Reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that emphasizes addressing social problems and creating a better society. It focuses on empowering learners and treating them as democratic participants in their education. The approach aims to strengthen social reform through the curriculum by involving students in analyzing and taking action on issues like poverty, inequality, and the environment. Reconstructionist teachers see themselves as social activists who use education to solve societal problems. While the philosophy provides a vision for positive change, it has been criticized for being too idealistic and not having a clear set of agreed upon practices.
Reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that emphasizes addressing social problems and creating a better society. It focuses on empowering learners and treating them as democratic participants in their education. The approach aims to strengthen social reform through the curriculum by involving students in analyzing and taking action on issues like poverty, inequality, and the environment. Reconstructionist teachers see themselves as social activists who use education to solve societal problems. While the philosophy provides a vision for positive change, it has been criticized for being too idealistic and not having a clear set of agreed upon practices.
Reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that emphasizes addressing social problems and creating a better society. It focuses on empowering learners and treating them as democratic participants in their education. The approach aims to strengthen social reform through the curriculum by involving students in analyzing and taking action on issues like poverty, inequality, and the environment. Reconstructionist teachers see themselves as social activists who use education to solve societal problems. While the philosophy provides a vision for positive change, it has been criticized for being too idealistic and not having a clear set of agreed upon practices.
Reconstructionism is an educational philosophy that emphasizes addressing social problems and creating a better society. It focuses on empowering learners and treating them as democratic participants in their education. The approach aims to strengthen social reform through the curriculum by involving students in analyzing and taking action on issues like poverty, inequality, and the environment. Reconstructionist teachers see themselves as social activists who use education to solve societal problems. While the philosophy provides a vision for positive change, it has been criticized for being too idealistic and not having a clear set of agreed upon practices.
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Philosophical Foundations
of Education SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTIONISM
Pedro A. Arongat, PhD
Professor Reconstructionism Social reconstructionism, also called as Critical Theory or Critical Pedagogy, is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionism Reconstructionism is an educational approach that is not affiliated with any one system of thought. When members of a group are faced with racist, sexist, homophobic attitudes, they speak up and advocate for change Reconstructionism Reconstructionism is a philosophy that focuses on empowering the learner to take control of their own learning. It has been argued that this approach is most effective for learners who struggle with more traditional and linear styles of learning. Reconstructionism Reconstructionism in education philosophy is the belief that education should be designed so that learners experience in an environment where they are treated like democratic participants. Teachers are there to guide and help not to control. Proponents: Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) was the founder of social reconstructionism, in reaction against the realities of World War II. He recognized the potential for either human destruction through technology and human cruelty or the capacity to create a beneficent society using technology and human compassion. Proponents: George Counts (1889-1974) recognized that education was the means of preparing people for creating this new social order. Proponents: Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion education and literacy as the vehicle for social change. Proponents: - Freire saw teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world. In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression and not become its victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and critical consciousness, the development of awareness to overcome domination and oppression. Characteristics: It provides students with learning requisite for altering social, economic, and political realities Curriculum should foster social action, aimed at reconstructing society Characteristics:
Encourages industrial & political
changes Students should be involved in creating a more equitable society Characteristics: For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation, and inequality. Characteristics: Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly in social studies and literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies. Characteristics: Most advocates of reconstructionism are sensitive to race, gender, ethnicity and differences in socioeconomic status. It focuses upon the use of revolutionary literature in classrooms that is aimed at "liberation." Aims of Education
Reconstructionist educators focus
on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Aims of Education
Strengthen control of the
schools by and for goal-seeking interests of the overwhelming majority of mankind Aims of Education Critically examine all cultural and educational institutions and recommended change and reform as needed Teach students and the public not to settle for "what is" but rather to dream about “what might be” Aims of Education
Prepare students to become agents
for change Social reconstructionists believe that systems must be changed to overcome oppression and improve human conditions. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM
A reconstructionist curriculum would
include bringing students into their community. Ideally, students would spend half of their time in the classroom and the other half outside of the classroom in different settings. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM
The curriculum would encourage
students to directly apply what they are learning through social activism, reform and change. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM As part of the reconstructionism model, the curriculum would use service learning and discussion groups to teach, while also bringing the world into the classroom and the students out into their community. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM In the reconstructionist curriculum, it was not enough for students to just analyze interpret and evaluate social problems. They had to be committed to the issues discussed and encouraged to take action to bring about constructive change. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM The curriculum is to be based on social and economic issues as well as social service. The curriculum should engage students in critical analysis of the local, national and international community. Examples of issues are poverty, environment degradation, unemployment, crime, war, political oppression, hunger, etc. RECONSTRUCTIONISM AND CURRICULUM
In general, the curriculum emphasized
the social sciences (such as history, political science, economics, sociology, religion, ethics, poetry, and philosophy), rather than the sciences. Roles of Teacher An educator who is also a social activist Sees education as a tool for solving the problems of society Roles of Teacher The teacher can inform others about the nature and the extent of the problem Can suggest what one can do about these problems Roles of Teacher
Rather than being passive
dispensers of knowledge, teachers should become facilitators for analysis and change Roles of Teacher Teachers are considered the prime agents of social change, cultural renewal and internationalism. They are encouraged to challenge outdated structures and entrusted with the task of bringing about a new social order which may be idealistic in nature. Evaluation of Reconstructionism Reconstructionist’s analysis of social problems and the accompanying remedies suffer from shallowness and superficiality. Evaluation of Reconstructionism Often, in their strong desire for change, reconstructionists are precipitous in their recommendations for reform. Evaluation of Reconstructionism Reconstructionists have a romantic notion of what schools can do. The views about democracy and decision making are questionable. Advantage
It teaches student about
their own histories and those of others around the world Advantage
More engaging and allows
students to understand better the material they are learning. Advantage
Believe that Bible is a reliable source of
knowledge. Reconstructionism emphasizes the importance of understanding God’s will for our lives and how can we live in accordance with it. Disadvantage
It can be difficult for teachers to
implement this teaching style because they must change the enite curriculum Disadvantage
It can be difficult for
teachers to find resources on topics outside their expertise. Disadvantage
Reconstructionism does not
have agreed-upon set of beliefs, so there is no one way to practice Reconstructionism. CONCLUSION Reconstructionist philosophy has been an antidote to the easy virtues of materialism, traditional cultural values, and social stability. Its theory is not widely accepted but it can stimulate and provoke critical thinking. CONCLUSION
Reconstructionism has provided
visions for a more perfect world and suggested ways of obtaining them. CONCLUSION Concern for social values, humane justice, human community, world peace, economic justice, equality of opportunity, freedom and democracy – are the significant goals for reconstructionism. Thank you!