SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1. An Enigma http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.htmlencrypted
message was intercepted and reads as follows:
OTIBDHEMUOFGMFMHGKMGNDOEGIBBKXZEJWR
A sleeper of ours behind enemy lines sent a message that
the enemy's encryption used Rotor1: Z and Rotor3: E .
Decrypt the message.
2. An encryption algorithm turned GOOD MORNING
AMERICA into FNNC LNQMHMF ZLDQHJZ Identify the
encryption algorithm and express it in a mathematical form.
3. The following enemy encrypted message has been
intercepted:
YJRNP<NSTTF<RMYEO::DYSTYYP<PTTPE
A sleeper of ours behind enemy lines sent a message that the
enemy's encryption had to do with the QWERTY keyboard
layout. Decrypt the message and save lives.
Educational Philosophies Definitions and Comparison Chart
Within the epistemological frame that focuses on the nature of
knowledge and how we come to
know, there are four major educational philosophies, each
related to one or more of the general
or world philosophies just discussed. These educational
philosophical approaches are currently
used in classrooms the world over. They are Perennialism,
Essentialism, Progressivism, and
Reconstructionism. These educational philosophies focus
heavily on WHAT we should teach,
the curriculum aspect.
Perennialism
For Perennialists, the aim of education is to ensure that students
acquire understandings about
the great ideas of Western civilization. These ideas have the
potential for solving problems in
any era. The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek
enduring truths which are
constant, not changing, as the natural and human worlds at their
most essential level, do not
change. Teaching these unchanging principles is critical.
Humans are rational beings, and their
minds need to be developed. Thus, cultivation of the intellect is
the highest priority in a
worthwhile education. The demanding curriculum focuses on
attaining cultural literacy, stressing
students' growth in enduring disciplines. The loftiest
accomplishments of humankind are
emphasized– the great works of literature and art, the laws or
principles of science. Advocates
of this educational philosophy are Robert Maynard Hutchins
who developed a Great Books
program in 1963 and Mortimer Adler, who further developed
this curriculum based on 100 great
books of western civilization.
Essentialism
Essentialists believe that there is a common core of knowledge
that needs to be transmitted to
students in a systematic, disciplined way. The emphasis in this
conservative perspective is on
intellectual and moral standards that schools should teach. The
core of the curriculum is
essential knowledge and skills and academic rigor. Although
this educational philosophy is
similar in some ways to Perennialism, Essentialists accept the
idea that this core curriculum
may change. Schooling should be practical, preparing students
to become valuable members of
society. It should focus on facts-the objective reality out there--
and "the basics," training
students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and
logically. Schools should not try to set
or influence policies. Students should be taught hard work,
respect for authority, and discipline.
Teachers are to help students keep their non-productive
instincts in check, such as aggression
or mindlessness. This approach was in reaction to progressivist
approaches prevalent in the
1920s and 30s. William Bagley, took progressivist approaches
to task in the journal he formed
in 1934. Other proponents of Essentialism are: James D.
Koerner (1959), H. G. Rickover
(1959), Paul Copperman (1978), and Theodore Sizer (1985).
Progressivism
Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole
child, rather than on the content
or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that
students should test ideas by active
experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners
that arise through experiencing
the world. It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem
solver and thinker who makes
meaning through his or her individual experience in the physical
and cultural context. Effective
teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by
doing. Curriculum content is derived
from student interests and questions. The scientific method is
used by progressivist educators
so that students can study matter and events systematically and
first hand. The emphasis is on
process-how one comes to know. The Progressive education
philosophy was established in
America from the mid 1920s through the mid 1950s. John
Dewey was its foremost proponent.
One of his tenets was that the school should improve the way of
life of our citizens through
experiencing freedom and democracy in schools. Shared
decision making, planning of teachers
with students, student-selected topics are all aspects. Books are
tools, rather than authority.
Reconstructionism/Critical Theory
Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions
and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy.
Reconstructionist educators
focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of
education. Theodore Brameld
(1904-1987) was the founder of social reconstructionism, in
reaction against the realities of
World War II. He recognized the potential for either human
annihilation through technology and
human cruelty or the capacity to create a beneficent society
using technology and human
compassion. George Counts (1889-1974) recognized that
education was the means of
preparing people for creating this new social order.
Critical theorists, like social reconstructionists, believe that
systems must be changed to
overcome oppression and improve human conditions. Paulo
Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian
whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion
education and literacy as the vehicle
for social change. In his view, humans must learn to resist
oppression and not become its
victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and
critical consciousness, the
development of awareness to overcome domination and
oppression. Rather than "teaching as
banking," in which the educator deposits information into
students' heads, Freire saw teaching
and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must
invent and reinvent the world.
For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum
focuses on student experience and
taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger,
international terrorism, inflation,
and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial issues
(particularly in social studies and
literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the
focus. Community-based learning
and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies.
Eclecticism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly
to a single paradigm or set of
assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles,
or ideas to gain complementary
insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular
cases.
It can be inelegant, and eclectics are sometimes criticised for
lack of consistency in their
thinking, but it is common in many fields of study. For
example, most psychologists accept parts
of behaviorism, but do not attempt to use the theory to explain
all aspects of human behavior. A
statistician may use frequentist techniques on one occasion and
Bayesian ones on another. An
example of eclecticism in economics is John Dunning's eclectic
theory of international
production.
Existentialism
"Childhood is not adulthood; childhood is playing and no child
ever gets enough play. The
Summerhill theory is that when a child has played enough he
will start to work and face
difficulties, and I claim that this theory has been vindicated in
our pupils' ability to do a good job
even when it involves a lot of unpleasant work."
• A. S. Neill
Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the
first principle of existentialism.' '
• Jean Paul Sartre
Existentialism as a Philosophical Term
The existentialist movement in education is based on an
intellectual attitude that philosophers
term existentialism. Born in nineteenth-century Europe,
existentialism is associated with such
diverse thinkers as
• Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), a passionate Christian, and
• Friedrich Nietzsche (1811 1900)
who wrote a book entitled The Antichrist and coined the phrase
God is dead. While the famous
existentialists would passionately disagree with one another on
many basic philosophical
issues, what they shared was a respect for individualism. In
particular, they argued that
traditional approaches to philosophy do not adequately respect
the unique concerns of each
individual.
Jean Paul Sartre's classic formulation of existentialism--that
"existence precedes essence"--
means that there exists no universal, inborn human nature. We
are born and exist, and then we
ourselves freely determine our essence (that is, our innermost
nature). Some philosophers
commonly associated with the existentialist tradition never fully
adopted the "existence precedes
essence" principle. Nevertheless, that principle is fundamental
to the educational existentialist
movement.
Existentialism as an Educational Philosophy
Just as its namesake sprang from a strong rejection of
traditional philosophy, educational
existentialism sprang from a strong rejection of the traditional,
essentialist approach to
education. Existentialism rejects the existence of any source of
objective, authoritative truth
about metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Instead,
individuals are responsible for
determining for themselves what is "true" or "false," "right" or
"wrong," "beautiful" or "ugly." For
the existentialist, there exists no universal form of human
nature; each of us has the free will to
develop as we see fit.
In the existentialist classroom, subject matter takes second
place to helping the students
understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who
accept complete responsibility
for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The teacher's role is to
help students define their own
essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life
and creating an environment in
which they may freely choose their own preferred way. Since
feeling is not divorced from reason
in decision making, the existentialist demands the education of
the whole person, not just the
mind.
Although many existentialist educators provide some curricular
structure, existentialism, more
than other educational philosophies, affords students great
latitude in their choice of subject
matter. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide
variety of options from which to
choose.
To the extent that the staff, rather than the students, influence
the curriculum, the humanities
are commonly given tremendous emphasis. They are explored as
a means of providing
students with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their
own creativity and self-
expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical
events, existentialists focus upon
the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides
possible models for the students'
own behavior. In contrast to the humanities, math and the
natural sciences may be de-
emphasized, presumably because their subject matter would be
considered "cold," "dry,"
"objective," and therefore less fruitful to self-awareness.
Moreover, vocational education is
regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves
and their potential than of
earning a livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages
individual creativity and
imagination more than copying and imitating established
models.
Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-
paced, self directed, and includes
a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates
to each student openly and
honestly. Although elements of existentialism occasionally
appear in public schools, this
philosophy has found wider acceptance in private schools and
ill alternative public schools
founded in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Comparison of Attributes of Educational Philosophies
Categories
Traditional Contemporary
Philosophical
- orientation Realism
Idealism &
Realism Pragmatism Pragmatism
Theoretical-
orientation Perennialism Essentialism Progressivism
Reconstructionism
Direction in
time preserving the past
growth, reconstruct present, change
society, shape future
Educational
value fixed, absolute, objective changeable, subjective, relative
Educational
process focuses on teaching focuses on active self-learning
Intellectual
focus train, discipline the mind engage in problem-solving,
social tasks
Subject-
matter for its own self-importance all have similar value
Curriculum composed of three Rs three Rs, arts, sciences,
vocational
Learning cognitive learning,
disciplines exploratory, discovery
Grouping homogeneous heterogeneous, culturally diverse
Teacher disseminates, lectures,
dominates instruction facilitates, coaches, change agent
Student receptacle, receives
knowledge, passive
engages discoverer, constructs
knowledge
Social direction, control, restraint Individualism
Citizenship cognitive, personal
development personal, social development
Freedom and
Democracy
conformity, compliance with
authority, knowledge and
discipline
creativeness, self-actualization, direct
experiences
Excellence
vs. Equality
excellence in education,
academic, rewards and jobs
based on merit
equality of education, equal change to
disadvantaged
Society group values, acceptance of
norms, cooperative and
conforming behavior
individual growth, individual ability,
importance of individual
Adapted from Ornstein’s and Oliva’s Educational Philosophies.
From the dissertation of Dr. David E. Diehl entitled “A Study of
Faculty-Related Variables and Competence in Integrating
Instructional Technologies into Pedagogical Practices.”
©2005-06. Revised 2006. Reprinted by permission.

