EDFN 6730
Class Notes
Philosophy provides the foundation for educational
theories.
Educational theory is the application of
philosophy to the classroom.
Organization of Curriculum
Manner of Instruction
Character of school environment
Grading and testing (assessment)
Varies from school to school and state to
state
Idealism / Realism /Pragmatism /
Existentialism
Convergent / Divergent
Thinking
One Possible Answer; Possibility of Many
Answers
Purpose of education is to train pupil’s
minds so they can deal with intellectual concepts of life.
Mastery of facts and information
Any child can learn any subject at any level
if the subject matter is properly presented
“Mastery Teaching”; Attention to test scores; Grade level achievement; Accountability
More traditional teaching strategies
Convergent Thinking—One answer to question,
and the teacher has it!
Learning Focus—subject matter of the mind:
literature, history, philosophy, religion
Curriculum goal—same education for all
Teaching method—lecture, discussion
Character development—imitation
Aesthetic development—study of masterworks,
values of past heritage
Authoritarian--Realism
Learning Focus—subject matter of physical
world: math, science
Curriculum goal—Mastery of laws of the
universe
Teaching method—mastery of information and
skills: lecture, recitation, demonstration
Character development—rules of conduct
Aesthetic development—study of design in
nature
Mind is not just a muscle to be developed
(John Dewey)
Human beings are problem solvers who profit
from experience
Importance of the individual and personal
awareness
Interest aroused through student inquiry
Divergent thinking—possibility of multiple
answers to question
Learning Focus—social experience
Curriculum goal—creation of new social order
Teaching method—problem solving, project
method and development
Character development—group decision-making
in light of consequences
Aesthetic development—participation in art
project based on cross-culture and universal values
Learning Focus—subject matter of personal
choice
Curriculum goal—personal freedom and development
Teaching method—Individual exploration:
discovery method
Character development—development of
individual responsibility
Aesthetic development—personal view of the
world, self-initiated activities
Perennialism, Essentialism, Behaviorism,
Positivism, Progressivism, Reconstructionism, Humanism, Constructivism
Idealism
– Perennialism & Essentialism
Realism
– Behaviorism & Positivism
Pragmatism
– Progressivism & Reconstructionism
Existentialism
– Humanism & Constructivism
Principles of knowledge are enduring --
“Everlasting”; Stress the time-honored ideas, the “Great Works”, and the
ability to reason
The intellect must be nourished by contact
with ideas
Truth resides in the nature of the things
rather than n the sensory aspects of things.
Discipline the mind
Learner assumed to be rational and spiritual
person
Reading, Writing, Recitation, Computation are
considered important
Stress “Higher-Order Thinking Skills”
Early schooling best directed toward
preparing children for maturity--3Rs
Secondary school level directed more toward
“intellectually elite”
Vocational training for less gifted
Strong use of Great Books Program
– Hutchins and Adler
–
Studying the works of the leading scholars
of history is the best way to a general education
–
Formulated by William C. Bagley--1938
Common Core of information and skills needed
Three basic principles of Essentialism
– Core of information
– Hard work
– Teacher-centered instruction
“Back to the Basics”
Not so intent on transmitting underlying
basic truths
Advocate teaching that will help a person
live a productive life today
Therefore this “core” of information can and
will change
Transmit cultural heritage; Develop good
citizens; How?-- emphasize core of fundamental knowledge and skills, develop
sound habits of mental discipline demand respect for authority in a
structured learning situation.
School is a place where children come to
learn what they need to know, and the teacher is the person who can best
instruct students in essential matters
Role of teacher is “imparter of knowledge”
Role of student is “learner”
Subject matter of symbol and content
(Idealism)—laws of nature and universal truths of the physical world
Literature, history, foreign language,
religion
Lecture, required reading, memorization,
recitation, examinations
Truth is defined as observable fact,
therefore field trips, laboratories, A/V materials and nature studies
Subject matter is the core of education.
School is the curator of knowledge.
Theodore Sizer
Strip away the nonessentials. Focus on
students “using their minds well”. Does
not specify what specific content is essential.
Essential schools required to analyze what
curriculum should be and change the curriculum to emphasize this core.
“Control the environment and you will
control the individual’s behavior”
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) followed Pavlov and
suggested that human behavior also could be explained as responses to external
stimuli
Share common belief that a student’s
misbehavior can be changed and reshaped in a socially acceptable manner by
directly changing the student’s environment.
All people will attempt to avoid experiences
and stimuli that are not pleasing and will seek experiences that are pleasing
and rewarding.
