Philosophy of Education

-Module 1: The Role and Purpose of Education

1)David F. Labaree- Public goods, private goods: the American struggle over educational goals
schools reforms, political root, goals setting values, political equality ideal vs economic inequality reality,
democratic quality public good (equal treatment), social efficiency both (prepare workforce), social
mobility private good (personal income, graded hierarchy, normalizes judgement), contradiction

2)R.S. Peters- Education and the educated man

correct application of the term education, aims to bring valuable qualities, education is of the whole
man- moral, intellectual, spiritual, education (instruction in schools) vs educated person (all round
understanding and sensitivity in general conduct), e.g. Spartan education- how to decide spectrum of
education from just religious-cultural practices

3)M. Oakeshott- Education: the engagement and its frustration

transaction between generations of ability to feel, understand, engage, have to acquire human
character not born with it, remove distinction between school and outside world to make it a
community center, emphasis on intrinsic value of education

4)Sean Illing- How meritocracy harms everyone — even the winners

get ahead on own accomplishments not social class, elite trapped in vicious cycle of not being good
enough- destructive to wellbeing, exclusion of others, non-elites moral insult, no place in labor market,
can’t compete, revolution for widespread excellent education instead of superior education

5)Bell Hooks- Eros, Eroticism, and the Pedagogical Process

teachers only teach mind not body- races have been denied body historically, feelings and passion is
private, Eros- love and care of ideas, not just sexual desire for critical consciousness

-Module 2: Theories of Teaching and Learning

6)John Wilson- Two Types of Teaching
current methodology is for passing exams, social status, economic security and tends to fail, should
educate humans as they want to be instead of demands of society or culture, type 1 factual knowledge,
no need for teacher, type 2 mastery of subjects but not properly recognized or practiced so
communication is essential for what they want e.g. happiness, love, not under mainstream education

7)R.F. Atkinson- Instruction and Indoctrination

instruction rational training to achieve tasks treats person as end, indoctrination irrational drilling to
mechanically carry out procedures, treats person as means. But often cannot have a distinction.
Instruction morally possible if criteria of truth and correctness in subject like math but not for politics or
moral philosophy, should we choose morals by design or learn over time by default

8)I. Scheffler- Philosophical Models of Teaching

impression model- requires input of experience, sensation reflection, so teaching exercise the mental
powers for organization of input, but this is abstract and relative, child cant invent everything, insight
model- matter of vision which cannot be put verbally so paradox of teachers words, but too simplistic,
no role for reasons, rule model- emphasis of rationality abiding by principles, teaching should inculcate a
rational character and dialogue, but these evolve with knowledge
 Philosophy of Education

-Module 3: Knowledge, Truth and Learning

10)Micheal Foucault- The Incitement towards Discourse
restrictive society, opened up conversations of sex, became complex subject, blurred lines of what you
can or cannot say, if there is one main discourse, there are several branches of it, but if censored as
taboo, the branches can’t be dissected for analysis, history is storehouse of good ideas to raid

11) Loraine Code- Feminist Epistemology

exclusion of women from the knowers, mansplained about their own lives, people in power shape
knowledge, question having one center with all power and others at margins which subjective
experiences, knowing one’s ignorance establishes humility

13) Joe L. Kincheloe- What We Call Knowledge Is Complicated and Harbors Profound Consequences
epistemology- the study of knowledge and its production but there is no assurance that government
instructions would increase educational quality, ignore the complexity of school environments and
student backgrounds
critical pedagogy- focuses on justice, democracy and ethical claims so more holistic, believes in love and
harmony, knowledge defines the identify of a nation, tool of indoctrination for political ends
generative theme- matter evoking passion and commitment among students, interacting with their
personal experience
counter-hegemonic classroom- resist understanding of truth and reality that dominant groups in society
proffer to further their own interest

-Module 4: Critical Thinking/Cultivating Reason and Capacity to Learn

14)Stephen Johnson- Teaching Thinking Skills
thinking is a skill and should be made explicit, but they cannot be transferred as it is impersonal and
value-neutral, would lead to computerization of thought

14)H. Seigel- Why Does Critical Thinking Need to be Justified?

critical thinking is not universally accepted as an education ideal, especially defenders of scientific
creationism, or fundamentalists that parents have unrestrained right to indoctrinate children into any
belief. 3 reasons why it is educational- moral obligation of respect towards students, honor demands for
honesty, successful management of adult life- self-agency and rationality for evaluating properly

