Western Schools of
Philosophy and Education By
M.VIJAYALAKSHMIAssistant Professor
UNIT II Western Schools of Philosophy
and Education
By
M.VIJAYALAKSHMI
UNIT II : Western Schools of Philosophy and Education
• Western Schools of Philosophy and Education: Educational implications of Idealism, Naturalism, Pragmatism, Realism, Eclecticism and Constructivism.
IDEALISM•Monistic concept• Plato• Chief Exponents
Socrates, Plato, Tagore, Gandhiji, Sri Arabindo, Vivekanada
BASIC PRINCIPLES
• Ultimate reality is mind and spirit• Ideas are final• Believes in God and Spiritual Values• Values are predetermined, absolute and
unchanging . Faith in Eternal Values• Belief in “Apriori” knowledge• Truth is Subjective• Knowledge and Truth are different
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION• Stress on spiritual environment• Education is based on spiritualism• Self-realisation is the aim of education• Emphasises mental capacities• Teacher and curriculum are the central aspects of
education. Relatively unimportant place for the child• Development of the child in accordance with adult
standards• Emphasises book learning• Both individual and society are valued• Definite and specific ideaology maintained• Stress on discipilining the child
AIMS OF EDUCATION
• Self-realisation• Spiritual development• Realization of Truth, Goodness and Beauty• Conservation, promotion and transmission of
cultural heritage• Preparation for a holy life• Development of intelligence and rationality• Exaltation of Human Personality• Universal education• Development of Inventive and Creative Powers
CURRICULUM
• Curriculum developed according to ideals and eternal values
• Humanistic subjects emphasised• Main subjects – Religious studies, Spiritual
studies, Ethics, Language, Literature, History, Fine Arts, Music, etc.,
• Books are considered as Treasure house of Knowledge
METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING
• Learning through reading• Lecture, dialogue, discussion• Sravana, manana, nididyasana
to be attempted• Study of books encouraged
DISCIPLINE
• Emphasises inner discipline• Discipline comes through
moral and religious instruction• Restraint on freedom
ROLE OF TEACHERS
• Teachers’ role is supreme and important. He is a spiritual guide for the child• Teacher provides model to be
imitated
Relevance of Idealism in Education in the Emerging Indian Society
• Lofty Aims of Education• Preservation of Cultural Heritage• Position of the Teacher• Self-discipline• Emphasis on Moral Development• Integrated Curriculum
CRITICISMS AGAINST IDEALISM• Neglects psychological nature of the child• More inclined towards Spiritualism• Does not contribute much to the field of Method of
Teaching• Too much of importance - Teacher• Too much of importance – Humaities• Science and Technology are neglected• Rigid restrictions• Unobtainable goals• Too much oriented to the past
NATURALISM• Monistic Concept• Rousseau• Chief Exponents Aristotle, Comte, Herbart Spencer,
Bernard Shaw, Rousseau
NATURALISM• Meaning• Hocking – “Naturalism is metaphysics which
considers nature as a whole of reality. It excludes what is supernatural or the other world”
BASIC PRINCIPLES• Nature is the final reality• Believes in matter and importance of the
material world• Values are created in terms of specific needs• No Faith in Soul or Spirit• Development of Human Personality is due to
the Interaction of Heredity and environment• Innate Goodness of Children• Everything Natural is Beautiful and Valuable• Superiority of Empirical Knowledge
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION• Stress on Physical Environment• Education is based on Psychology and ethics• Self-expression is the aim of education• Emphasizes basic instincts, interests and tendencies• Child is the central aspect of education• Education is accordance with the nature of the child• Insignificant place for bookish knowledge• Individual alone is considered and valued• Progressive and dynamic ideology maintained• Stress on the freedom for the child
AIMS OF EDUCATION• Self-expression• Attainment of present and future happiness• Preparation for the struggle of existence• Adaptation to environment• Natural development• Autonomous development of individuality• Sensory training• Redirection and sublimation of natural instincts
CURRICULUM• Curriculum according to basic instincts, aptitudes
and tendencies of children, nature forms the main source
• Scientific subjects occupy comparatively more significance
• Main subjects – Games and Sports, Physical Science, Physiology, Health and Culture, Natural Science and Biological Science
• Senses are the gateways of knowledge• Study of Past Experience
METHODS OF TEACHING
• Learning by doing and interaction with Nature• Observation, Play way, Dalton Plan• Heuristic, Montessori, Kindergarten methods• Observations of nature encouraged• Based on principles – a) Principle of growthb) Principle of Pupil-activity and c) Principle of Individualization• Negative Education
DISCIPLINE• Supporting emancipatory discipline• Discipline by Natural Consequences• Maximum freedom to the child
ROLE OF TEACHER• Teacher’s role is subsidiary where as chilld’s
position is central• Nature is the supreme teacher• Teacher sets the stage for child and retires
behind the curtain• Teacher as an observer• One who understands child psychology
CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATURALISM TO EDUCATION
Psychologising the Educational PracticesPaedocentric EducationLearning by doing and learning through observation.Guided discovery approach called Heuristic MethodFreedom in learning situationsTeachers’ Interference and dominance are
marginalizedHolistic Tendency in the Curriculum offeredAdvocacy of Residential Schools and Co-education
CRITICISMS AGAINST NATURALISM• It denies the existence of anything beyond
nature, behind nature and other than nature• Man – any other living organisms• Superiority not considered• Uncontrolled freedom - not helpful for total
personality development• Negative Education – fail to develop positive
ideas and values in children• Discipline by natural consequences is very
dangerous
PRAGMATISM• Pluralistic Concept• John Dewey• Chief Exponents C.S.Pearce, William James,
John Dewey, Kilpatrick
MEANING• Greek word – Pragma – To do, To
make and To accomplish• Action or Practice or Activity• Instrumentalism• Humanistic Pragmatism• Experimentalism
BASIC PRINCIPLES• Upholds the power of man as supreme• Does not believe in God or spiritual values• Values are not predetermined• They are in the making• Change is the essence of this universe• Human experience is alone is real• Actions are more important than thoughts• Aesthetic value is to be viewed in terms of ‘Social
Goodness’• Should be concerned with the ‘present’• Truth is that which works
Educational Philosophy of Pragmatism
“Knowledge is not for the sake of knowledge, but to help the educand to meet his needs in a biological and social environment, so as to achieve better personal and social adjustment”
MEANING OF EDUCATION
WHY of Education• It is a natural necessity• It is a social necessityWHAT of Education• Self-expression• Growth
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION
• Stress on social and physical environment• Education is based on psychology and
science• Social-efficiency is the aim of education• Emphasises experimentation and
practices in a natural setting• Child is the central aspect of all
education activities
• Life situations and activity helpful to meet a need are the bases of education
• Experience and experiments leading to problem solving are the bases of learning
• Sociability along is emphasised• Progressive, dynamic and changeable
ideology maintained• Stress on the freedom for the child
AIMS OF EDUCATION• Social efficiency• Educational aims change according to time
and circumstances• Creation of new values• More and more education and continuous
growth• Social adjustment and harmonious
development• Development of personality
CURRICULUM• Curriculum based on subjects of utility
value • Project form the basis for curriculum• Social subjects form the main body and
others are only subsidiary• Main subjects – Health, Hygiene, Physical
Science, Culture, History, Geography, Maths, Home Science and Agriculture
Governed by the four principles
• Principle of Utility• Principle of Natural Interests• Principle of Experience
Curriculum• Principle of Integration
METHODS OF TEACHING• Learning through experience• Purposive activities in a natural
setting correlation and integration• Project Method• Problem solving encouraged
DISCIPLINE• Stresses social discipline• Discipline comes through
purposive and co-operative activities• Given freedom to frame their
own roles
ROLE OF TEACHERS• Teachers’ role is that of a friend,
motivator, philosopher and guide• Experimentalist• Counsellor• Teacher provides the child scope for
active participation so that he learns to create new values for future
CONTRIBUTIONS OF PRAGMATISM TO EDUCATION
• Fused both psychological and sociological aspects of education
• Importance to child-centred education• Social discipline• Project Method• Develop problem – solving mind• Flexible broad based curriculum• Teacher as a guide and companion to pupils• Principle of Utility and Social Goodness
LIMITATIONS OF PRAGMATISM• Soft education – without fundamental subjects• It fails to solve the riddle of the universe-its
origin, nature, purpose and destiny• It is difficult to provide an organised body of
knowledge – project method• Advocates a utilitarian approach• Contributes much to the Methods of Education,
fails to present laudable aims to education• Ignores the spiritual side of man
Relevance of Pragmatism in Education in the Emerging Indian Society
• Emphasis on Practical Utility• Emphasis on Democratic Values• Emphasis on Learning by Doing• Emphasis on Education of the Whole
Child• The Project Method of Teaching• Emphasis on Universal Education• Pragmatism does not Banish the Teacher
REALISM• Pluralistic Concept• Aristotle – Father of Realism• Chief Exponents – Milton, Commenius, John Locke,
Whitehead, Russel, Aristotle
Meaning of Realism• ROSS – “The doctrine of realism asserts
that there is a word of things beyond and corresponding to the object of our perception”
BASIC PRINCIPLES• Physical world is real and Independent of man• Objects rule our perception• Nature’s laws are true and pre-existent• Sensory are gateways of knowledge • Truths are discovered through observation and
experimentation• Values are determined by one’s own experiences• As objects have permanent properties, values also
