Running head: FINAL FOUNDATIONS PAPER 1

Final Foundations Paper

Laura Bayley

Seattle Pacific University

FINAL FOUNDATIONS PAPER 2

Final Foundations Paper

Question 2: Taking into consideration the three best ways by which we obtain knowledge

(received, discovered, constructed), what are the implications for achieving proper balance

in teaching and learning?

“A merely well-informed man is the most useful bore on God’s earth.” (Whitehead,

1916). Education should go beyond indoctrinating students, or merely developing well-informed

people, it should help students receive, discover, and construct knowledge. As educators, it is

imperative to strike a proper balance between these three methods for obtaining knowledge in

order to best support learners.

Received knowledge is knowledge related to objective facts, where teachers are the

authority and learning is simply committed to memory (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule,

1986). Whitehead (1916) refers to this type of knowledge as inert, stating “Education with inert

ideas is not only useless; it is, above all things, harmful.” While I do not completely disagree

with Whitehead’s assertion, I would argue that education which only includes inert ideas is

harmful. There is a time and place for received knowledge or, in other terms, direct instruction.

However, received knowledge can become harmful if it is the only means of obtaining

knowledge an educator provides, if students are only allowed to acquire someone else’s

knowledge rather than develop or cultivate their own. If coupled with discovered and constructed

knowledge, received knowledge no longer becomes a detriment to student learning.

Discovered knowledge goes a step beyond received knowledge in the sense that learners

work to discover information independently. As part of this method of learning, teachers create

opportunities for learners to question the meaning of new content material, finding out for

themselves why things are important rather than simply being told (Scheuerman, 2014). This

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method of obtaining knowledge requires the learner to actively engage in the learning process,

rather than remain a passive recipient of new information. As Whitehead (1916) states,

From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of

discovery. The discovery which he has to make is that general ideas give an

understanding of the stream of events which pours through his life, which is his

life. By understanding I mean more than a mere logical analysis, though that is

included.

Discovery is an integral part of an authentic educational experience, but is not the only means by

which learners obtain knowledge. It should be, as Whitehead shares, integrated with received

knowledge if it is to truly be effective.

Finally, knowledge can be obtained through construction. This means of learning

provides the learner with opportunities to creatively develop new knowledge, by way of writing,

drawing, and other expressive means (Scheuerman, 2014). According to Belenky et al. (1986),

constructive knowledge is a “critically-informed intersection of facts and experience.” This is

how all educators should view the process of knowledge acquisition for their learners, as an

intersection of facts, received knowledge, and experiences, discovered and constructed

knowledge. It is through each of these means that a true education is cultivated.

Achieving a proper balance of each of these three means of obtaining new knowledge is

critical if educators hope to authentically, and effectively, educate their students. And, if learners

hope to truly learn. The most important implication for educators is to understand there is a time

and place for each style of learning, received, discovered, and constructed. It is by blending each

of these approaches that learners are fully supported in their acquisition of new knowledge. If too

much emphasis is placed on received knowledge, or direct instruction, educators miss valuable

opportunities to cultivate critical thinking skills in their pupils, and learners are deprived of such

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skills. If discovery or construction of new knowledge are the only means by which educators

educate, they run the risk of foregoing opportunities to combat misconceptions their learners may

develop. To truly strike an appropriate balance between received, discovered, and constructed

knowledge, educators need to be intentional in the instructional strategies they utilize, ensuring

there is time for direct instruction, exploration, investigation, and creative construction in the

classroom. This interwoven approach will cultivate an authentic learning environment for both

educators and learners alike.

Ellis (n.d.) writes of a common motivation for new teachers entering the field of

education, “helping young people learn.” However, for this motivation to become a reality,

teachers need to understand exactly what it takes to effectively help young people learn. A

pedagogy that understands there must be an appropriate balance between received, discovered,

and constructed knowledge is essential. Without such an understanding, educators will miss

crucial opportunities to authentically engage students and develop well-rounded, deep-thinking,

creative members of society.

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Question 3: Of all the individuals and philosophies we have discussed during this course,

select one or two whose ideas have influenced you the most. What are those ideas, and what

relevance do they have to your own philosophy?

This course covered a wide array of individual philosophies and ideas aimed at

illuminating the path of American education. Philosophies from The Roman Way and traditional

values to Humanism, Enlightenment, and Universal Education, all of which have furthered my

understanding of education and helped me foster a more comprehensive personal philosophy.

