EDF 812-06/14

METAPHYSICAL SYSTEMS OF THOUGHT AND EDUCATION (PART ONE)

IDEALISM AND REALISM

I IDEALISM AND EDUCATION

A. Definition

            Idealism was often referred to as “idea-ism”. Philosophical position that ideas and             knowledge are enduring and can change lives.

B. Metaphysical notes

1.      Ontology: The main tenet of idealism is that ideas and knowledge are the truest reality.             

2.      Rational Psychology: The most important part of a person is the mind. It is to be nourished and developed.

3.      Theodicy: Envisions an immaterial perfect God whose existence is the perfect world of forms

4.      Cosmology: Physical/material world is an ever changing mirage and illusion.  Many things in the world change.

C. Notable Proponents: Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, Royce Bishop George   Berkeley

D. Educational Implications

            I. Aims of Education

1.      The purpose of education is to contribute to the development of the mind and self of the learner.

2.      It emphasizes intellectual activities, moral judgments, aesthetic judgments, self-realization, individual freedom, individual responsibility, and self-control in order to achieve this development.

3.      The school has a responsibility to find and to train future leaders

4.      Education should maintain and transmit the established values of the past

            Education outcome

            A literate  person with good moral character in order to better serve the society.

            II. The Concept Learner

1.      The Idealist learner is characterized by that admirable trait

2.      He/she has the will to perfection-whatever he does, he does as it well as he can.

3.      He is ambitious to deserve honors in scholarship.

4.      He wants to grow in knowledge and wisdom, to appreciate the aesthetic things in life to deserve approbation, and to be a worthy person.

5.      He strives for perfection because the ideal person is the perfect person

III. The Concept of Teacher

1.      The teacher must be excellent, in order to serve as an example for the student, both intellectually and morally.

2.      Is the most important element in the school to train learners on perfection.

3.      Excel in knowledge and in human insight into the needs and capacities of the learner.

4.      Demonstrates moral excellence in personal conduct and convictions.

5.      Exercises great creative skill in providing opportunities for the learners' minds to discover, analyze, unify, synthesize and create applications of knowledge to life and behavior.

6.      Serves as a living ideal model for the student by teaching through example and guidance the lifelong habits of patience, tolerance and perseverance towards a goal. He thus represents, to some degree, what the student can become.

7.      In teaching, teacher’s role is to be a skillful questioner who encourages students to think and ask more questions in an environment that is suitable for learning.

            III. The curriculum

1.      The ideal curriculum teaches children to think.

2.      Teachers should help students to explore texts for ideas about the purposes of life, family the nature of peer pressures, and the problems of growing up.

3.      Idealists believe that ideas can change lives: classical literature, history and biographies can be used and explored to help solve problems in today’s world.

4.      Ideal curriculum selects subject matter that deals with ideal man and ideal society: subjects essential for the realization of mental and moral development.

5.      Idealists rely on the world of the mind; their curriculum has little contact with the experiential universe characterized by field trips and empirical or sensory data.as the curricular emphasis is subject matter of mind: literature, history, philosophy, and religion.

IV. Instructional Methodology

General notes

1.      All thinking begins with a thesis (opinion) where all points of view are looked at.

2.      Idealist education involves teaching the whole rather than its parts.

3.      The idealist is not concerned with turning out students with technical skills but to have a broad view and understanding of the world in which they live.

4.      Idealism emphasizes the role of the teacher, as skillful questioner

Methods

1.      Discussion Dialectics: It’s a dialectic, a process where ideas are put into battle against each other, with the most significant idea winning the battle.

2.      Discussion/Analysis/Synthesis: At the end of the discussion, the ideas or opinions will begin to synthesize as they work closer to truth.

3.      Questioning (eg Socratic questioning): Knowledge can be attained through skillful questioning.

4.      Lecture Method: The lecture method in an idealist’s education system is considered more of a way to convey information and to help students comprehend ideas.

5.      Project Method: Idealists prefer project based learning as a form self directed learning activity where learning can occur without a teacher’s presence.

6.      Imitation: Imitation should be of some exemplary person or persons who by their behavior give evidence that they are close to the nature of reality.

E. Common criticisms of Idealism

1. Sets Unobtainable Goals: if perfection is unreachable there is very little desire on the part of most to become perfect.

2. Ignores the Physical Self. The body cannot be ignored. To try to separate mental activity from the physical and to try to place Ideas in a realm unrelated to the existent world becomes nothing more than an exercise in futility.

3. Deemphasizes Experience: Many ideas cannot have meaning apart from experience: to deny the validity of this experience is to make the universe sterile.

4. Leads to Totalitarianism: Some of the critiques of idealism is that is discourages the progress of science and our modern discovery.

5. Emphasizes Humanities: humanities oriented outlook, may lead to a rejection of the whole concept of a technological society which is mechanistic and “scientifically” oriented.

6. Overlooks possibility of Error: it fails to take into account the possibility that it may be in error. This is especially true of idealism since its truth is immutable and unchanging.

F. Food for thought

  Discuss the extent to which idealism is manifest in Kenyan Educational System

(II) REALISM AND EDUCATION

A. Definition

            Realism is metaphysical system of thought that holds the position that whatever exists is   independent of thought and perception.

B. Metaphysical notes

I. Ontology:

1.      Realism believes in the world which we see of perceive to be real.

2.      They distinguish between ‘appearance' and ‘reality'.

3.      They believe that there is an objective reality apart from that which is presented to the consciousness

4.      Realists believe in the present life. And that the truth of life and aim of life are in the development from the present unsystematic life.