remain unchanged• Morals and standards are those which prove to be
good for man
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION• Education is based on Science only• It emphasizes on behaviour and experiment• Child and his presents life are the centres of
education• It opposes book learning • Both the individual and the society are valued• It is liable to change according to a change in
life
AIMS OF EDUCATIION• Equip the individual with skills
and knowledge to mater the physical environment• Adjust with realities of the world
and adult approved behaviour• Promote rational thinking
CURRICULUM
• Diversification of courses but related to life• Preference for the study of Sciences• Vocational training• Place for travel and field trips• Subjects concerning day to day activities are
included in curriculum• Main subjects are – Natural Sciences,
Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Health Culture, Physical exercises, Math, Geography, History, Astronomy, Sports, etc.,
METHODS OF TEACHING• Subjective & Objective Method of
Teaching• Critical Observation• Exploration• Experimentation• Self-study & Practical work• Inductive Method• Correlation Method
ROLE OF TEACHER
• Teacher role is Supreme because he brings the child to learn with the external realities of life
• Imparts scientific knowledge to the child in as easy and effective way
• Helps for the objective learning of pupils• Is a man with scientific temper
STUDENT DISCIPLINE
• Discipline by limitation and evaluation of consequences• Morality is taught by consequences
of behaviour• Emancipatory discipline
ECLECTICISM
• The useful and acceptable features of different philosophies and tendencies in education are harmoniously blended.• Calls for consensus
ALL THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSPHIES AGREE ON THE FOLLOWING
• Dignity of the individual and respect for human personality
• Mind is a powerful force and significant in the life of man
• Education should develop social efficiency• Curriculum should be highly flexible and core
curriculum should include all the subjects• Emphasising play method, learning by doing and
experimental method for imparting instruction• Discipline is a means and not an end in itself
• Eclecticism is not adopted in Modern Indian Education• Lead to the creation of educational
pockets of conflicts and confusion• Ultimately endangering national and
emotional integration
Constructivism Theory about the Nature of LearningChief Exponents John Dewey Maria Montessori David Kolb
Based on experimental learning through real life experience to construct and conditionalize knowledge
The type of learner is self-directed, creative, and innovative.
The learning goal is the highest order of learning: heuristic problem solving, metacognitive knowledge, creativity, and originality that may modify existing knowledge and allow for creation of new knowledge
Characteristics of Constructivist TeachingOne of the primary goals of using constructivist
teaching is that students learn how to learn by giving them the training to take initiative for their own learning experiences.
According to Audrey Gray, the characteristics of a constructivist classroom are as follows:
the learners are actively involvedthe environment is democraticthe activities are interactive and student-centeredthe teacher facilitates a process of learning in which
students are encouraged to be responsible and autonomous
Jonassen (1994) - eight characteristics that differentiate constructivist learning environments
1. Provide multiple representations of reality. 2. Multiple representations avoid oversimplification and represent the
complexity of the real world. 3. Emphasize knowledge construction inserted of knowledge
reproduction. 4. Emphasize authentic tasks in a meaningful context rather than
abstract instruction out of context. 5. Provide learning environments such as real-world settings or case-
based learning instead of predetermined sequences of instruction. 6. Encourage thoughtful reflection on experience. 7. “Enable context- and content- dependent knowledge construction." 8. Support "collaborative construction of knowledge through social
negotiation, not competition among learners for recognition."
The Traditional Classroomo Begins with parts of the whole–Emphasizes
basic skillso Strict adherence to fixed curriculumo Textbooks and workbookso Instructor gives/students receiveo Instructor assumes directive, authoritative roleo Assessment via testing / correct answerso Knowledge is inerto Students work individually
The constructivist ClassroomBegin with the whole – expanding to partsPursuit of student questions / interestsPrimary Sources / manipulative materialsLearning is interaction – building on what
students already know Instructor interacts / negotiates with studentsAssessment via student works, observations,
points of view, tests. Process is as important as product
Knowledge is dynamic / change with experiencesStudents work in groups Source
Specific ApproachesConstructionism
Guided Instruction
Problem-Based Learning
Inquiry-Based Learning
Anchored Instruction
Cooperative Learning
Reciprocal Peer Teaching
Constructivist ActivitiesExperimentation
Research projects
Field trips
Films
Class discussions
Role of teachers
Modeling
Coaching
Scaffolding