Course Contents

Unit 1: Society, Community and Education • Introduction and overview of the course • Introduction of society, community and education • Structures and Functions of community and schools in Pakistan • Impact of education on Society • Role of education in strengthening Pakistani communities • Review of Unit 1 Unit 2: Understanding Social Interaction in Schools and Communities • Meaning of Social Interaction and socialization • Levels of social interaction • Elements of social interaction o Social contacts o Communication • Social attitudes and values • Types of social Interaction o Cooperation o Competition o Conflict o Accommodation o Assimilation o Meaning/types of social Groups o Individual / group behavior o Role of school and teacher in developing Social Interaction for peace, harmony and tolerance in Pakistani communities. o Review of Unit 2 Unit 3: School and Culture o Main characteristics of culture o Elementary concepts of culture o Cultural trait o Cultural complex o Cultural pattern o Cultural lag o Cultural diversity o Culture and cultural elements of Pakistani communities o Role of education and school in protection and transmission of culture • Impact of media on school and culture o Impact of technology on school and culture o Impact of media on school and culture o Impact of technology on school and culture o Review of Unit 3 Unit 4: Relationships between School and Community • School as a social, cultural and Community Institution o Effects of school on communities o Effects of communities on school o School as a hub for community services o A critical analysis of effective role of school and teachers in Pakistani communities o Review of Unit 4 Unit 5: Social Institutions • Definition and Types of social institutions • The family • Educational Institutions • Religious institutions • Critical analysis of the role of Social Institutions in Pakistani school. • Review of Unit 5 Unit 6: Teacher’s Role in School and Community • Teacher as an integral part of community • Teacher as a change agent in • Community o School o • Teacher as role models through their participation in community activities • Effects of teachers and schools on individual and group behavior • Review of Unit 6 Unit 7: Working Context of Pakistani Teacher • Teacher as a social activist • Teacher’s leadership roles within and outside schools • Teacher’s role in establishing linkage among stakeholders. • Review of Unit 7 Unit 8: Practical Experience • The concluding unit will be a practical task in the community or other field experiences as assigned by the course instructor.

Course Synopsis

The purpose of this course is to provide prospective teachers with a strong foundation for understanding the relationship between and among teachers, the school and the families and community that support the school. Basic conceptualizations of institutions that educate and the role of the teacher in relating to these institutions will be considered. Students will also explore how cultural, social, and historical forces have shaped understanding of the relationship teachers have with schools, communities and families in Pakistan. The course will explore the social context of schooling, examining how the work of teachers is nested within school and community. It will provide orientation to the process of socialization in schools and how social factors affect education. Students will have opportunity to build their ability to put this knowledge into practice in the accompanying 1 credit laboratory by study of a school and its community, so that as teachers, they can mobilize support for educational programs and contribute positively to their communities. Practical application of the course will be emphasized as students explore the teaching and learning within both school and community. They will identify strategies, practices, and relationships that have proven fruitful within the contexts with which they are familiar and learn how to identify and respond to challenges in school, community and teacher relationships. Students will identify how culture, gender, special needs, equity and equality and collaborative working conditions affect the school and community.

Course Learning Outcomes

Student Teachers will be able to: • analyse and describe relationships between teachers, the school, and the families and community that support the school • identify how the teacher’s role is influenced by social and cultural factors that affect education in schools and their communities • recognize and value diverse cultural, traditional, and religious values and their students’ learning needs in school and in the community • list the social factors affecting education and how they can support the development of education nationally and, in particular, locally • explain their role as role models for students and the community in general.