Definition
As an academic discipline, education can be described as “the interdisciplinary study of educational processes and practices” (Biesta, 2011, p. 175). In the United States and Great Britain, for example, education has relied on theoretical inputs from philosophy, history, psychology, and sociology. In much of Europe, particularly in German-speaking areas, education has evolved more explicitly as a separate academic discipline, with its own forms, traditions, and theories (Biesta, 2011). In China, by contrast, it has been debated whether education should be considered an academic field or a discipline (Wang, 2007). Unlike many other academic disciplines, there is less agreement on the core theories, emphases, and applications of education.
Subdisciplines
Education comprises several subdisciplines. Specialized areas of study include early childhood, elementary, and secondary education; multilingual and multicultural education; special education; career and vocational education; educational history and philosophy; and educational administration.
In Practice
Education professionals work in a variety of fields, in and outside of schools. Related positions include teachers, principals, superintendents, standardized test developers, guidance counselors, school psychologists, and career counselors. Education professionals may also work as lobbyists, reporters, and daycare administrators, among other positions.
In Disaster Research
Education as a discipline plays many roles in hazards and disaster research. For example, education specialists design programs for schools that teach children about disasters and how to prepare for them (Faizatul, Sharima, Chong, & Othman, 2017). Disaster education programs can provide students and other audiences information to increase their safety during disasters. Education specialists may also study the different strategies, formats, and approaches for disaster education to determine which methods are the most effective for different audiences under different circumstances. Efforts to provide educational information about disasters through ideal channels contribute to community resilience and disaster preparedness.
References
Biesta, G. (2011). Disciplines and Theory in the Academic Study of Education: A Comparative Analysis of the Anglo-American and Continental Construction of the Field. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 19(2), 175-192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2011.582255
Faizatul, A. A. N., Ruwaida A., Sharima, L., Chong, K. & Othman, S. N. (2017). Developing a Disaster Education Program for Community Safety and Resilience: The Preliminary Phase. The 2nd International Conference on Applied Science and Technology 2017 (ICAST’17) AIP Conf. Proc. 1891, 020005-1–020005-6. https://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5005338
Wang, H. (2007). Education: a Discipline or a Field? Frontiers of Education in China, 2(1), 63-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11516-007-0005-z
CONVERGE is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation, Program on Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment (Award #1841338). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.