Didactics of Philosophy / Ethics
The Philosophy of Education / Ethics specialty has two overlapping goals:
- The roles and tasks of a philosophical education are examined within the spheres of science, society, culture, economics, politics and the environment. Particular attention is given to the roles and tasks of a philosophical education within schools and university institutions. This specialty examines the processes of teaching and learning philosophical concepts as well as doing philosophy within the different educational spheres. Aided by the examination of historical and contemporary positions, this specialty discusses the paradigms, possibilities and limits of a philosophical education. Such analysis explores the socio-cultural and political developments which are influenced and mediated through philosophical educational concepts (educational reforms, educational paradigms, new media, commodification of educational settings etc.).
- The classes within this specialty in the Philosophy Department play an important role with regard to preparing students who intend to specialize in teaching Philosophy and Ethics within schools. This specialty offers students who are in their second stage of teacher preparation (Referendariat) an opportunity to reflect critically and develop professionally as philosophy teachers. On one hand, this approach applies to developing a foundation of subject-specific didactical theories and models, while, on the other hand, developing praxis-oriented skills with an emphasis on the fundamentals of structuring, sequencing and arranging lessons. More specifically, the focus lies in conveying the student-oriented implementation of specific philosophical themes with fundamental learning methods in the first and second secondary levels.
With these twin objectives in mind, the seminars in the Bachelor- and Master of Arts programs are dedicated to the following topics and specialties:
- The significance of Philosophy with regard to Education, Science, Culture and Environment;
- Reflection on the processes of teaching and studying philosophy;
- The acquisition of subject-specific didactical theories and models, basic knowledge and techniques;
- The praxis-oriented development of philosophical themes with regard to topics, units and lessons as well as the development of corresponding test formats and teaching methods.
In all seminar settings, philosophical topics are not handled as isolated entities since they are necessarily intertwined; only the emphasis, according to how one arranges it, is established in a different manner:
The Philosophy of Education Seminars are directed towards the theoretical reflections of pedagogical and learning processes with regard to philosophical positions and contemporary controversies (education politics and reforms, didactics, cultural and societal developments, historical criticisms).
The philosophy seminars unite the theory and praxis of philosophy instruction with the act of doing philosophy within educational settings.