Philosophical Foundations

Thinker

Assumptions

Role of Teachers

Models/Strategies

Educational Aim

Curriculum Emphasis

Realism

Aristotle

Reality exists independent of the human mind; To understand an object, its ultimate form had to be understood, which do not change.

Organizes and presents content systematically within a discipline, demonstrating use of criteria in making decisions.

Curriculum should be scientifically approached, standardized, and distinct - discpline based.

To understand objective reality through "the diligent and unsparing scrutiny of all observable data."

The Realist Curriculum emphasizes the subject matter of the physical world, particularly science and mathematics.

Idealism

Plato

The soul is fully formed prior to birth and is perfect and at one with the Universal Being.

Facilitators

Handling ideas through lecture, discussion and Socratic Dialogue (a method of teaching that uses questioning to help students discover and clarify knowledge.

To discover and develop each indicidual's abilities and full moral excellence in order to better serve society.

Subject matter of mind: Literature, History, Philosophy, and Religion.

Philosophical Foundations

Thinker

Assumptions

Role of Teachers

Models/Strategies

Educational Aim

Curriculum Emphasis

Pragmatism/Experimentation/Empiricism

Charles S. Peirce

· Changing nature of truth · Truth is formed by its result · Problems as the motives of truth · Emphasis on social and democratic values · Emphasis on the principle of utility · Opposion to fixed ideals and values · Importance of man power · Importance of activity · Faith in present and future · Opposition to social customs and traditions · Faith in pluralism · Faith in flexibility

The teacher only guides and suggests wherever and whenever there is necessity for such help. They believe learning by doing. They oppose bookish knowledge and condemn those methods which promote knowledge which is not useful.

Favours project method and consider it active and dynamic. Through this method the child learns by his own activities and experiences.

More growth and creation of new values and to provide such dynamic direction and guidance to the child according to his natural interest, aptitude and capacities in the field of academic activities that he grows up and develops more and more capacities to successfully achieving a happier life.

· Importance of child · Emphasis on activity · Faith in applied life · Social and democratic education · Progressive and optimistic attitude · Construction of project method

Philosophical Foundations

Thinker

Assumptions

Role of Teachers

Models/Strategies

Educational Aim

Curriculum Emphasis

Perennialism

Marsilio Ficino

Education, like human nature, is a constant.; Education should focus on developing rationality.

The teacher interprets and tells. The student is a passive recipient.

The teacher interprets and tells. The student is a passive recipient.

Schools for the perennialist exist primarily to reveal reason by teaching eternal truths.

Schools for the perennialist exist primarily to reveal reason by teaching eternal truths.

Essentialism/ Traditionalism/ Conservatism

William C. Bagley

The creation of a new discipline, computer science.

The teacher is the center of the classroom, so they should be rigid and disciplinary.

Teacher must control the students with distributions of rewards and penalties.

To instill students with the "essentials" of academic knowledge, patriotism, and character development through traditional (or back-to-basic) approaches.

To reform the educational system to a rational-based system.

Philosophical Foundations

Thinker

Assumptions

Role of Teachers

Models/Strategies

Educational Aim

Curriculum Emphasis

Progressivism

John Dewey

“Participation of the individual in the social consciousness of the race” (Dewey, 1897, para. 1). As such, education should take into account that the student is a social being.

Education is the process of living and is not meant to be the preparation of future living (Dewey, 1897), so school must represent the present life. As such, parts of the student’s home life (such as moral and ethical education) should take part in the schooling process. The teacher is a part of this, not as an authoritative figure, but as a member of the community who is there to assist the student.

Instruction must focus on the child as a whole for you can never be sure as to where society may end or where that student will be needed or will take themselves.

To prepare the for the future life.

Emphasis on learning by doing – hands-on projects, expeditionary learning

Philosophical Foundations

Thinker

Assumptions

Role of Teachers

Models/Strategies

Educational Aim

Curriculum Emphasis

Existentialism/                                                                      Experimentalism

Søren Kierkgaard

Our existence is not guaranteed afterlife, so there is tension about life and the certainty of death, of hope or despair

View the individual as an entity within a social context ion which the learner must confront others' views to clarify his or her own.

Examining life through authentic thinking involves students in genuine learning experiences.

Development of individuals as we make meaning of our lives.

To focus on creating opportunities for self - direction and self - actualization.

Reconstructionalism

Theodeore Brameld

Considered democracy the core of his educationqal philosophy.

1. Facilitate learning activities 2. Stimulate learning

1. Pupil - teacher dialogue                          2. Praxis or effective action or problem - solving method

The goal of reconstructionist learning for students is that they themselves may envision the good future and spend their learning as a preparation for their role in the future for which they reach.

A philosophy of values, ends, and purposes, with a democratically empowered world civilization as the central goal of education.