Heavenly Father and Your Beloved Son

Jesus Christ,
Thank you for another life to enjoy,
another day to learn, and a new set of
things we will experience.
As we go through our lessons today, may
let us be instruments to do good things.
Help us be obedient, honest, and kind to
one another. Please bless our teachers, our
schools, and the students.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Philosophical orientations in
education today and the
corresponding:

1. Goals of Education
2. Role of Students
3. Role of Teachers
4. Teaching Method
 What is Philosophy?

 The word philosophy literally means love of wisdom; It

is derived from two Greek words i.e. 'phileo' (love) and
'Sophia' (wisdom).

 This tells us something about the nature of philosophy,

but not much, because many disciplines seek wisdom.
 What is Philosophy?
 Philosophy is a search for a general understanding of
values and
reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational
means.

 It signifies a natural and necessary urge in human beings

to know themselves and the world in which they live and
move and have their being.
What are the major branches of
philosophy?
The four main branches of philosophy are
metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and logic.
Metaphysics: questions about the physical
universe and the nature of ultimate reality.
Epistemology examines how people come to
learn what theyknow.
Axiology is the study of fundamental principles
or values.
Logic pursues the organization of the
reasoning process :deductive reasoning, which
takes general principles and relates them to a
specific case; and inductive reasoning, which
builds up an argument based on specific
examples.
 Nature of Philosophy
 Philosophy wants to understand man in relation to the whole universe—
nature and God.
 Philosophy deals with the nature of human mind and personality, and with
the ways in which man and his institutions can be understood.
 Philosophy seeks to understand whether man is free or within bondage,
and whether he can change the course of history.
 Philosophy endeavors to understand all that comes within the bound of
human experience.
 It aims at fundamental understanding of things—the problem of human
conduct, the assumptions that underlie religious or scientific beliefs, the
tools and methods of thinking, or any issue that arises in any field of
human activity.
 What is Education?
 According to Socrates-“Education means bringing out of the idea of
universal validity which is latent in the mind of every man”.
 According to Knowels(1995), education is the development of all those
capabilities in which the individual which is enable him to control his
environment and fulfillment his possibilities.
 According to Mrunalini (2010), education is the process of changing
behavior pattern of people acquisition of the art of utilization of
knowledge and ideas.
 Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of
knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Education is the
development of all those capabilities in which the individual which is
enable him to control his environment and fulfillment his possibilities.
 What is Education?
 Etymologically, the word education is derived from educare (Latin)
"bring up", which is related to educere "bring out", "bring forth what is
within", "bring out potential" and ducere, "to lead“.
 Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a
formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an
individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which
society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and
values from one generation to another.
 What is Education?
 According to Socrates-“Education means bringing out of the idea of
universal validity which is latent in the mind of every man”.
 According to Knowels(1995), education is the development of all those
capabilities in which the individual which is enable him to control his
environment and fulfillment his possibilities.
 According to Mrunalini (2010), education is the process of changing
behavior pattern of people acquisition of the art of utilization of
knowledge and ideas.
 Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of
knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Education is the
development of all those capabilities in which the individual which is
enable him to control his environment and fulfillment his possibilities.
“What is the relationship between
philosophy of life and education?
“ Each individual has an attitude
toward life, children, politics, learning,
and previous personal experiences that
informs and shapes their set of beliefs.
Although you may not be conscious of
it, this set of beliefs, or personal
philosophy, informs how you live,
work, and interact with others. What
you believe is directly reflected in both
your teaching and learning processes.
CONCEPT OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

 Philosophy of education plays an important role in providing direction

to education on the following issues as well as providing a theory of
knowledge for education to work upon.

 Philosophy of education is essentially a method of approaching

educational experience rather than a body of conclusions. It is the
specific method which makes it philosophical. Philosophical method is
critical, comprehensive and synthetic.

