Educational Justice, Higher Education Philosophy, and Mindsets

Vocabulary flashcards covering theories of educational justice (Jenks vs. Schouten), philosophies of university purpose (Oakeshott vs. Jack), and psychological mindset frameworks.

Weak Humane Justice (Jenks)

An educational framework focusing on correcting unequal backgrounds that can be fixed, such as socioeconomic status, while treating factors like severe motivation deficits or disabilities as beyond the scope of limited educational resources.

Prioritarian Principle (Gina Schouten)

An educational theory arguing that attention and resources are owed to all students to promote their all-things-considered flourishing over an entire lifetime, rather than strictly prioritizing immediate, measurable classroom gains.

The Idea of a University (Michael Oakeshott)

An essay and philosophy arguing that universities should not be bound to institutional mission statements or societal niches, but should instead function as spaces of intellectual liberation and open self-creation.

University as Leisure (Oakeshott)

The view that higher education functions as an interval of freedom from full-time workforce labor, allowing students the opportunity to access knowledge, explore personal interests, and shape their identities.

Cultural Capital (Anthony Abraham Jack)

The navigational tools, familiarity, and social competencies necessary to maneuver through elite academic institutions, which lower-income students often acquire through specific preparatory schooling rather than family background.

Fixed Mindset

The belief that intelligence, abilities, and core personality traits are innate, static qualities that cannot be altered or developed over time.

Growth Mindset

The belief that intellectual capacity and personal traits can be cultivated, enhanced, and transformed through effort, hard work, and appropriate guidance.

Proficiency Grouping

A classroom tracking practice where students are categorized and separated by perceived ability level, frequently leading students to construct explicit social hierarchies around the designated group tiers.

Ethically Responsible Change Makers

The core institutional purpose defined within the mission statement of the speaker's university (UST) outlining what graduates are expected to become.