Hocbigg - Education
Contents
Summary
The Education curriculum is a complete education in Education using online materials.
Organization
This repository is organized into three main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
- Projects: support learning through practical application throughout the curriculum.
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Practical work is integrated through the Projects section and may be undertaken alongside coursework.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Communities
- Forums:
- Subreddits:
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
How to use this curriculum
Core Sections
Everyone should complete these four sections in sequence to build a solid, well-rounded understanding of the field:
Foundations of Education: Start here. These early sections introduce the basic ideas, background, and ways of thinking about education as a discipline.
Learning, Development, and Teaching: Move to this next. It builds directly on the foundations by explaining how learning happens, how people grow, and how effective teaching works in practice.
Curriculum, Assessment, and Inclusion: Take this third. It connects the previous material to real classroom decisions: planning what to teach, checking what students have learned, and making sure everyone can participate.
Society, Policy, and Systems: Complete this fourth. It places everything in a wider context by showing how schools connect to society, laws, and larger systems.
Finish these four sections in the listed order before moving on. They give you the essential knowledge and concepts needed to understand education coherently (before moving to Advanced Topics).
Foundations of Education
Education as a Field
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Education Studies | It gives you a clear overview of how education works as a field. You learn key concepts and major areas without needing any prior knowledge. This helps you build a strong base for deeper study. | An Introduction to Education Studies | MIT OCW – Introduction to Education |
| Philosophy of Education | It helps you examine the purposes and values behind teaching and learning. You develop skills to think critically about what makes education meaningful. This builds your ability to make thoughtful decisions as an educator. | Philosophy of Education by Nel Noddings | Open Yale – Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature |
| History of Education | It shows how past ideas, systems, and events shaped today's schools. You gain perspective to avoid repeating old mistakes and improve current practices. This helps you understand why education is the way it is now. | A History of Western Education by James Bowen | MIT OCW – Introduction to Education |
Academic Literacy for Education
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Reading & Writing | It teaches you how to read complex texts carefully and write clear, evidence-based arguments. You build skills to think critically and communicate ideas effectively. These abilities support success in all education studies and teaching. | The Craft of Research | MIT OCW – Crafting Research Questions |
Learning, Development, and Teaching
Learning Sciences
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Psychology | It explains how students think, feel, and behave while learning. You learn to use proven strategies that match different learning needs and styles. This makes you better at helping students succeed in the classroom. | How Learning Works by Ambrose et al. (CMU resources & principles; book widely recommended) | Modern States – Introduction to Educational Psychology (free, self-paced, CLEP-aligned) |
| Human Development | It covers how people grow physically, emotionally, and cognitively from childhood to adulthood. You gain knowledge to support learners at different life stages. This helps you create age-appropriate teaching and activities. | Development Through the Lifespan by Laura Berk | Open University – Lifespan Development |
How Teaching Works
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedagogy & Teaching Models | It reveals the science behind how people actually learn best. You discover practical ways to design lessons that engage and retain knowledge. This improves your ability to teach effectively in real classrooms. | How Learning Works by Ambrose et al. | Carnegie Mellon Eberly Center |
| Instructional Methods | It gives you tools and techniques for delivering lessons successfully. You learn various approaches to present content and guide student practice. This builds your confidence to adapt teaching to different situations. | General pedagogy resources (various) | MIT OCW – Education lectures |
| Classroom Interaction | It teaches ways to encourage meaningful talk and discussion among students. You develop skills to create classrooms where everyone participates and thinks deeply. This supports better learning through dialogue and collaboration. | EEF – Dialogic Teaching | General university education resources |
Curriculum, Assessment, and Inclusion
Curriculum and Instruction
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Theory | It helps you understand how curricula are planned and why certain content is chosen. You learn to connect theory with practical classroom decisions. This allows you to design or improve educational programs thoughtfully. | Curriculum: From Theory to Practice by Wesley Null | MIT OCW – Education |
| Assessment Foundations | It shows how to measure student learning fairly and accurately. You gain skills to create tests and tasks that check real understanding. This helps you give useful feedback and adjust teaching when needed. | Classroom Assessment by Susan Brookhart | MIT OCW – Introduction to Education |
Inclusion and Learners
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusive & Special Education | It teaches how to support every learner, including those with disabilities. You learn strategies to make classrooms fair and accessible for all. This builds your ability to create equitable learning environments. | UNESCO – Inclusion and Equity in Education | UNESCO IIEP |
Society, Policy, and Systems
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology of Education | It examines how society and culture shape schools and learning. You understand factors like inequality and social influences on education. This helps you address real-world challenges in teaching. | OpenLearn – Education, Childhood and Society | Open University |
| Comparative Education | It compares education systems across different countries. You gain insights into what works well elsewhere and why. This broadens your perspective to improve local practices. | General comparative resources | UNESCO Comparative Education |
| Education Policy & Law | It covers rules, laws, and policies that guide schools. You learn how decisions at higher levels affect classrooms. This prepares you to navigate and influence educational systems. | General policy resources | Harvard Ed Policy Lectures |
Congratulations
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Education. Congratulations!