Contemporary Debates in Education Studies

Book excerpt: Contemporary Debates in Education Studies gives the reader a vital and nuanced understanding of the key debates surrounding the field of education today. Exploring important educational themes such as issues of sexuality, extremism and mental health through a variety of viewpoints, this wide-ranging book questions what the nature and purpose of education are, and how this can be understood in contemporary contexts. From eradicating child poverty in schools, to considering how education should rise to the challenge of the digital world, the book covers an extensive range of topics designed to inspire discussion and debate. Examining a variety of perspectives, each chapter looks at these topics through key research, thinkers, theorists and policies, and, featuring discussion questions and case studies throughout, it forms a truly accessible and interactive guide to the issues that can not only help students access the debates, but also provide lecturers with questions to stimulate seminar discussions. Challenging current thinking on a number of topics, this book’s original and distinctive ideas consider how education should meet some of the trials and tribulations of the 21st century, and its wide-reaching and all-encompassing discussion will be essential reading for all students on undergraduate and postgraduate education studies courses.