 Your educational philosophy is your beliefs about why, what and how
you teach, whom you teach, and about the nature of learning. It is a set
of principles that guides professional action through the events and
issues teachers face daily. Sources for your educational philosophy are
your life experiences, your values, the environment in which you live,
CONCEPT OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
Therefore,
1] Philosophy of education is the criticism of the general theory of
education.
2] It consist of critical evaluation and systematic reflection upon general
theories.
3] It is a synthesis of educational facts with educational values.

 In brief, it is a philosophical process of solving educational problems

through philosophical method, from a philosophical attitude to arrive at
philosophical conclusions and results. Thus, it aims at achieving general
as well as comprehensive results.
SCOPE OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

 The scope of philosophy of education is

confined to the field of education. Thus,
it is philosophy in the field of
education. The scope of philosophy of
education is concerned with the
problems of education.
FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

 Determining the aims of education

 Harmonizing old and new traditions in the
field of education
 Providing the educational planners,
administrators and educators with the
progressive vision to achieve educational
development
 Preparing the young generation to face the
challenges of the modern time
FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Determining the aims of education
• Philosophy of education guides the
process of education by suggesting
suitable aims from the diversities of life
and selecting the means accordingly.
• Educational philosophy gives different
views, but this situation is not harmful,
rather it helps in providing education
according to the need of society.
• The difference in view of philosophy of
education reflects the multiplicity and
diversities of human life.
FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Harmonizing old and new traditions in the
field of education

In the process of social development the old

traditions become outdated for the people.
They are replaced by the new traditions. But
this process of replacement is not always
smooth.
FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Providing the educational planners,
administrators and educators with the
progressive vision to achieve educational
development

• Philosophy of education provides the

educational planners, administrators and
educators with the right vision which
guides them to attain the educational goals
efficiently.
FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
 Preparing the young generation to face the
challenges of the modern time

• Philosophy of education is a guiding,

steering and liberating force that helps
young people to and society at large to
face the challenges of the modern time.
 Aims of education
 Philosophy of education provides original
ideas regarding all aspects of education
particularly educational aims, method of
teaching, curriculum, teacher, students etc.
It is said that educational philosophy gives
different views, but this situation is not
harmful, rather it helps in providing
education according to the need of society.
 Aims of education
 The difference in view of philosophy of
education reflects the multiplicity and
diversities of human life.( e.g- Self –
expression is the aim of education under
naturalism, where as it is self-realization in
idealism and social efficiency in
pragmatism) Philosophy of education
guides the process of education by
suggesting suitable aims from the
diversities of life and selecting the means
accordingly.
 Curriculum
 With the help of educational philosophy, a
teacher comes to know why naturalism
gives emphasis to science subjects and why
idealism gives importance to religious
subjects. Thus it helps curriculum designer
to construct curriculum according to the
need, ability and interest of the child.
 Methods of teaching
 Educational philosophy is very much
helpful to adopt suitable methods of
teaching and make classroom teaching
more effective and attractive. We get the
knowledge of different methods of
teaching, i.e. ‘Learning by doing’ in
naturalism, ‘lecture method’ in idealism
and ‘experimental method’ in pragmatism.
With the help of educational philosophy
we able to choose the suitable methods of
teaching according to the nature of the
subject and school environment.
 Teacher & Student
 It is the educational philosophy which
determines the role and quality of teacher as
well as the student in diversified society. With
the help of educational philosophy, we get
knowledge pertaining to the role of the teacher
as well as student in the school and relationship
with each other. Students get secondary
importance in idealism whereas they get
primary importance in naturalism. Similarly
there is a close relationship between the teacher
and students in pragmatism and idealism
whereas it is limited in naturalism.
 SCOPE OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
These problems mainly include -
 interpretation of human nature, the world and the
universe and their relation with man,
 interpretation of aims and ideals of education,
 the relationship of various components of the system of
education,
 relationship of education and various areas of national life
[economic
 system, political order, social progress, cultural
reconstructions etc.], educational values,
 theory of knowledge and its relationship to education
 Philosophy and Teacher
 Philosophy has a great influence on the teacher both
in the area of thinking and behaving.