5.      Reality is already in existence and it is not an invention of the mind

6.      The individual doesn't make reality, he only discovers it

II. Rational Psychology:

1.      Holds that man is both a material being (body) and formal being (mind)-Hylemorphic being

2.      Knowledge is real and can be assimilated by the human mind through senses.

3.      Experiences are influenced by the external world which has real existence and not in the invention of man.

III. Cosmology:

1.      Realism recognizes material universe which can only be comprehended through senses.

2.      Material universe exists independently of being known, perceived by or related to the mind

3.      According o realists, the external world is a solid Reality, whether known or unknown to man.

IV. Theodicy:

1. Depending on the version of realism the question of God's existence does not arise as long he cannot be perceived by senses.

2. Naïve realism admits the existence and reality of God as different from material existence. He is divinely real and reveals himself through material reality

C. Notable Proponents:

             Proponents include: Aristotle,  Mills, Comenius, Russel, Locke, Rouseau

D. Educational Implications

I. Realism and Aims of Education

1.      Realists do not believe in general and common aims of education. The aim of education should be to teach truth rather than beauty and to understand the present practical life.

2.      The purpose of education is to prepare the practical man of the world.

3.      Neo-realists aim at developing all round development of the objects with the development of their organs.

II. Realism and Curriculum

1.      Classical literature should be studied not simply for its form and style but for  its content and ideas contained.

2.      Essentials: Essential subject from ancient times: natural sciences and contemporary social life

3.      Humanities: Humanistic feelings including subjects like physics and psychology, sociology, economics, Ethics, Politics, history, Geography, agriculture varied arts, languages

III. Realism and methods of teaching

General notes

1.      Education should proceed from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract.

2.      Tangible things before rules and words.

3.      Vernacular to be the medium of instruction.

4.      The order of nature to be sought and followed.

Methods

1.      Analysis: Students to be taught to analyze rather then to construct.

2.      Repetition: Repetition is necessary for retention.

3.      Individual's experience and spirit of inquiry is more important than authority.

4.      Questioning:  No unintelligent cramming. More emphasis on questioning and understanding.

5.      Experiments: Methods of scientific thinking (Inductive).

6.      Experience: Method of travel of journey method – field trips (give real experience of varied aspects of life improves knowledge and mental faculties).

IV. Realism and the learner

1.      Realist education recognizes the importance of the child as a real unit which has real existence. He has some feelings, some desires and some powers.

2.      Child can reach deeper reality through learning by reason.

3.      Child has to be given as much freedom as possible.

4.      The child is to be enabled to proceed on the basis of facts.

5.      The child can learn only when he follows the laws of learning.

6.      The child is to be understood a creature of the real world there is no sense in making him a god (perfect). He has to be trained to become human.

V. The realist teacher

1.      Is himself is educated and well versed with the customs of belief and rights and duties of people, and the trends of all ages and places.

2.      He must have full mastery of the knowledge of the present life.

3.      He must guide the student towards the hard realities of life.

4.      He is neither pessimist, nor optimist.

5.      He must be able to expose children to the problems of life and the world around.

6.      A teacher should always keep in mind-

a.       Re-capitulation is necessary to make the knowledge permanent.

b.      One subject should be taught at one time.

c.       No pressure or coercion be brought upon the child.

d.      The practice of cramming should be given up.

e.       The uniformity should be the basic principle in all things.

f.       Things should be introduced first and then the words.

g.      The entire knowledge should be gained after experience.

h.      The knowledge should be imparted on the basis of organs.

i.        Straight forward method should be adopted for teaching.

j.        There should be a co-relation between utility in daily life and education.

k.      The child should be told the utility of whatever is taught.

l.        The simple rules should be defined.

m.    All the subjects should be taught in proper order.

n.      Various organs of education should be taught in chronological order.

o.      The topic should not be given up unless the students understand it well.

p.      To find out the interest of the child and to teach accordingly.

VI. Realism and school organization  

1. School organization would be based on the real needs of society. It should be established d at a place where it is not needed.

2. The opening of science classes in every school is must. Only academic and literary subjects are not sufficient to fulfill the needs of the society.

3. Realism doesn't oppose co-education. Sex-drive is a real feeling. It is a natural happening so it cannot be rejected.

4. School is the mirror of the society. It is a miniature form of society and it presents the real picture of the society

VII. Realism and discipline

1.      Discipline is adjustment to objectivity. It is necessary in order to enable the child to adjust himself to his environment and concentrate on his work.

2.      A disciplined student is one who does not withdraw from the cruelties, tyrannies, hardships and shortcomings pervading the world. Realism has vehemently opposed withdrawal from life. One has to adjust oneself to this material world.

E. Some criticism against Realism

1.      Realism recognizes the real existence of the material world. This recognition remains unobjected unless he says that only material world really exists.

2.      The realist claims to be objective. Objectivity in knowledge is nothing but the partnership of personal knowledge. Knowledge is always subjective.

3.      The realist recognizes the origin of knowledge from the datum achieved by senses and asserts that only objects are main and it is through their contact that knowledge is acquired.

4.      The realist does not accept the existence of transcendental (not based on experience or reason) being.

5.      Realism admits real feelings and needs of life on the one hand, gives no place to imagination and sentiment, on the other.

6.      The realist is satisfied simply by the fulfillment of the needs of daily life and be does not care to make life sublime.

F. Food for thought

            Assess Kenya Educational system in the light of Realism