Laying the Groundwork:Philosophy

Monday, January 9, 2012

EDUC 434

Contemporary Issues in Public Education

Faculty of Education

Today’s Objectives

Clarify course rationale and review of syllabus

Explore the over-arching relevance of educational philosophy as it relates to pedagogy and practice.

The Rationale

Always remember that Canadian education is an ongoing reflection of its philosophical and historical foundations.

Developing an appreciation for the ideas and events that have shaped education is an important part of your progress towards becoming a professional.

Educational Philosophy

Simply put, educational philosophy consists of what you believe about education; it is a set of principles that guides your professional action.

Basic Components of Your Educational Philosophy Beliefs about Teaching and Learning Beliefs about Students Beliefs about Knowledge Beliefs about What is Worth Knowing

The Branches of Philosophy:

A. Metaphysics Concerned with explaining the nature of

reality. Information is just a way to remind

ourselves of something we already knew, since on some level we have access to infinite intelligence and infinite wisdom.

The Branches of Philosophy:

B. Epistemology

Focuses on questions of knowledge, i.e., of knowing based on:Authority (knowledge from the expert, textbook, teacher, etc.)Divine Revelation (supernatural revelations)Empiricism (experience) Reason and Logical Analysis (thinking logically)Intuition (gut-feeling)

The Branches of Philosophy:

C. Axiology Concerned with questions of values

D. Ethics Focuses on questions of good and evil,

right and wrong, etc.

The Branches of Philosophy:

E. AestheticsConcerned with values related to beauty

and art

F. LogicDeals with reasoningRemember the Socratic method

Five Modern Philosophical Orientations to Teaching:1. Perennialism Truth is constant Goal of education is to ensure that

children acquire knowledge of unchanging principles or great ideas

Five Modern Philosophical Orientations to Teaching:2. Essentialism Conservative viewpoint Argues that there is a core of common

knowledge (“the Basics”) that schools must transmit in a systematic, disciplined way

Five Modern Philosophical Orientations to Teaching:3. Progressivism Education should be child-centred rather

than teacher- or content-centred Stresses the notion of the whole child Learning is active rather than passive Teacher is a guide who helps students

learn what is important to them, rather than passing on enduring truths

Five Modern Philosophical Orientations to Teaching:4. Existentialism Focuses on the experiences of

individuals, rather than on the collective Emphasizes creative choice

Five Modern Philosophical Orientations to Teaching:5. Social Reconstructionism Schools should take the lead in changing

or reconstructing society

Remember Freire’s notion of praxis = informed action based on specific values

Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world. (Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1921-1997)

Philosophical Orientations:

Teacher Centred Student Centred

1 2 3 4 5

1. Perennialism

2. Essentialism

3. Progressivism

4. Existentialism

5. Social Reconstructionism

The Role of Psychology

Keep in mind that psychology also has an important role to play in educational philosophy

Three Psychological Orientations to Teaching:1. Humanistic Psychology Concerned with individual self-

actualization

Teachers should not force students to learn, but instead should create a climate of trust and respect that allows students to decide what and how they learn, to question authority, and to take initiative in “making themselves.”

Three Psychological Orientations to Teaching:2. Behaviourism Desirable human behaviour can be the

product of design rather than accident

Three Psychological Orientations to Teaching:3. Constructivism Students use cognitive processes to

construct understanding of the material to be learned

According to constructivism, the student is the key to learning

How Can You Develop Your Educational Philosophy? Most teachers develop an eclectic

philosophy of education, which means that they develop their own unique blending of the major philosophies

Even though philosophy may seem like some distant concept that has no bearing on your life as a teacher, rest assured that philosophy is a part of everything we do in education.

Thus, when you think “education,” think “philosophy!”

For next class

Wednesday, January 11

Making Sense of Public Education

Text Reading: Chapter 1