Foundation Of Education (philosophy)

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

• Etymologically, philosophy means the love of wisdom. • Greek words, “philo” meaning love and “sophi” meaning wisdom

“Philosophy is the science which investigates the nature of being, as it is in itself.” – Aristotle “Philosophy may be defined as the attempt to think truly about human experience as a whole and to make our whole experience intelligible.” – Brightman “Critical reviewing of the familiar things.” – John Dewey

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY Metaphysics

Epistemology

Axiology

– study of questions concerning the nature of reality or existence

-the study of the nature of knowledge and how these are attained and evaluated

-The study of question of value

Q: What is reality? What is the meaning of life?

Q: What is the truth?

AXIOLOGY ETHICS – study of moral principles, attempts to establish rational grounds for good conduct Q: What is good/bad?

SOCIAL/POLITICAL -the study of value judgments operative in civil society Q: What form of government is the best?

AESTHETIC -The study of nature and value of works of art and the aesthetic experience Q: What is beauty?

Without a distinctive philosophy of reality, truth, and value, a person or group cannot make intelligent decisions either for their individual lives. Philosophy provides the foundation for educational theories.

WHAT IS EDUCATION?

• Latin word “educare” meaning to educate and “educere” to lead out. • Education is a process of leading someone out of ignorance through teaching.

• Education means to develop the inborn qualities of a child to the full. • Education must based on social values • Must deal with the nature and dignity of man, the nature of knowledge and truth and the source of knowledge

Philosophy of education is a practical process of inquiry on the existing educational objectives and practices in order to validate its effectiveness and efficiency to the learners.

THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHIES

IDEALISM • Greek word “idein” meaning “to see” • The notion that reality of everything lies in ideas, thought, and mind not in material thing. • Highest aim is the search for truth and values that will stand the test of time • Truth and values are seen as absolute, timeless, and universal

IDEALISM IN EDUCATION • Has a high regard for individuality and freedom • Education must provide for the development of the mind of every learner • SUBJECT-CENTERED curriculum to provide the very best ideas of human culture • The contents of the curriculum is from simple to complex, concrete to the more abstract aspects of subjects (Thorndike’s Law of Gradual Reaction Change)

• Curriculum is hierarchical. Concept and abstract subjects are the top subjects. (Philosophy, theology) • Promotes abstract thinking (Mathematics is considered important because it cultivates the power to deal with abstract thinking) • Language subject is important • Vocational skills • Teacher is expected to be an excellent and all around person

Education must emphasize • intellectual activities • Moral judgment • Aesthetic appreciation • Self-realization • Individual freedom • Individual responsibility • Self-discipline or control

IDEALIST • Plato (427-347 BC) • Saint Augustine (354-430) • Rene Descartes – (1596-1650) modern Idealist • Benedict De Spinoza (1632-1677) • Gottried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716) • George Berkeley (1685-1753) • Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) • George Hegel (1770-1831)

REALISM • Latin word ‘res’ meaning thing • It is an attempt to portray life as it is • According to the philosophy, knowledge is derived through sense experience • Truth is discovered by man, emanate from both science and art • People can come to know the world through their senses and reason • Believed in Natural Law

REALISM IN EDUCATION • The purpose of education is to provide man with the essential knowledge he needs to survive in nature • Emphasis on self-experience and research, experimental method • Believes in individual and social development -(Piaget’s moral stages and Kohlbereg’s moral development)

• Subjects should be arranged from simple to the more complex –logically • The nature of learner must be taken into consideration, such as ability, interest, and needs – psychologically • Teacher’s role is supreme for he brings the child in touch with the external realities of life.

REALIST PHILOSOPHERS • Aristotle • Comenius • Pestalozzi • Herbart • Montessori • Hobbes • Bacon • Locke

ESSENTIALISM • Formulated by William C. Bagley • Common core of information and skills needed • Knowledge: Essential skills, master of concepts, and principles • Role of teacher: Authority in the field • Teaching method: explicit teaching of traditional values Tough discipline.

