The Educational Imagination
Introduction
The
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The Educational Imagination, On the Design and Evaluation of School Programs, Third Edition by Elliot W. Eisner (1994) begins with the point that American students fail to meet minimal standards of academic achievement; this leads to the search for understanding education, learning, teaching, and schools. The author states that motivation for educational reform at the turn of the century and today's motivations come from the same source which is a discontent with existing practices and a desire for solutions (pp. 1, 12). Next the author discusses the concept of curriculum, which is what schools teach; for some this includes not only courses but everything the child experiences in school. However defined, curriculum must occur (pp. 25-32). Curriculum is portrayed as based on ideologies. Americans want good schools that prepare good people for their good society. Other ideologies include religious ideology, Rational Humanism, Progressivism, Critical Theory, Reconceptualism, and Cognitive Pluralism. Religious orthodoxy and Rational Humanism are found in schools, Progressivism prevalent in American schools (pp. 56-82). Schools teach more than what is intended, there are hidden impacts. Students learn culture, values, reward systems, compliance, competitiveness, as well as science, art, physical education, social studies, and foreign languages (pp. 88-91). Schools and curriculums have behavioral objectives, however problem-s
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asks that require group efforts; if students have more than one acceptable solution to a problem; what has been taught besides curriculum; if students can display a sensitivity to wholes and not just elements; and they should allow the student to select a form of representation to display what has been learned (pp. 195, 201-210).
The author discusses assumptions, principles, and procedures found in educational connoisseurship and criticism. The main difference between connoisseurship and criticism is that connoisseurship is the act of appreciation and criticism is the art of disclosure. Connoisseruship is a private act that does not involve public opinion. Educational connoisseruship involves the ability to perceive and the ability to recognize particulars of a part of a structure within the classroom; it requires attendance and comparison. Connoisseruship is necessary for useful educational criticism. Criticism has an empirical undertaking and anything can be subject matter. Effective criticism involves powers of perception. What is rendered by the educational critic depends on purpose and tools or theories used. Educational criticism is composed on descriptive, interpretative, evaluative, and thematic dimensions. Conc
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Approximate Word count = 1924
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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