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Please note:

Students must refer to their module assessment information on their myModule sites to determine
which proctoring or invigilation tool will be used for their formative and summative assessments.

10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

10.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of 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 that source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the source of the information.

10.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, 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.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files. (This matter is addressed in the examination
guidelines.)
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).

10.3 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 if you need additional
time for assignments/assessments, you are invited to contact (Mrs TM Myende at
[email protected]) to discuss the assistance that you need.

12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Consult myModules to view the Frequently Asked Questions for this module.

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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

Mrs T Myende and Dr N Ndwandwe

©
Unisa 2025

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