However, two individuals rose above the rest in terms of their influence on my personal

philosophy of education – Alfred North Whitehead (1916) and his “Aims of Education,” and

Johann Comenius (1633-38) and The Great Didactic.

“From the very beginning of his education, the child should experience the joy of

discovery.” (Whitehead, 1916). This statement is the foundation of Whitehead’s philosophy of

education; specifically, what the aim of education should be. Whitehead outlines the greatest

downfall of the education system is indoctrination over exploration and creativity. “In the history

of education, the most striking phenomenon is that schools of learning… exhibit merely pedantry

and routine.” (Whitehead, 1916). In addition to the joy of discovery, Whitehead’s philosophy

hinges on the idea that education should not be marked by rote memorization or “logical

analysis,” though these concepts are part of the overall process, but should help students

understand the “art of using knowledge.”

Whitehead’s (1916) portrayal of effective education genuinely resonated with me. The

classroom environment I hope to create is one filled with the “joy of discovery” (Whitehead,

1916). I hope to cultivate a love of education for my students, which can only be done if they

truly enjoy, and are actively engaged in, the learning process. Whitehead’s work reminded me of

the importance of fostering an authentic education, meaning students learn to critically think

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about new concepts, analyze subject matter, question what they learn, and develop personal

connections with content material. Reading Whitehead’s, “Aim of Education,” helped reinforce,

and further develop, my personal philosophy on education as it refocused my understanding of

teaching on the importance of helping students enjoy their educational experiences and acquire

the necessary skills to independently generalize what they learn. Education, if it hopes to be

successful, should go beyond basic concepts and facts, it should give students the necessary tools

to think critically about the world around them and understand their personal roles within that

world.

In addition to the work of Whitehead (1916), Johann Comenius (1633-38) influenced my

understanding of education and personal teaching philosophy as well. Like Whitehead,

Comenius viewed education as a process that should go beyond mere regurgitation of

information.

Comenius (1633-38) The Beginning and End of our Didactic will be to seek and

find a method by which the teachers teach less and the learners learn more, by

which the schools have less noise, obstinacy, and frustrated endeavor, but more

leisure, pleasantness and definite progress.

Once again the ideas of authenticity in education, cultivation of independent thought, and

genuine enjoyment were brought to light. Comenius goes on to mention, “There should be taught

all that can make men honest, wise and pious.” This idea resonated with me as it compliments

my own beliefs of education. Education should be the process through which students are

prepared for life, where they learn more than basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills but

uncover pieces of their true identity and cultivate the skills they will need to flourish in society.

“Education should be carried out not with beating, severity and any kind of coercion,

but easily, pleasantly, and, so to speak, by its own momentum.” (Comenius, 1633-38). This is

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another aspect of Comenius’ philosophy that influenced my own. Education cannot be thrust

upon students; learners cannot be forced to learn. If education is to be successful, and long

lasting, students must want to take an active role in their learning. To facilitate such a desire,

teachers must understand how to make education flow, “by its own momentum,” as Comenius

shared. While I have always believed in the vitality of authentically engaging students in the

classroom, Comenius’ assertions furthered this understanding by illuminating the importance of

involving students in the learning process.

Every educational ideal, philosophy, and approach shared throughout this course has

made a lasting impact on the educator I hope to become. The personal philosophy I have in

regards to education, and the ways in which I will cultivate an authentic educational experience

for my students, has evolved by way of this course’s readings; specifically, Whitehead (1916)

and Comenius’ (1633-38) views. Under their influence, I will enter the classroom ready to

engage students in the learning process, help them find joy in discovery, and allow education to

flow by its own momentum.

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References

Belenky, M., Clinchy, B., Goldberger, B., & Tarule, J. (1986). Four types of knowledge.

Women’s Ways of Knowing. New York, NY: Harper Collins. Retrieved from

http://pages.uoregon.edu/munno/Learning/Stages.html

Comenius, J. (1633-38). The great didactic. Retrieved from

http://mountainlightschool.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/session-5-humanism1.pdf

Ellis, A. (n.d.). The teaching decision. Retrieved from

http://mountainlightschool.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/session-1-ellis-the-teaching-

decision.pdf

Scheuerman, R. (2014). Session 1: The goals and means of effective education [Word

Document]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Website:

http://mountainlightschool.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/session-1-goals1.pdf

Whitehead, A. N. (1916). The aims of education. Retrieved from

http://mountainlightschool.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/session-1-goals1.pdf