More Related Content

PDF
comparison_edu_philo.pdf
PDF
Comparison edu philo (1)
PDF
Comparison edu philo (1)
PDF
Comparison edu philo
PDF
Comparison edu philo
PPT
What are the philosophical
PPTX
Modern Philosophb b jb jb jb jhbhbhjy.pptx
DOCX
Educational Philosophies
comparison_edu_philo.pdf
Comparison edu philo (1)
Comparison edu philo (1)
Comparison edu philo
Comparison edu philo
What are the philosophical
Modern Philosophb b jb jb jb jhbhbhjy.pptx
Educational Philosophies

Similar to 1. An Enigma httpenigmaco.deenigmaenigma.htmlencrypted messag.docx (20)

DOCX
10 modern philosophers and their contribution to education
PPTX
Postmodern Philosophy
PPTX
GROUP-2-SPECIAL-TOPICS-3-THEORIES-OF-LEARNING.pptx
PPTX
Philosophy ppt
PPT
2.2 philo and educ foundations of education
PPTX
PHIILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM PPT.pptx
PPTX
Educational philosophies
PPTX
The Impact of Educational Theories on Educational Practice
DOCX
#1 Introduction – How people learn122701EPISODE #1 I.docx
PPTX
Realism
PPTX
Philosophical Roots of Education
PPTX
Philosophy of Existentialism
PPT
Session 2
PPT
Session 2
PPT
Critical theory
 
PPT
Philosophy.ppt to understand philosophy in this page
PPT
Philosophy. PowerPoint presentation esps
PPT
Philosophy
PPT
Philosophy
PPT
Philosophy
10 modern philosophers and their contribution to education
Postmodern Philosophy
GROUP-2-SPECIAL-TOPICS-3-THEORIES-OF-LEARNING.pptx
Philosophy ppt
2.2 philo and educ foundations of education
PHIILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM PPT.pptx
Educational philosophies
The Impact of Educational Theories on Educational Practice
#1 Introduction – How people learn122701EPISODE #1 I.docx
Realism
Philosophical Roots of Education
Philosophy of Existentialism
Session 2
Session 2
Critical theory
 