ESSENTIALISM IN EDUCATION • Essential skills –Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Right Conduct • Essential subjects: Natural Sciences, history, math, foreign language, Literature • Affected by the demand of the public to raise the academic standards and to improve students’ work and minds

• Purpose if the curriculum: To help the learners acquire basic skill set, intelligence and morals for them to become model citizens. • Teaching strategies and approaches: Teachers on this school focuses on the mastery of subject matter and basic skills through the use of prescribed textbooks, drill method and the lecture method.

• Subjects that have contents are emphasized rather than process • Back-to-basic curriculum • Excellence in education • Cultural literacy • Teachers are seen as fountain of information and Paragon of virtue

PRAGMATISM • Derives its origin from a Greek word ‘pragma’ meaning to do, to make, to accomplish – so the use of the words like ‘action’ or ‘practice’ or ‘activity’ • Great importance is laid upon practicability and utility • Beliefs and ideas are true if they are workable and profitable otherwise false.

PRAGMATISM IN EDUCATION • Education is based on psychology and science • It emphasizes experimental and practice. • It opposes book learning • Only sociability is emphasized • It is progressive, dynamic and changeable ideology

• The learner must be the center of educative process • The aim of education is the development of the total child through experiencing or through the use of the theory of self-activity • The school curriculum must select and organized in terms of activities and projects which are relevant to the needs, abilities, and interests of the learner

• Teacher’s role is that of a friend, philosopher and guide • Main subjects are health, hygiene and science, physical culture, history, geography, math, home science, science and agriculture • Emphasized the principles of purposive processes of learning, learning by doing and by experience, and correlation and integration • Project method (Kilpatrick) a method which is widely accepted and used in the field of education

PRAGMATIST • Charles Pearce • William James • Schiller • John Dewey • Kilpatrick

PROGRESSIVISM • Philosophical base: Pragmatism • accept the impermanence of life and inevitability of change • For John Dewey, education should not be the teaching of mere dead fact, but that the skills and knowledge which students learn be integrated fully into their lives as persons, citizens, and human beings.

PROGRESSIVISM IN EDUCATION Advocates “learning by doing” and the incorporation of the student’s past experiences into the classroom. Aim of education – promote democratic and social living Role of education – knowledge leads to growth and development of lifelong learners who actively learn by doing

• Learner-centered curriculum • Learning by doing and experiencing – learning is an active process • Teaching is good when it utilizes the principle of self-activity • Subjects to be taught focuses on skills in gathering and evaluating information, problem solving skills, natural and social sciences

• Analysis and synthesis are utilized to stimulate thinking and reasoning • Emphasis is in group planning, discussion, and selfexpressions, creativeness and responsibility. Evaluation is based on flexible standards or the grading must be based on the normal-probability-curve • Guidance is made integral part of teaching and learning

Teaching strategies and approaches: Teachers use experimental methods in teaching that encourage the learners to gain knowledge from actual experience. Teachers in this school of educational philosophy also use the “handson-minds-on-hearts-on” teaching methodology to let the students interact with nature and society.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF JOHN DEWEY • Education is life • education as growth • education is a social process, • and education is the construction of human experience.

METHODS OF TEACHING Learning by doing Collective Approach Integrated Approach Individual Approach Purposive process of learning

THE INFLUENCE OF PHILOSOPHY TO CURRICULUM • Educators, curriculum makers and teachers must have espoused a philosophy or philosophies that are deemed necessary for planning, implementing, and evaluating a school curriculum. The philosophy that they have embraced will help them define the purpose of the school, the important subjects to be taught, the kind of learning students must have and how they can acquire them, the instructional materials, methods and strategies to be used, and how students will be evaluated.

• Likewise, philosophy offers solutions to problems by helping the administrators, curriculum planners, and teachers make sound decisions. A person’s philosophy reflects his/her life experiences, social and economic background, common beliefs, and education. • When John Dewey proposed that “education is a way of life”, his philosophy is realized when put into practice. Now, particularly in the Philippines, Dewey’s philosophy served as anchor to the country’s educational system