Foundations of Education

The next three weeks of the course focus on the philosophy of education which is a sub-discipline of the field of educational studies.

The philosophy of education is defined by The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (♾) as "the branch of applied or practical philosophy concerned with the nature and aims of education and the philosophical problems arising from educational theory and practice."

As a field of study, the philosophy of education is important because 'education' is one of the few professions where the fundamental "aims" of the profession are openly contested by the profession's stakeholders (including parents, teachers, students, politicians, researchers, and the public at large). (In contrast, few would argue that the fundamental aim of the health care system and hospitals is to heal the sick.)

While it is true that 'learning' is central to the "aims" of education, what is it exactly that students should learn and how should they learn? As the answer to these two fundamental questions are widely contested (see the Week 10 and Week 19 course content for some competing philosophies), it is important for anyone studying 'education' to consider for themselves what the "aims" of education should be.

For teachers, answering this question is especially key to formulating a personal philosophy of education that can guide:

• how you relate to your students (e.g., as a detached authority figure or as a friendly mentor)
• how you teach (e.g., using direct instruction or using experiential activities)
• how you assess student learning (e.g., through rigorous tests or through informal student observation)
• how you set up your classroom (e.g., into rows of desks in which students are separated from one another or into groups in which students work together)
• etc.

In preparation for your seminar this week, write out an answer to the following question. Your TA may call on you to share your answer in the seminar:

In the Fall term of the course (without identifying it as such), the philosophy of education was defined as the study of the "primary role and purpose of education" in relation to the course content for Weeks 8, 9, and 10. Specifically, three philosophical perspectives were introduced:

Week 8: Education for Economic Development - The primary role and purpose of education is to ensure that Ontario is economically competitive with other provinces and countries by graduating a well-trained and educated workforce. (Focus on: society.)

Week 9: Education for Social Equity - The primary role and purpose of education is to ensure educational equity for traditionally under-serviced and marginalized groups, including women and girls, racialized students, and economically disadvantaged children and youth. (Focus on: social group.)

Week 10: Education for Personal Development - The primary role and purpose of education is to ensure that each individual student has the opportunity to fulfill his or her unique potential by making personally meaningful choices related to one's learning. (Focus on: self.)

Your Fall term capstone assignment also connected with the philosophy of education as you proposed an idea for a new school.

Over the next three weeks, you will be introduced to four more philosophical perspectives, each of which corresponds to one of the above weeks in the Fall term:

Week 20: Education for Disciplinary Initiation - The primary role and purpose of education is to instill in students a deep understanding of the major disciplinary traditions. (Focus on: subject knowledge.)
Corresponds to: Week 8 - Education for Economic Development

Week 21a: Education for Social Continuity - The primary role and purpose of education is to instill in students a deep commitment to a set of shared values rooted in societal traditions. (Focus on: cultural preservation.)
Corresponds to: Week 9 - Education for Social Equity | Note: Weeks 9 and 21a offer contrary positions.

Week 21b: Education for Social Change - The primary role and purpose of education is to empower students to respond effectively to social inequities and global challenges (Focus on: cultural transformation.)
Corresponds to: Week 9 - Education for Social Equity

Week 22: Education for Inquiry Learning - The primary role and purpose of education is to empower students to make meaningful choices over their own learning, often in collaboration with their peers. (Focus on: individual development.)
Corresponds to: Week 10 - Education for Personal Development

The content structure for Weeks 20, 21, and 22 are generally consistent:

1. Each philosophy is introduced (with reference to the comparison table that is introduced on the next topic page).

2. A video that is aligned with the philosophy is viewed.

3. A short reading that is aligned with the philosophy is analyzed.

4. Concrete examples of each philosophy's influence on K-12 education are described.

5. Students look for evidence of the philosophy in the Ontario curriculum.

To prepare you for the above, a table comparing and contrasting the four philosophies is introduced on the next topic page.