EDU2009 : Social Constructions of Childhood
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jane McDonnell
- Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Children and childhood are so integral to the human experience and life course that we can all claim to be ‘experts’ through our own experiences of being children. However, childhood is a complex phenomenon. Childhood Studies is concerned with the study of all childhoods and of children of all ages. This module will critically examine current debates within Childhood Studies. It begins with an exploration of the field of childhood studies and the history of childhood leading to the social construction of childhood today. Drawing on the conceptualisation of childhood being socially constructed the module will consider key current issues in the area such as: family, education, policy and its impact on children, children’s spaces, global childhood and the agency and voice of children. The module will develop the capacity to reflect on and contest commonly held ideas about the nature of children and childhoods.
Outline Of Syllabus
Stage 1 students have been briefly introduced to the ideas of children and society (in the form of representations of children in the media and creativity in EDU1001). This module provides students with a broader and deeper grounding in the social construction of childhood and the current debates within this field. The module uses Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model to explore how childhood interacts with the micro, meso, macro and exosystems. The sources used are research and practice based. There is also a focus on media sources and their representations of children. Following an introduction to key concepts – what is childhood: social constructions, identity and agency, themes explored include the history of childhood, philosophical traditions of childhood education, children and the family, childhood institutions and working in partnership, children and social policy, and children’s geography.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 63:00 | 63:00 | Assignment 2 (2000 words) and independent study |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 35:00 | 35:00 | Assignment 1 (2000 words) and independent study |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Seminar |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 11 | 3:00 | 33:00 | Readings and directed tasks related to seminar preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Assignment drop in session |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 11 | 3:00 | 33:00 | Writing up, general reading |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lecture series will scaffold students’ understandings of the socially constructed nature of childhood(s). Students will have the opportunity to develop a critical awareness of the different ways in which childhood is socially constructed and consider this through the lens of different aspects of children’s lives through seminar discussions. The guided independent study will reinforce and extend the understanding and criticality which has been explored in lectures and seminars.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 50 | 2,000 word essay focusing on the socially constructed nature of childhood. |
| Essay | 1 | A | 50 | 2,000 essay based on an issue in the media relating to children and/or childhood(s). |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The first essay will enable students to demonstrate their understanding of some of the key theories associated with social constructions of childhood in order to then use this knowledge as they explore discrete areas of childhood and in preparation for their second essay.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- EDU2009's Timetable