Miami University

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Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
(513) 529-7592
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Renowned educational philosopher to speak at Miami

01/15/2009

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Nel Noddings

Nel Noddings, nationally known philosopher of education and educational theorist, will present a lecture on "Critical Lessons for Critical Thinking" at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, in 322 McGuffey Hall. It is free and open to the public.

The next day she will meet with students and faculty from the School of Education, Health and Society (EHS) in a series of small group meetings organized around participant questions.

"Nel Noddings is on many people╒s short list as one of the most influential women of the 20th century. Having her at Miami not just for a public lecture, but also to engage in conversations with faculty and students about transforming schools is a tremendous opportunity," said Carine Feyten, EHS dean.

Noddings, the author of 12 books and more than 65 book chapters, likes to involve her audience in big picture issues. She "rarely advocates for any controversial position; instead, she gives teachers suggestions on how to begin provocative conversations, and offers ideas to keep these conversations safe, civil and engaging," explained one reviewer.

Noddings has been the Lee L. Jacks Professor of Education Emerita at Stanford University since she retired in 1998. She also has taught at Columbia University and Colgate University and spent 17 years as an elementary and high school mathematics teacher and school administrator before earning her Ph.D. at Stanford. She is past president of the Philosophy of Education Society and the John Dewey Society.

Her work has included analysis of caring and its place in ethics (Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education, 1984) a series of books that have explored the implications of concern for caring with education (The Challenge to Care in Schools, 1992; Educating Moral People, 2002; Happiness and Education, 2003); and critical thinking (Critical Lessons: What Our Schools Should Teach, 2007).

Her appearance is sponsored by EHS, the Miami University Parents Fund and the women's studies program. For more information, call (513) 529-6317.