Nature of Education Today

1. What is the nature of education in a modern democratic society?

To understand the nature of education today, one must begin with an understanding of the goals of education in a modern democratic society. Mann (n.d.) provided an idealistic view of education, noting that it allows for the human nature to be developed and his allows for each individual to become skilled to better their life. Education serves as the ôgreat equalizer,ö (p. 186) helping all people to increase their physical well-being status regardless of origin. Dewey (n.d.a) noted further that education is the method used to ensure social progress and reform; it regulates social consciousness and guides an individualÆs activity accordingly. Education is a ôcontinuing reconstruction of experienceö with the ôprocess and the gold of education ô being ôone and the same thingö (pp. 27, 30). These authors provide a basis for judgment of modern democratic education. If the aim of education is to provide each individual with an equal opportunity to reach his or her potent

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are also important for understanding whether or how the school promotes ideal democratic values such as equality for all. It may be that cultural, political, and economic factors actually result in shaping the role of school toward maintaining inequality. Dewey (n.d.a) noted further that the school has the role of helping to reconcile individualistic and institutional ideals. School is the most effective means of social progress and reform and society must understand that school stands for (Dewey, p. 31). Schooling must provide moral education since it is a necessity of social existence. According to Horace Mann (n.d.), unrestrained passions of men are homicidal and suicidal and man would be extinguished if not for the development of a conscience. Education helps man triumph with good dominating evil. Again, these authors note idealistic roles of the school, when in fact it may be that the role of todayÆs school is to promote progress above all moral codes and at the expense of conscience, while maintaining class status rather than democracy. The educational achievement gap between whites and minorities may reflect this possibility. 3. What is the nature of curriculum in such as society? According to Dewey, the time
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Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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