Philosophies of Education

Education has always posed philosophical issues, from the purpose of education to who should be educated. In Philosophy of Education, Nel Noddings maintains that "Philosophers of education study the problems of education from a philosophical perspective."[1] Since ideas of philosophy and education change over time, so do ideas regarding and philosophy of education. Barrow and Woods explain that "Philosophy is not to be thought of as a fixed body of information waiting to be digested but as an activity through the exercise of which men and women can think things through, in concert with others, for themselves."[2] Philosophy is, therefore, something that is developed as an exercise more than ready made knowledge.

In most societies, education is a commitment to something that is thought valuable. As R. S. Peters says regarding education in Ethics and Education, education "Implies that something worthwhile is being or has been intentionally transmitted in a morally acceptable manner. It would be a logical contradiction to say that a man had been educated but that he had in no way changed for the better."[3] In this sense, educational theory or philosophies of education offer little regarding content, but they both associate education with something of value.

Noddings maintains that philosophers and educators of the past debated the same questions contemporary philosophers of education debate with respect to education: 1)

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se, Erasmus' views of a broad curriculum run counter to contemporary challenges of teaching to the test in an era of increased responsibility and accountability among educators where student performance on standardized tests is concerned. Like Augustine, he believed in the merits of the classic and his curriculum included the study of Greek and Latin languages and classical literature. Classical literature remains a staple of the curriculum of both secular and Christian contemporary educators. Erasmus believed content was more important than style and he criticized educators who emphasized trivial facts over more significant learning. He felt that teachers themselves needed a rich background and should be gentle in their instruction of students. These qualities are clearly still significant components of effective teaching. Like Augustine before him and Dewey after him, Erasmus maintained that the purpose of education was to "enlighten the youth and thus improve the civil state."[29] In this sense, his theory and methodology can be applied by both secular and Christian educators. While Erasmus did advocate both a Christian and a cosmopolitan education, he viewed Christ as the ultimate teacher of mankind a

Category: Philosophy - P