15)Bell Hooks- Teaching Critical Thinking

children are eager for knowledge, but ends with their educational journey, seeing word with obedience
and conformity, consuming and reproducing information, solution is engaged pedagogy- teaching
strategy that aims to restore students will to think and be fully self-actualized. They see both sides of an
issue, open to new evidence, deducing but most students resist it as they are more comfortable with
passive learning, an open mind is a vital requirement, use imagination, other perspectives, calls for
initiative from everyone in a classroom to share ideas passionately, create learning community

16)J. Dunne & S. Pendlebury- Practical Reason

technical reasoning includes scientific or predictive knowledge with empirical data and strict procedures,
but it may not be adequate and theoretical reasoning can be applied too. Art of judgement is of
knowledge in action, diverse situation, theoretical and empirical data together to combine it with
abstract principles, social values, beliefs and conditions, objectivity is not possible because we apply
 Philosophy of Education

knowledge how we interpret it

-Module 5: Moral and Religious Education

17)John Wilson- Moral and Religious Education
there should be adequate definitions of religion and morality and adequate accounts of what it means
to be educated in them, we can familiarize students with a particular religion/morals or we can show
them all and leave it open for them

18)John Wilson- Love and Morality

love is the only way to happiness as it makes humans express their desires, so improve ability to love by
education, but paradox that to learn how to love, there must be love within already, anyone willing to
learn and love cant disregard anyone else which lead to morality. So increasing morality increases
capacity to love

20)John Tillson- Rival Conceptions of Religious Education

how are children influenced by religious or indigenous education, religious initiation by parents or
teachers harms child’s autonomous rationality, religion is ubiquitous and exists universally, we cannot
deny religion but we must regulate it by non-dictated teaching

20)H. Arendt- The Crisis in Education

education is important in utopian political thinking but education and politics should be kept separate,
concept of equality seeks to remove differences between gifted and ungifted etc. education needs
authority to teach young minds about the world and how to take responsibility for it

21)Peter Singers- Famine, Affluence and Morality

based on ideas of utilitarianism, argues for a moral obligation of the affluent to the less fortunate, any
action becomes a duty if it causes more happiness than it prevents or prevents more pain than it causes

-Module 6: Authority and Responsibility to Educate

22)Rob Reich- Testing the Boundaries of Parental Control Over Education
homeschooling under parents supervision, not in any campus-based school. Complete parental
authority over educational environment, unregulated by state, internet provides means, mainstream
acceptance, interests of parents- promote wellbeing, raising them, of state- able citizens, participate in
social and economic institutions of society, of children- developing into capable, autonomous adults, so
it should be stopped if this development is compromised, so parents should register with local
educational authorities, use curricula that exposes them to other values and beliefs as well, take annual
standardized tests to measure academic progress

23)R.F. Dearden- Autonomy and education in Education and the Development of Reason
all children should want more autonomy and individuals differences are not to be tolerated when it
comes to it, such as for honesty. Heteronomy is when children view the rules of a game as sacred laws to
follow. Autonomy means to understand that the rules were created based on choices later on. They are
independent-minded, and does not necessarily mean they make good decisions

24)P.L. Thomas- The Cult of Prescription- Or, A Student Ain’t No Slobbering Dog
3 aspects where education fails, behavioral learning theory- teachers should be supportive guide, not
 Philosophy of Education

impose their individual choice, reward and punishment is not conducive for learning, too superficial to
internalize, knowledge should be lived experience, capitalist ideology- focus on markets and profit
returns, standardized testing- promotes teaching to the test, rot learning, not development, high ranks
doesn’t make you a good learner, we are not Pavlov’s dogs

-Module 7: Multicultural Education

25)J. Suissa- Multiculturalism and Diversity
diversity in culture and values is all what modern societies are about, or even at society level linguistic
issues, should we make all national languages compulsory, If you don’t expose people to other cultures,
how will you make a world that understands each other and have teachers to manage diversity, Thick
state will have will be interfere a lot and thin state will say it have nothing to do with religion, language
etc. as long as there is no violence etc., separate but equal is inherently unequal

-Module 8: Online Education and Distance Learning

26)PESDB- Philosophy of education in a new key: A COVID collective
online classes, disparities- digital divide, change in assessments, technology, academic dishonesty, work
family life balance, out of class experience, mental/physical health