Philosophy
What are the three traditional philosophies of education?
Essentialism, Perennialism, and Behaviorism
Essentialism
Philosophy that emphasizes teaching core subjects such as reading, writing, math, science & history, through structured lessons & high academic standards.
Child-and-community-centered schooling
Philosophy that emphasizes student-centered learning & connects education to needs of community & real-world experiences.
Why did education become a national security concren after Sputnik?
The soviet union had demonstrated an advantage in space.
In progressive schooling, who had more control over the direction of education?
The students
What are the three progressive philosophies of education?
Child-and-community-centered schooling, Social Reconstruction, and Multiculturalism/Sociocultural Approach
Perennialism
Philosophy that focuses on teaching timeless knowledge, classic works & critical thinking skills that are valuable in every generation
Multiculturalism/Sociocultural Approach
Philosophy that focuses on learning through reinforcement, reception & rewards/consequences to shape behavior
What is the main idea of the spiral curriculum?
To revisit important ideas over time with increasing complexity. / Wanted to create mastery.
What was emphasized in the skills-based curriculum?
Memorization and testing
What was the purpose of perennialism?
Cultivating the mind, instilling timeless virtues & advancing the search through truth.
Behaviorism
Philosophy that focuses on learning through reinforcement, reception & rewards/consequences to shape behavior
Social Reconstruction
Philosophy that encourages students to address social issues & work toward improving society.
What happened to the curriculum after Sputnik?
Standards were raised and the curriculum became more rigorous.
What did supporters hope traditional education would bring back?
Predictability and stability
What is the role of the teacher in social reconstruction?
To raise consciousness about social problems & provide tools for social critique & social action.
Idealism
The belief that ideas, the mind, and spiritual or mental realities are the true foundation of existence, rather than the physical material world
Pragmatism
A practical philosophy that judges the truth and value of ideas by their real-world consequences and usefulness.
Who developed the spiral curriculum?
Jerome Bruner
Why did education shift towards a more tradtional approach in the 1970s?
There was controversy surrounding progressive schooling
What was the preferred curriculum for multiculturalism?
A broad array of knowledge in traditional subjects, with an emphasis on respectful understanding of culture & peoples.
Realism
The belief that the physical world exists independently of the human mind, and that objective truth is discovered through observation, experience, and scientific inquiry
Postmodernism
A critical movement that rejects universal truths, absolute objectivity, and rigid standardized curriculums in favor of multiple perspectives, student diversity, and localized meaning.
Do you think schools today still use something similar to the spiral curriculum? Why or why not?
(Open response)
Why do you think some people preferred a more structured approach to education?
(Open response)