Major Philosophies Of Education Flashcards
Constructivism
Constructing knowledge through experiences and interactions with the world; related to social learning;
Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development: people learn best from other people who are just a little ahead of them.
Project-based learning: 4 steps:
1- learners are presented with a problem
2- groups develop theories to explain the problem
3- learners work independently to come up with solutions
4- regroup to compare solutions and develop a plan
Behaviorism
People’s actions are driven by a need to gain rewards or avoid punishments; reinforcements and punishments can both be either positive (giving or adding something on) or negative (taking something away;) extinction of a behavior occurs, if rewards and punishments are withdrawn for a period of time.
Critical Theory
Critical theory involves being critical of the established beliefs of society. In education, one major area this plays a role is in the access of and expectations around technology. Understanding that poorer students might not have had as much exposure to technology may help teachers be patient and offer more time for them to learn. In addition, being familiar with the gendered, racial, and cultural elements of classroom talk can also help teachers create a more supportive and inclusive classroom environment.
Humanism
Humanism is a branch of psychology that says that humans want to live up to their greatest potential. In schools, humanism often involves self-directed learning (or students choosing what to learn) and self-evaluation (or students assessing themselves), both of which can lead to students who want to learn and know how to learn - key elements that are possessed by lifelong learners.
The information processing theory
The information processing theory of learning says that information moves from sensory storage to working memory to long-term memory. Because working memory is limited in both the number of things that can be held there and the very short amount of time information can be held there, overtaxing working memory results in cognitive load.
Cognitive load can be avoided through attention and rehearsal, which leads to information moving into long-term memory; only presenting a few new things at once; and chunking, which involves putting pieces of information together to help a person remember them. Finally, automaticity involves making something automatic so that it doesn’t tax working memory stores. Automaticity can be achieved only through sustained, regular practice.
Jeffersonianism
Jeffersonianism is the philosophy of education based on the principles of Thomas Jefferson. Among the educational beliefs in Jeffersonianism are that of inclusive education, meaning that everyone should be included in the educational process, even if it means extra help through mentoring; and citizen education, which is the idea that schools should teach students how to think critically and solve real-world problems in an attempt to make them better citizens.
Pragmatism
Pragmatism is an educational philosophy that says that education should be about life and growth. Two important elements of pragmatism include practical learning, which focuses on the real-world applications of lessons, and experiential learning, which involves learning through experience, not through simple ideas.
Perennialism
Perennialism in education is the belief that schools should teach ideas that are everlasting. Evergreen ideas, which have lasted through many generations, are a major focus of a perennialist curriculum. Further, the canon of books known as the classics form a key component of perennialist education, since they have the potential to solve problems in any era, and they are engaged in a Great Conversation with each other.
Progressivism
Progressivism is an educational movement started by John Dewey that says that students learn through their own experiences. Progressivism revolves around the students’ needs, including teaching students to be good citizens as well as good learners, a concept known as focusing on the whole child. Further, group work is common in progressive classrooms because children live and learn in a community. Finally, children are encouraged to contribute to the curriculum through formation of questions and seeking answers, known as active learning, which is closely tied to the scientific method, or procedures outlined for finding answers in science.
Realism
Realism is the belief developed by Aristotle that there is an absolute reality, and educational realism attempts to teach students how to find that reality through logical processes. Study of the natural world, as well as the skill of inquiry and the scientific method, are all important parts of a realist classroom.
Connectionism
Connectionism is the philosophy of Edward Thorndike, which says that learning is a product between stimulus and response. A stimulus is something that causes a reaction, while a response is the reaction to a stimulus. The connection between the two is called an S-R bond, or stimulus-response bond.
Thorndike proposed three laws of connectionism:
The law of effect, which says that a positive outcome strengthens an S-R bond, while a negative outcome weakens it.
The law of exercise, which states that S-R bonds are strengthened through practice.
And the law of readiness, which says that when a person is prepared to learn, a stronger S-R bond is formed.
