EDU 103 Fall 2009 December EDU 103 Chapter

EDU 103 Fall 2009 December

EDU 103 Chapter 6 Educational Philosophy – The Intellectual Foundations of American Education

EDU 103 • Chapter Learning Objectives – 1. Define philosophy, including normative philosophy, and explain the difference between philosophy and theory. – 2. Describe each of the branches of philosophy, and identify examples that illustrate each.

EDU 103 • Chapter learning objectives continued 3. Describe the traditional schools of philosophy, and identify examples that illustrate each view. 4. Describe the major philosophies of education, and identify examples that illustrate each view.

EDU 103 • Chapter learning objectives continued 5. Explain why a personal philosophy of education is important, and describe the steps involved in forming one.

EDU 103 Axiology (page 189) Epistemology (page 188 Essentialism (page 197) Idealism (page 191) Logic (page 190) Metaphysics (Ontology) (page 189) Normative philosophy (page 188)

EDU 103 Perennialisn (page 196) Philosophy (page 185) Philosophy of education (page 186) Postmodernism (page 200) Pragmatism (page 192) Progressivism (199)

EDU 103 Realism (page 191) Theory (page 187)

EDU 103 • Brad Norman & Allie Skinner – Conversation between two teachers – What were they discussing? – Did they agree on all the items they were discussing?

EDU 103 • What is philosophy? • Basic level – search for wisdom • Formal sense – it is a study of theories of knowledge truth, existence, and morality, or matters of right and wrong

EDU 103 • What does philosophy of education mean? – Provides a framework for thinking about educational issues, and it guides professional practice

EDU 103 • All professions have their own philosophies – Systems of beliefs that guide their decisions about professional practice

EDU 103 • Teacher Professionalism –Based on specialized knowledge –Emphasis on decision making –Reflection –Autonomy –Ethical standards of conduct

EDU 103 • Relationship between philosophy and theory • Overlap in many ways • Theory – A set of related principles that are based on observation and are used to explain additional observations

EDU 103 Normative philosophy: – A description of the way something ought to be For example: – The way educators ought to practice

EDU 103 • Branches of philosophy – 1. Epistemology – 2. Metaphysics (Ontology) – 3. Axiology – 4. Logic

EDU 103 • Epistemology – Examines questions of how we come to know what we know • Scientific method • Intuition • Authority • Devine revelation

EDU 103 • Constructivism – Prominent learning theory • The belief that learning occurs when the learner ties newly acquired information to previously gained understanding

EDU 103 • Epistemology – Important to teachers • Our beliefs about how students gain knowledge affect our choice of teaching methods

EDU 103 • Metaphysics – Also called ontology • Considers what we know • Considers questions of reality and what is real • These beliefs influence the way we teach and the goals we establish

EDU 103 • Axiology – Considers values and ethics – Character education • Moral values – honesty and citizenship should be emphasized

EDU 103 – Moral education • Emphasizes the development of moral reasoning, but doesn’t establish a preset list of values that learners should acquire

EDU 103 – Logic – Examines the process of deriving valid conclusions from basic principles

EDU 103 • Deductive reasoning – Begins with a major proposition called a major premise that is a general statement – Proceeds from general principles to specific instances » Testing generalizations to see if they hold true in specific cases

EDU 103 • Inductive reasoning • Opposite of deductive reasoning – Start with specific facts or data – Students are asked to draw a conclusion or make a generalization or develop a pattern of relationships based on the facts or data they observe – Observe specific facts and then generalize them to other circumstances

EDU 103 Traditional Schools of Philosophy – Idealism – Realism – Pragmatism – Existentialism

EDU 103 Idealism – Since the physical world is always changing, ideas are the only form of reality – Plato

EDU 103 Realism – Holds that the universe exist whether or not a human being is there to perceive them – Aristotle and others

EDU 103 Pragmatism – Rejects the idea of absolute, unchanging truth – Asserts that truth is “what works” – Practical

EDU 103 Existentialism – Suggests that humanity isn’t part of an orderly universe – Individuals create their own realities in their own ways – Emphasis on the individual

EDU 103 – Existentialism • Stresses the importance of the individual • Emphasizes individual choice over the importance of rational theories

EDU 103 • Each person must define him-or herself through choices in life • Jean-Paul Sartre, Carl Rogers, and A. S. Neill

EDU 103 Philosophies of Education 1. 2. 3. 4. Perennialism Essentialism Progressivism Postmodernism

EDU 103 – Perennialism • Aim is to acquire knowledge about the great ideas of Western culture • Cultivation of the intellect is of high priority

EDU 103 – Highest level of knowledge in each field should be the focus of curriculum – Robert Maynard Hutchins and Mortimer Adler

EDU 103 • Essentialism – Response to progressivism – Advocates a conservative philosophic perspective – Curriculum should consist of essential knowledge and skills – Schooling should be practical and not influence social issues

EDU 103 – Back-to-schools movement that emphasizes facts – Students should be taught discipline, hard work, and respect for authority – William Bagley and others

EDU 103 • Progressivism – Focuses on the child rather than the subject matter – Students’ interests are important

EDU 103 – Active learners and problem solvers by reflecting upon their experience – Learn by doing – John Dewey and Francis Parker

EDU 103 – Behaviorism • Behavior is the result of external forces that cause people to behave in predictable ways • Linked with empiricism – Stresses scientific experiments and observations

EDU 103 • Role of the teacher is to identify behavioral goals and establish reinforcers to achieve goals • B. F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, J. B. Watson, and Benjamin Bloom

EDU 103 Postmodernism – Contends that schools are used by those in power to control and marginalize those who lack power

EDU 103 Should be literature about women, minorities, etc. – They want to change the current curriculum and eliminate the study of Shakespeare, and other traditional subjects

EDU 103 Your Educational Philosophy – Six parts • See handouts – 5 -paragraphy essay format • Will be 8 paragraphs – Grammar, spelling, etc.

EDU 103 • • Philosophy Educational philosophy Teacher professionalism Relationship between philosophy and theory • Normative philosophy • Epistemology • Metaphysics (Ontology)