Professor: Amirault Course format: Seminar Number of respondents: 30 Total Enrollment: 45 Class Composition: Froshs: 12 Sophs: 7 Jrs: 11 Srs: 12 Concs: 7 Non-Concs: 16 Don't Know: 5

Instructor Average: 1.50 Course Average: 1.43

“The Philosophy of Education” is an ambitious seminar. Through class discussion and analysis students first examine traditional education philosophies as well as strive to develop their own philosophies. Survey respondents felt there was a particular focus on Western philosophies, and that the professor tended to cover particular themes such as race, sexuality, and gender in the context of education. This course is accessible to anyone, because there are no prerequisites or requirements.

Students either loved or hated Professor Amirault. His fans praised his intuitiveness and ease in facilitating discussion. Although most students enjoyed the discussions, there were several members of the class who wished the professor had lectured more, primarily because small group discussion wasn’t very productive. Most people felt that Amirault was extremely receptive to their needs, and observed that he would frequently switch topics or techniques if the class was uninterested in the material.

The course reading includes several philosophical texts. The reviewers’ favorites included Delplit, Hooks, and Freire. Several respondents resented having to read Plato. The students were required to submit weekly emails to the professor through the list serve, which some found troublesome. Other work included short weekly assignments, a midterm, and a final project which students thought to be the most rewarding of the class work.

The workload for this class varied. Several class members suggested that “what you put in is what you get out.” The average student spent five to eight hours each week on class work. A considerable amount of this time was spent answering emails, which most of the students disliked. Respondents advised future students to proceed with caution. “Some of you will love it, and some of you will hate it,” a survey respondent said, “It depends on the individual.”

View ED/0156 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.