 Really speaking, a teacher is not a teacher alone. He is

a philosopher also. In other words, a teacher himself
has a philosophy of his own and he influences
children accordingly.

 As such, his philosophy of life should be such which

develops the individuality of children to the fullest
extent. For this, the teacher should know full well the
needs of children and the demands of society and then
plan his methods of teaching
 Philosophy and
 He must keep Teacher
in mind that his own beliefs, ideology
and principles of behavior have a powerful impact on
the development of children.
 He must possess a good understanding of all the
philosophies of life and choose good and wholesome
elements from them to form his own philosophy.
 He must beam an imbued with high ideals and
possess moral
and spiritual values which go to form his character and
shape his conduct.
 Philosophy and
Teacher
 He must also be well-conscious of national needs in
all spheres and plan his teaching activities to fulfill
those needs.

 Teachers imbued with high ideals, moral and spiritual

values together with a sense of national responsibility
for national prosperity and honour can create patriotic,
dynamic, resourceful and enterprising citizens devoted
to national service and international goodwill.
 Philosophy and Method of Teaching
 The outstanding problem in educational method at the present time is the extent to
which, if at all, the teacher should intervene in the educative process, and this
raises philosophical issues.
 The choice of methods of teaching depends on a philosophy.
 Kilpatrick's use of the term "Philosophy of Method" shows that there is a close
relation between educational method and philosophy. Method is a means by which
a contact is developed between the student and the subject matter.
 But in absence of a definite aim of education or an adequate philosophy of life, the
method of teaching employed by the teacher may repel the student from the
subject.
 Philosophy and Method of Teaching
 Teachers who think that they can do without a philosophy of life render their
methods of teaching
ineffective, because thereby the students are not able to see a relation between their
life ideals and what they read.

 Evidently, there is a need of a philosophical foundation of education. Teachers,

who assume that they can afford to ignore philosophy, pay the penalty of their
neglect, for their efforts, lacking a coordinating principle, are thereby rendered
ineffective (Sharma, 2002).
FOUR GENERAL PHILOSOPHIES

Idealism
Realism
Pragmatism
(Experientialism)
Existentialism
 Idealism

 Idealism- it is oldest system of philosophy known to man. Its

origin goes back to ancient India in the east, and to Plato in the
west. Its basic viewpoint stresses the human spirit as the most
important element in life.

 Idealism is a philosophical approach that has its central tenet that

ideas are the only true reality, the only thing worth knowing. In a
search for truth, beauty and justice that is enduring and
everlasting, the focus is on conscious reasoning in the mind.
 Educational implications of idealism

 In idealism, the aim of education is to discover and develop each

individual’s abilities and full moral excellence in order to better serve
society.

 Butler has rightly remarked “Idealists consider themselves as creators

and determines of methods not devotees of some one method”.
 Educational implications of idealism

 The curricular emphasis is subject matter of mind: literature, history,

philosophy, and religion.

 Teaching methods focus on handling ideas through lecture,

discussion, and Socratic dialogue (a method of teaching that uses
questioning to help students discover and clarify knowledge).
Introspection, intuition, insight, and whole-part logic are used to
bring to consciousness the forms or concepts which are latent in the
mind.
 Educational implications of idealism
 Curriculum should consist of those knowledge and experiences
which help the student to attained development.
 The teacher should impart essentials of knowledge and assist to
develop moral and aesthetic values in the child.
 The role of teacher is very important and glorious. Idealistic
philosophy believes that this planned creation has two parts. (1) The
teacher (2)The child as student. The development of the individual
child in a spiritual way. In reality an Idealist teacher is imbued fully
with higher degree of self-knowledge self-dynamism and essential
Qualities of spiritualism..
 Realism

 The term ‘realism’, derived from the world ‘real’, finds its
origin in Greek word:
‘Res ‘’ which means object. The realistic propagates that we see
and experience around us is the truth. The realists propagates
the world as nature rather than supernatural.
 Educational implications of realism
 Realism considers the child as a dynamic and
growing entity ready to face reality of life. The
laws of nature control the child.

