| Modernity <------------------------------------------------------------------------> Post Modernity Traditional and Conservative <---------------------------------> Contemporary and Liberal Authoritarian (convergent) <--------------------------------> (divergent) Non-Authoritarian | |||||
| General or World Philosophies | Idealism: Ideas are the only true reality, the only thing worth knowing. Focus: Mind |
Realism: Reality exists independent of human mind. World of physical objects ultimate reality. Focus: Body |
Pragmatism: Universe is dynamic, evolving. Purpose of thought is action. Truth is relative. Focus: Experience |
Existentialism: Reality is subjective, within the individual. Individual rather than external standards. Focus: Freedom |
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| Originator(s) | Plato, Socrates | Aristotle | Pierce, Dewey | Sartre, Kierkegaard | |
| Curricular Emphasis | Subject matter of mind: literature, history, philosophy, religion | Subject matter of physical world: science, math | Subject matter of social experience. Creation of new social order | Subject matter of personal choice | |
| Teaching Method | Teach for handling ideas: lecture, discussion | Teach for mastery of facts and basic skills: demonstration, recitation | Problem solving: Project method | Individual as entity within social context | |
| Character Development | Imitating examples, heroes | Training in rules of conduct | Making group decisions in light of consequences | Individual responsibility for decisions and preferences | |
| Related Educational Philosophies |
Perennialism: Focus: Teach ideas that are everlasting. Seek enduring truths which are constant, not changing, through great literature, art, philosophy, religion. |
Essentialism: Focus: Teach the common core, "the basics" of information and skills (cultural heritage) needed for citizenship. (Curriculum can change slowly) |
Progressivism: Focus: Ideas should be tested by active experimentation. Learning rooted in questions of learners in interaction with others. Experience and student centered. |
Reconstructionism/ Critical Theory Focus: Critical pedagogy: Analysis of world events, controversial issues and diversity to provide vision for better world and social change. |
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| Key Proponents | Robert Hutchins, Jacque Maritain, Mortimer Adler, Allan Bloom |
William Bagley; Arthur Bestor, E. D. Hirsch, Chester Finn, Diane Ravitch, Theodore Sizer |
John Dewey, William Kilpatrick |
George Counts, J. Habermas, Ivan Illich, Henry Giroux, Paulo Freire |
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| Related Theories of Learning (Psychological Orientations) |
Information Processing The mind makes meaning through symbol-processing structures of a fixed body of knowledge. Describes how information is received, processed, stored, and retrieved from the mind. |
Behaviorism Behavior shaped by design and determined by forces in environment. Learning occurs as result of reinforcing responses to stimuli. Social Learning Learning by observing and imitating others. |
Cognitivism/ Constructivism Learner actively constructs own understandings of reality through interaction with environment and reflection on actions. Student-centered learning around conflicts to present knowing structures. |
Humanism Personal freedom, choice, responsibility. Achievement motivation towards highest levels. Control of own destiny. Child centered. Interaction with others. |
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| Key proponents | R. M. Gagne, E. Gagne, Robert Sternberg, J.R. Anderson |
Ivan Pavlov, John Watson, B.F. Skinner, E.L. Thorndike, Albert Bandura |
Jean Piaget, U. Bronfenbrenner, Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky |
J.J. Rousseau, A. Maslow, C. Rogers, A. Combs, R. May |
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Return to Task 4