Key Concepts in Education

Book excerpt: [The SAGE Key Concepts series provides students with accessible and authoritative knowledge of the essential topics in a variety of disciplines. Cross-referenced throughout, the format encourages critical evaluation through understanding. Written by experienced and respected academics, the books are indispensable study aids and guides to comprehension.] ′Dipping into this short collection reveals an eminently useful resource aimed at providing not just a use-friendly lexicon but also an example of a degree of criticality for those new to the area of education....the authors manage to tackle some serious issues with conviction, clarity and concision, all the while maintaining a sense of humour where comparable examples merely seem pedantic′ - ESCalate ′This is an essential resource for anyone serious about using the English Language to talk about teaching and learning....Inglis and Aers provide a resource for [a common professional language] in their compact and highly accessible book. It has a sound philosophical rationale in which 102 key concepts in education are presented alphabetically and cross-referenced (the book reads like a high quality hyperlinked web-page)′ - www.thinkingclassroom.co.uk ′This is an engaging and accessible resource which explains various sociological, philosophical and psychological concepts relevant to contemporary educational practice. The concepts are succinctly and sometimes provocatively defined and related to today′s pressing issues. It will be a particularly useful reference tool for students and practitioners of education alike, with each entry including references for further reading′ - Geoff Whitty, Director, Institute of Education, University of London ′If you are seeking a clear guide to principles which should guide public life in general and education in particular, look no further. Inglis and Aers write with enviable and compelling clarity. Something for all in education especially practitioners and policy makers to read and return to′ - Tim Brighouse, recently Chief Adviser for London Schools and formerly Chief Education Officer for Birmingham This text provides students with over 100 essential themes, topics and expressions that Education students are likely to encounter, both during their courses and beyond in professional practice. Co-authored to draw on experiences of working within academia, local authorities and the classroom, the entries provide: - a definition of the concept - a description of the historical and practical context - an explanation of how the concept is applied - an evaluation of the concept - helpful references and suggested further reading This book will be essential reading for students of Education, and an invaluable reference tool for their professional careers. Fred Inglis is Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Sheffield. Lesley Aers is a senior member of a local authority school improvement service and an Ofsted inspector. Both authors are former schoolteachers.