 The aim of education is to prepare the child to face.

 The purpose of education was to prepare for

complete living, the Realists believed. Education
should equip the learners with the knowledge and
skills that are needed to understand and master his
physical environment so that he can live a happy
and comfortable life.
 Educational implications of realism
 The realist suggest that the curriculum
should be broad based and include variety
of subjects, especially science subjects.
While selecting the subjects, the learner’s
background and social demand should be
considered.

 Realism suggests objective methods of

teaching. Importance must be given to
observation, experimentation and
activities. According to realism discipline
is developed by controlling environment.
 Pragmatism
 The word pragmatism derived from Greek word
“pragma” means action. Pragmatism is otherwise
known as instrumentalism or functionalism.

 According to Ross, pragmatism is essentially a human

philosophy maintaining that man creates his own
values in course of activity, that reality is still in
making and awaits its part of completion from the
future. This definition emphasis on creation through
continuous activity and states that certain values are
essential for growth and development of individual.
 Pragmatism
 Pragmatism is an attitude of mind and a way of life
which opposes tradition in search of the greener
pastures and creates a world of its own.

 It is an innovative, naturalistic, experimental and

problem solving approach of life and education.
 Educational implication of pragmatism
 Pragmatism considers the learner as growing biological and social being
ready to adjust to the environmental demands.

 The aim of education should be to prepare the child to become an

effective member of community. It should also try to develop
competencies in the child.
 Educational implication of pragmatism

 The curriculum should include those subjects and experience which are
suitable to the child’s interest and needs. The curriculum should be
develop an attitude of inquiry, facilitate artistic expression, encourage
constructiveness and sustain interest in the child.

 Deway advocates “learning by doing”, which encourages the child to

learn trough activities. Deway considers discipline as a function of the
teaching- learning situation. If the learning is made joyful and interesting,
there is no need to use external rewards and punishments.

 A pragmatic teacher helps in the ready-made forms , teacher should

encourage the learner through active interaction with the learning
situation.
 Goals of Education

 The pragmatists do not consider any aims or values fixed in advance.

These all emerge during reconstruction of experience, and as such no way
to education is true way. Aims of education, therefore, are emergent and
subject to change from time to time.
1. Social efficiency.
2. More & more education & continued growth.
3. Adaptation to environment.
4. Harmonious development.
 Goals of Education

 To pragmatism the aim of education is to provide dynamic direction and

guidance to the
child according to his natural interests, aptitudes and capacities in the field
of academic activities that he grows up and develops more and more and is
endowed with capacities to confront the ever changing problems and
challenges of modern life successfully achieving a happier, a better and a
richer life.
 Methods of Teaching

 Creative activities in teaching learning process

(spontaneous,
purposeful& socialized activities.)
• Learning by doing.
• Curriculum advocates powerful activities.
• Project method. This method is followed by certain
principles and
steps which are given below as principle of project
method.
 Role of Teacher
 As helper and guide Teacher‘s role to put a child in
real life situation, so that he might be able to
understand his life‘s problems and there by solve
them. Doing is more important than knowing, the
pragmatic teacher wants his pupil to think and act for
themselves to do rather than to know, to originate
rather than to repeat.

