What do we teach? Teaching philosophy of education

Abstract

Philosophers of education are often accused of being impassioned people working within an area which others often view as 'passionless'. Few seem to know what it really is that we are attempting to do. This paper is therefore an attempt to share our ideas about what it is that we teach here at The University of Waikato. I It is also something of a plea to defend this teaching, particularly against neo-liberal injunctions towards courses having to display practical application and a transparent 'utility'. At the heart of this struggle is the erosion of what ultimately constitutes the nature and purpose of the educational endeavour itself Explaining what we see this nature and purpose as being, is therefore, a central theme of this paper.