Western Educational Philosophy
Overview
Western educational philosophy has deep roots linked with famous Greek philosophers including Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates. However, it started emerging during the Renaissance period which started after the Medieval age. Similarly, after the French revolution, Western educational philosophy started getting recognition at the international level.
Additionally, since the beginning of the 19th century, the West emerged as a dominant region in the field of science, research, discoveries, and education in particular. Since then till today, Western educational philosophy is leading the world in major fields of science, technology, communication, and quality education.
Western Educational Philosophy
Unlike the Islamic philosophy of education and Eastern educational philosophy, Western educational philosophy promotes individualism and inventiveness towards learners. Students who have the freedom to express their creativity do not fear being different or making errors since Western education views mistakes as valuable learning opportunities.
Additionally, Western educational philosophy heavily relies on and revolves around the following given seven philosophies of education that mainly focus on teachers and students. These seven Western philosophies in education are defined as under.
- Behaviorism
- Constructivism
- Essentialism
- Existentialism
- Humanism
- Perennialism
- Progressivism
Behaviorism Theory in Education
Behaviorism came about in the early 1900s as a reaction to depth psychology and other traditional forms of psychology, which often had trouble making predictions that could be tested experimentally but were derived from earlier research from the late 1800s. Behaviorism also came about as a reaction to these traditional forms of psychology.
Similarly, the particular idea that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment is at the center of behaviorism theory in education. According to this learning theory, innate or inherited factors have very little effect on behavior, and behaviors are learned from the environment.
Rewarding students or a class with a party or special treat at the end of the week for good behavior throughout the week is an example of behaviorism. When it comes to punishments, the same idea is used. If a student behaves badly, the teacher has the authority to revoke certain privileges.
Constructivism Theory in Education
Constructivism is a school of thought that holds the view that students do not passively acquire knowledge and understanding through a direct transmission of knowledge; rather, they construct new understandings and knowledge through social discourse and experience, integrating new information with what they already know (previous knowledge).
This includes knowledge acquired prior to entering school for children. It is connected to a number of different philosophical positions, particularly epistemology, ontology, ethics, and politics. The theory also has a connection to the cognitive development theory of Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget.
Essentialism Theory in Education
One of the most influential proponents of essentialism was William Bagley. Bagley was of the opinion that education was not meant to alter society but rather to preserve it. The adherents of educational essentialism hold the belief that children should thoroughly learn the traditional fundamental subjects. Taking a back-to-basics approach, this philosophical school of thought aims to teach students the "essentials" of academic knowledge.
Similarly, Essentialism ensures that students acquire the accumulated wisdom of our civilization through traditional academic disciplines. Reading, writing, literature, foreign languages, history, mathematics, science, art, and music are all examples of such fields. In addition, this conventional strategy aims to train the mind, encourage reasoning, and guarantee a common culture.
Existentialism Theory in Education
The problem of human existence is the focus of existentialist philosophy, which focuses on the subjective experience of thinking, feeling, and acting. The meaning, purpose, and value of human existence are frequently examined by existentialist thinkers. "Existentialism" is a feeling of dread, disorientation, confusion, or anxiety in the face of an apparently meaningless or absurd world, according to an existentialist perspective.
Several European philosophers of the 19th and 20th centuries are associated with existentialism because they all placed an emphasis on the human subject, despite frequently profound differences in thought.
Humanism Theory in Education
Humanism is a philosophical perspective that places an emphasis on the potential and agency of humans as individuals as well as in society. Human beings are regarded as the foundation for serious moral and philosophical investigation. Humanistic values were bolstered by technological and scientific advancements during the Enlightenment, giving people the confidence to explore the world. Humanism Philosophy revolves around the holistic development of a learner.
Organizations solely dedicated to humanism flourished in Europe and the United States at the beginning of the 20th century and have since spread worldwide. The term generally refers to a focus on human well-being and advocates for human progress, freedom, and autonomy in the present day. It emphasizes a concern for humans in relation to the world, espouses the equality and inherent dignity of all humans, and views humanity as responsible for the advancement and development of individuals.
Perennialism Theory in Education
The belief that all religious traditions around the world share a single metaphysical truth or origin, from which all esoteric and exoteric knowledge and doctrine have developed, is known as the philosophy of perennials. Perennials hold the belief that centuries-old ideas ought to be the primary focus of education. They think that the concepts are just as relevant and important now as they were when they were written.
They suggest that understudies gain from perusing and examining crafted by history's best scholars and journalists. Every student in a classroom taught by a seasoned teacher would be treated equally. Students are exposed to the material whether or not they are interested in it. This is because rather than teaching them what they like, the material is taught to benefit them.
Progressivism Theory in Education
A school of thought known as progressivism holds that human societies can improve over time through political action. Progressivism is a political movement that asserts that social reform based on advancements in science, technology, economic development, and social organization will improve the human condition.
People who adhere to this way of thinking believe that progressivism can be applied to all societies and work to spread this idea everywhere. During the Age of Enlightenment, progressivism emerged out of the belief that the application of new empirical knowledge to society's governance was enhancing civility in Europe.
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