 Teaching should not be based on lecturing and

repeating only. The teacher should create a problem
 Role of Teacher
 The teacher works as friend, philosopher and guide to
the students

1. He should have the capacity to know the interests of

the students.
2. He should understand the conditions and situation of
changing society.
3. He puts forth problems for the students to be solved
according to their interests.
4. He also creates situations to develop social interests,
 Existentialism
 The nature of reality for Existentialists is
subjective and lies within the individual. The
physical world has no inherent meaning outside
of human existence. Individual choice and
individual standards rather than external
standards are central. Existence comes before
any definition of what we are. We define
ourselves in relationship to that existence by the
choices we make. We should not accept anyone
else’s predetermined philosophical system;
rather we must take responsibility for who we
are.
 The aim of Education

 Existentialists believe that the most

important kind of knowledge is about the
human condition and the choices that
each person has to make, and that
education is a process of developing
consciousness about the freedom to
choose and the meaning of responsibility
for one‘s choices.
 The aim of Education

 The existentialists have aimed at total

development
of personality through education.

 Education should aim at the whole man.

 It should aim at character formation and

self – realization
 The Teacher
 The teacher‘s role is to help students define their
own essence by exposing them to various paths they
may take in life and creating an environment in
which they may freely choose their own preferred
way.
 The Teacher
 According to the existentialists the teacher creates an
educational situation in which the student may
establish contact with himself, become conscious of
it and achieve self – realization.

 This requires existential approach in the teacher

himself. He should also have an experience of self –
realization so that he may be capable of guiding the
students in this process.
 The student
 The student should feel completely free for
realizing his “self”.

 Under the guidance of the teacher, the student

should try to realize his “self” through introversion.

 The student accepts the discipline prescribed by the

teacher and does not become irresponsible.

 The purpose of freedom given to him should be to

enable him to effect the full development of his
individuality.
 Teaching Method
 Existentialists prefer to free learners to choose what to study
and also determine what is true and by what criteria to
determine these truths.

 The learners would choose the knowledge they wish to possess.

The humanities are commonly given tremendous emphasis.

 They are explored as a means of providing students with

vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity
and self – expression. For example, rather than emphasizing
historical events, existentialists focus upon the actions of
historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models
for the students‘ own behavior.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES
 Within the epistemological frame that focuses on the nature of
knowledge and how we come to know, there are four major
educational philosophies, each related to one or more of the
general or world philosophies just discussed. These educational
philosophical approaches are currently used in classrooms the
world over. They are Perennialism, Essentialism,
Progressivism, and Reconstructionism. These educational
philosophies focus heavily on WHAT we should teach the
curriculum aspect.
 Perennialism
 The aim of education is to ensure that students acquire
understandings about the great ideas of Western civilization.
 The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek enduring
truths which are constant, not changing, as the natural and
human worlds at their most essential level, do not change.
 Essentialism
 Essentialists believe that there is a common core of knowledge
that needs to be transmitted to students in a systematic,
disciplined way. The emphasis in this conservative perspective
is on intellectual and moral standards that schools should teach.
 Schooling should be practical, preparing students to become
valuable members of society. It should focus on facts-the
objective reality out there--and "the basics," training students to
read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically. Schools
should not try to set or influence policies.
 Essentialism
 Students should be taught hard work, respect for authority, and
discipline.

 Teachers are to help students keep their non-productive instincts

in check, such as aggression or mindlessness
 Progressivism
 Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole
child, rather than on the content or the teacher. This educational
philosophy stresses that students should test ideas by active
experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners
that arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not
passive.
 The learner is a problem solver and thinker who make meaning
through his or her individual experience in the physical and
cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that
students can learn by doing. Curriculum content is derived from
student interests and questions. The scientific method is used by
progressivist educators so that students can study matter and
events systematically and first hand. The emphasis is on
 Social Reconstructionism
 Social Reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better
society and worldwide democracy.
 Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that
highlights social reform as the aim of education. .
 Social Reconstructionism
 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. Strategies for dealing with
controversial issues.
“The aim of education should be to
teach us rather how to think, than
what to think – rather to improve our
minds, so as to enable us to think for
ourselves, than to load the memory
with the thoughts of other men.”
James Beattie