Behavior is determined by environment, not
heredity. School environment highly structured with a Curriculum based on
behavioral objectives. Knowledge is
best described as behaviors that are observable.
Mastery of Facts; Empirical evidence is
essential—Scientific methodology
Develop learning environments that lead to
desired behaviors in students for which they are rewarded and will be motivated
to continue.
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Some believe negative reinforcement is
ineffective.
Punishment
“Extinguished”
Not concerned about the cause of student’s
problems
Discover what is happening in the classroom
environment and change it to allow student’s behavior to change.
Positivism (Realism)
Auguste Comte (kont) (1798-1857)
Divided thinking of humankind into three
historical periods—each characterized by distinct way of thinking.
Theological era—people explained things by
reference to spirits and gods
Metaphysical era—explained by causes,
essences, and inner principles
Positive period—do not attempt to go beyond
observable, measurable facts
Acquisition of facts based on empirical
observation
Schools must develop content standards that
represent understandings of experts.
Students are encouraged to master these
understandings and to develop their own skills of observation, classification,
and logical analysis.
Objective testing—all tested with same
objective set of criteria
Progressivism--(Pragmatism)--Basic
Views
Pierce (1839-1914) founded
Pragmatism---1800s
Need for people to be able to adjust to
change
Alvin Toffler--”Future Shock”
– First wave--agriculture
– Second wave--industry
– Third wave--information
William James (1842-1914)--Pragmatism--
theory of truth
– Meaning and value of ideas only found in
practical results
– Satisfactory working of an idea
constitutes its whole truth
John Dewey (1859-1952)--founder of
Progressivism
– Ideas must always be tested by experiment
Educational theory that emphasizes that
ideas should be tested by experimentation.
Learning is rooted in questions developed by the learners. Progressivists favor human experience as
basis for knowledge. Emphasize learning how to think rather than what to think. Should actively prepare students for change.
Flexibility is important in curriculum
design.
Life experience determines content.
Encourages divergent thinking;
Experience-centered curricula stresses process of learning rather than the
results; Interest in an intellectual activity will generate the practice needed
for learning.
Sees the learner as an experiencing,
thinking, exploring individual. Goal is
to expose the learner to the subject matter of: social experiences, social
studies, projects, problems, and experiments that….. when studied, by the scientific method, will result in functional
knowledge from all subjects. Books are tools of learning—not a source of
indisputable knowledge.
Founded by Counts, Rugg, and Brameld;
Recognized that Progressivism had made advances beyond Essentialism in the area
of teacher-pupil relations and teaching methodology.
However--Progressivism fixated too heavily
on needs of the child and failed to develop long-range goals for society.
Calls for new social order that will fulfill
basic democratic ideals. People should
control institutions and resources.
This can happen if international democracy of world government.
Critically analyze world events; Explore
controversial issues; Develop vision for new and better world; Promote programs
of cultural renewal.
Critical Pedagogy
– Unites theory and practice
– Provides students with critical thinking
tools
Public Education should be the direct
instrument of world reformation
Use moral dilemmas to direct attention
toward social and world reform
Based on the writings of Jean Jacques
Rousseau (1712-1778); In “Émile,”
Rousseau states “God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they
become evil.” Humans are born free and
“good” at birth; Become enslaved by institutions.
Concerned with enhancing the innate goodness
of the individual
Rejects group-oriented educational system
Believe that most schools de-emphasize the
individual and the relationship between the teacher and the student.
Education should be a process of developing
a free, self-actualizing person, centered on the feelings of the student. Education does not start with great ideas,
the world, or humankind, but with the individual self.
Goal--complete autonomous person
Education should be without coercion or
prescription. Students should be active and encouraged
to make their own choices. Instruction based on student interest,
abilities, and needs. Students
determine rules, books, and exercises.
Divergent thinking is completely honored.
“We are people, not numbers!” Nel
Noddings—”an environment of caring”
A.S. Neil--Summerhill
Block Scheduling
Open classrooms
Area Vocational Centers
Constructivism
(Existentialism)
Hands-on, activity-based teaching &
learning; Considers students as “active” learners who should be given
opportunities to construct their own frames of thought. “True” learning is the active framing of
personal meaning rather that the framing of someone else’s meaning.
Encourage development of critical thinking;
Understanding of big ideas rather than mastery of factual information; Teach “how to learn” rather than facts. Students learn by shaping their own
understandings about their world. This does not “fit” with current school
structure.