Post-Modernism Flashcards
Foucault
Education is influenced by surveillance and it’s purpose is to facilitate societal control and stifle creativity
Foucault Overview
- Students know they are being watched , so fill in worksheets when they know the teacher can see them.
- if they know they are not being watched, they might go on their phone.
- not taught to be independent thinkers, rather just taught to complete tasks when under observation.
- teachers may adapt their lessons when being observed by OFSTED, for example.
How does surveillance and control stifle creativity? ( Foucault)
When we are given freedom, we are able to be creative, but equally people are more able to behave wrongly.
As a by-product of surveillance to control behaviour, we lose creativity.
Foucault evaluation
If education stifles creativity why do we have so many creative subjects, and a rise in opportunities to develop a career in the arts?
Moore & Hickox
The education system is one-size-fits-all/standardised
Moore & Hickox Overview
- It’s impossible to provide a curriculum that suits everyone due to social change.
- The National Curriculum is doomed to fail because it can’t keep up with the increasing diversity of society.
- Regular assessments and target setting are attempts at keeping some order.
Moore & Hickox Evaluation
Unlike Usher and Edwards, this theory provides no alternatives or suggestions for how the system can be changed. Postmodernists fail to consider the importance of inequalities within education regarding class, for example. A national curriculum reduces harm that can be done by poor teachers through Teacher-proofing in the scripted curriculum
Usher & Edwards
The National curriculum should be variable
Usher & Edwards Overview
Education should be
- Lifelong & flexible
- Available online
- Accessible no matter what time or where
- Varied in terms of teaching styles
- Specific to the community it’s serving
Usher & Edwards Evaluation
Postmodernism rejects the idea of there being certain subjects that are more important than others. How can we possibly cater for this across the country?
