Philosophical Foundation of Education

School of Thought

REALISM

Thinkers:
Aristotle
Harris Broudy
John Locke
John Comenius
Johann Henrich Pestalozzi
Jean Jacques Rosseu

Assumptions

Reality is what we observe.

Experience exists only in the physical world.
Mind is like a mirror receiving images only from the physical world.
Nature is a primary self-evident reality, a starting point in philosophizing.
Investigating and reasoning are important in any effective adjustment to the
real world in the control of experience.

Role of Teachers
Help develop initiative and ability to control experiences.
Help realize that they can enter into the meaning of their experiences
The students would be taught factual information for mastery.
Models/Strategies
The use of Scientific Methods
1. Defining the problem
2. Observing factors related to problem
3. Hypothesizing
4. Testing the hypothesis
Educational Aim
Gives direction and form to individuals basic potentialities.
Determines the direction of the individuals inherited tendencies.
Provide an education that could produce a good individual and a good society

by meeting 4 principal need of an individual.

1. Aptitude needs

2. Self-determination needs
3. Self-realization needs.
4. Self-integration needs
Curriculum Emphasis
Study habits
Research skills
Library skills
Evaluation
Observation
Experimentation
Analytical and critical thinking

School of Thought

IDEALISM

Thinkers:
Plato
Socrates
Rene Decartes

Assumptions
Emphasize the importance of mind, soul and spirit.
Believes in refined wisdom. Based on the view that reality is a world within a

persons mind.
Schools exist to sharpen the mind and intellectual processes.
One of the oldest schools of thoughts with its origin traced back to Platos

ideas.
Role of Teachers
Transmitter of knowledge
Chief source of inspiration
Creator of educational environment (teacher-centered).

Models/Strategies
Lecture-Discussion Method

 Excursion
Question Method
Project Method

Educational Aim
To develop the individual spiritually, mentally, and morally.

Curriculum Emphasis
Subject Matter of mind:
literature
history
philosophy
mathematics
arts

School of Thought

PRAGMATISM/EXPERIMENTALISM/EMPERICISM

Thinkers:
John Dewey
Charles Sanders Peirce
William James
Richard Rorty

Assumptions
Conservative philosophy
Primarily an American philosophy.
Focuses on reflective thinking. The knowledge process, the relationship of

ideas into action.

Encourages people to find processes that work in order to attain desired

goals.
Makes use of experience as a source of knowledge

Role of Teachers
Keeps order in the class
Facilitates group work

 Encourages and offers suggestions, questions and help in planning

Curriculum planner.

Models/Strategies
Experimental Methods
o

Statement of the problem

Hypothesizing

Investigating or data gathering

Testing hypothesis

Forming conclusions

Creative and constructive projects

Field trips

Laboratory work

Activity-centered

Student-centered activities

Educational Aim
For social efficiency.
Train the students to continuously and actively quest for information and

production of new ideas needed to adjust to the ever-changing society.

Curriculum Emphasis
Creation of new social order
Integrated and based on the problem of society (NCBTS based).
Subjects are interdisciplinary.

Traditional/Conservative Philosophy
School of Thought

PERENNIALISM

Thinkers:
Robert Maynard Hutchins
Mortimer Jerome Adler
Jacques Maritain

Assumptions
Most Conservative philosophy
Education focuses on developing rationality.
Education is preparation for life, and the students should be taught of the

worlds permanencies through structured studies.

Truths are constant and universal.
Students must acquire knowledge of unchanging principles.

Role of Teachers
Known Master of Discipline.
Source of knowledge (teacher-centered).

Models/Strategies
Subject-centered.
Methods of disciplining the mind through reading and discussion
Memorization to develop mastery.

Educational Aim
To develop power of thought, internalize truths that are universal and

constant.
Curriculum Emphasis
Great ideas or universal principles.
Focused on arts and sciences.

School of Thought

ESSENTIALISM/TRADITIONALISM/CONSERVATISM

Thinkers:
Plato
Karl Popper
John Stuart Mill
William Bagley

Assumptions

 Assumes that values are embedded in the universe waiting to be discovered

and understood.
Learning is relatively static, since there is only one way to understand the

world that is already written in the book (textbook approach to learning).

Study of knowledge and skills based on the book is imperative to become

productive member of the society.

Role of Teachers
Base the lesson to the book.
Prepare well-organized lesson to prove that he is an authority of instruction.

Models/Strategies
Deductive method
Drill method
Recitation
Memorization

Educational Aim
Provide sound training of the fundamental skills.
Develop individual to perform justly, skillfully and magnanimously.

Curriculum Emphasis
Emphasis on essential skills in reading, writing and counting.
Hard sciences and vocational courses.

Contemporary Philosophy
School of Thought

PROGRESSIVISM

Thinkers:
William Heard Kilpatrick
John Dewey

Assumptions
Exactly opposite of perennialism.
Assumes that the world changes.
Learner must be taught to be independent, self-reliant thinker, learn to
discipline himself, be responsible for the consequences of his actions.

 Emphasize on the concept of progress which asserts that human beings are
capable of improving and perfecting their environment.
Curriculum must be derived from the needs and interests of the students.
Role of Teachers
Acts as a resource person
Guide or facilitator of learning (student-centered).
Teaches students how to learn and become active problem solvers.
Teachers provide experiences that will make students active and not passive.

Models/Strategies
Cooperative learning strategies.
Reflective strategies
Problem solving strategies.

Educational Aim
To provide the learner the necessary skills to be able to interact with his ever

changing environment.
Curriculum Emphasis
Activity and experience centered on life functions.

School of Thought

EXISTENTIALISM/EXPERIMENTALISM

Thinkers:
Soren Aabye Kierkegaard
Jean-Paul Sartre

Assumptions
Man has no fixed nature and he shapes his being as he lives.
Man exists of his own choice.
Reality is what you experience.
School exists to discover and expand society we live in. Students study social

experiments and solve problems.

Existence precedes essence.

Role of Teachers
Good provider of experiences.

 Effective questioner.
Mental disciplinarian.
Creates an atmosphere for active interaction.
Discuss the different situations based on each individual experiences.

Models/Strategies
Inquiry Approach
Question-Answer Method

Educational Aim
To train an individual for significant and meaningful existence.

Curriculum Emphasis
Subject-centered.
Arts for aesthetic expression
Humanities for ethical values.

School of Thought

RECONSTRUCTIONALISM

Thinkers:
Theodore Brameld
George Sylvester Counts
Paulo Reglus Neves Freire
Ivan Illich

Assumptions
Man to a significant degree plan and control his society.
Society is in need of constant reconstruction.
Social change involves a reconstruction of education and the use of education

in reconstructing society.
Mankind has the intellectual, technological, and moral potential to create a

world civilization of abundance, health and human capacity.

Role of Teachers
Lead the learners in designing programs for social, educational, practical and

economic change.

 Primary agent of social change.

Initiates lively discussions on controversial issues, political and educational.
Enables the learners to critically examine their cultural heritage.

Models/Strategies
Community-based projects
Problem-oriented method

Educational Aim
Education is based on the quest for better society.
Education enlivens the students awareness of different societal problems.

Curriculum Emphasis
Stresses learning that enable the individual to live in a global milieu.
Controversial national and international issues.
Emphasis on social sciences and social research methods; examination of

social, economic and political problems.

Focused on present and future trends.