Philosophy.ppt to understand philosophy in this page
Philosophy. PowerPoint presentation esps
Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy
Ad

More from SONU61709 (20)

DOCX
Please respond to the followingAnalyze ONE of the Neo-Piageti.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingBased on the discussion prepar.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the following in an approx. 5-6 page paper, double.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingImagine you have recently .docx
DOCX
Please respond to one (1) the followingRead the article e.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingResearch on the Internet a rec.docx
DOCX
Please respond to Question One (bolded) and one additional ess.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the following in a substantive post (3–4 paragraph.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingDebate if failing to reje.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingCharts and graphs are used.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingAppraise the different approac.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the following discussion with a well thought out r.docx
DOCX
Please respond to each classmate if there is a need for it and als.docx
DOCX
please respond to both discussion in your own words in citation plea.docx
DOCX
please respond In your own words not citations1. The Miami blu.docx
DOCX
Please respond in 300 words the followingWe see SWOT present.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingReflect on the usefulness .docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingLeadership talent is an or.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingHealth care faces critic.docx
DOCX
Please respond to the followingMNCs, IOs, NGOs, and the E.docx
Please respond to the followingAnalyze ONE of the Neo-Piageti.docx
Please respond to the followingBased on the discussion prepar.docx
Please respond to the following in an approx. 5-6 page paper, double.docx
Please respond to the followingImagine you have recently .docx
Please respond to one (1) the followingRead the article e.docx
Please respond to the followingResearch on the Internet a rec.docx
Please respond to Question One (bolded) and one additional ess.docx
Please respond to the following in a substantive post (3–4 paragraph.docx
Please respond to the followingDebate if failing to reje.docx
Please respond to the followingCharts and graphs are used.docx
Please respond to the followingAppraise the different approac.docx
Please respond to the following discussion with a well thought out r.docx
Please respond to each classmate if there is a need for it and als.docx
please respond to both discussion in your own words in citation plea.docx
please respond In your own words not citations1. The Miami blu.docx
Please respond in 300 words the followingWe see SWOT present.docx
Please respond to the followingReflect on the usefulness .docx
Please respond to the followingLeadership talent is an or.docx
Please respond to the followingHealth care faces critic.docx
Please respond to the followingMNCs, IOs, NGOs, and the E.docx
Ad

Recently uploaded (20)

PPTX
Final Presentation General Medicine 03-08-2024.pptx
PPTX
Introduction-to-Literarature-and-Literary-Studies-week-Prelim-coverage.pptx
PDF
GENETICS IN BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY LEVEL FORM 3
PDF
Chapter 2 Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth.pdf
PPTX
master seminar digital applications in india
PPTX
1st Inaugural Professorial Lecture held on 19th February 2020 (Governance and...
PDF
Chinmaya Tiranga quiz Grand Finale.pdf
PDF
Saundersa Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination.pdf
PDF
Supply Chain Operations Speaking Notes -ICLT Program
PDF
Abdominal Access Techniques with Prof. Dr. R K Mishra
PDF
OBE - B.A.(HON'S) IN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE -Ar.MOHIUDDIN.pdf
PPTX
202450812 BayCHI UCSC-SV 20250812 v17.pptx
PDF
O5-L3 Freight Transport Ops (International) V1.pdf
PDF
2.FourierTransform-ShortQuestionswithAnswers.pdf
PDF
Classroom Observation Tools for Teachers
PPTX
school management -TNTEU- B.Ed., Semester II Unit 1.pptx
PDF
102 student loan defaulters named and shamed – Is someone you know on the list?
PPTX
PPT- ENG7_QUARTER1_LESSON1_WEEK1. IMAGERY -DESCRIPTIONS pptx.pptx
PPTX
Pharma ospi slides which help in ospi learning
PPTX
Tissue processing ( HISTOPATHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUE
Final Presentation General Medicine 03-08-2024.pptx
Introduction-to-Literarature-and-Literary-Studies-week-Prelim-coverage.pptx
GENETICS IN BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY LEVEL FORM 3
Chapter 2 Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth.pdf
master seminar digital applications in india
1st Inaugural Professorial Lecture held on 19th February 2020 (Governance and...
Chinmaya Tiranga quiz Grand Finale.pdf
Saundersa Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination.pdf
Supply Chain Operations Speaking Notes -ICLT Program
Abdominal Access Techniques with Prof. Dr. R K Mishra
OBE - B.A.(HON'S) IN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE -Ar.MOHIUDDIN.pdf
202450812 BayCHI UCSC-SV 20250812 v17.pptx
O5-L3 Freight Transport Ops (International) V1.pdf
2.FourierTransform-ShortQuestionswithAnswers.pdf
Classroom Observation Tools for Teachers
school management -TNTEU- B.Ed., Semester II Unit 1.pptx
102 student loan defaulters named and shamed – Is someone you know on the list?
PPT- ENG7_QUARTER1_LESSON1_WEEK1. IMAGERY -DESCRIPTIONS pptx.pptx
Pharma ospi slides which help in ospi learning
Tissue processing ( HISTOPATHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUE

1. An Enigma httpenigmaco.deenigmaenigma.htmlencrypted messag.docx

  • 1. 1. An Enigma http://enigmaco.de/enigma/enigma.htmlencrypted message was intercepted and reads as follows: OTIBDHEMUOFGMFMHGKMGNDOEGIBBKXZEJWR A sleeper of ours behind enemy lines sent a message that the enemy's encryption used Rotor1: Z and Rotor3: E . Decrypt the message. 2. An encryption algorithm turned GOOD MORNING AMERICA into FNNC LNQMHMF ZLDQHJZ Identify the encryption algorithm and express it in a mathematical form. 3. The following enemy encrypted message has been intercepted: YJRNP<NSTTF<RMYEO::DYSTYYP<PTTPE A sleeper of ours behind enemy lines sent a message that the enemy's encryption had to do with the QWERTY keyboard layout. Decrypt the message and save lives. Educational Philosophies Definitions and Comparison Chart Within the epistemological frame that focuses on the nature of knowledge and how we come to know, there are four major educational philosophies, each related to one or more of the general or world philosophies just discussed. These educational philosophical approaches are currently used in classrooms the world over. They are Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, and
  • 2. Reconstructionism. These educational philosophies focus heavily on WHAT we should teach, the curriculum aspect. Perennialism For Perennialists, the aim of education is to ensure that students acquire understandings about the great ideas of Western civilization. These ideas have the potential for solving problems in any era. The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek enduring truths which are constant, not changing, as the natural and human worlds at their most essential level, do not change. Teaching these unchanging principles is critical. Humans are rational beings, and their minds need to be developed. Thus, cultivation of the intellect is the highest priority in a worthwhile education. The demanding curriculum focuses on attaining cultural literacy, stressing students' growth in enduring disciplines. The loftiest accomplishments of humankind are emphasized– the great works of literature and art, the laws or principles of science. Advocates of this educational philosophy are Robert Maynard Hutchins who developed a Great Books program in 1963 and Mortimer Adler, who further developed this curriculum based on 100 great books of western civilization. Essentialism Essentialists believe that there is a common core of knowledge that needs to be transmitted to students in a systematic, disciplined way. The emphasis in this conservative perspective is on intellectual and moral standards that schools should teach. The core of the curriculum is
  • 3. essential knowledge and skills and academic rigor. Although this educational philosophy is similar in some ways to Perennialism, Essentialists accept the idea that this core curriculum may change. Schooling should be practical, preparing students to become valuable members of society. It should focus on facts-the objective reality out there-- and "the basics," training students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically. Schools should not try to set or influence policies. Students should be taught hard work, respect for authority, and discipline. Teachers are to help students keep their non-productive instincts in check, such as aggression or mindlessness. This approach was in reaction to progressivist approaches prevalent in the 1920s and 30s. William Bagley, took progressivist approaches to task in the journal he formed in 1934. Other proponents of Essentialism are: James D. Koerner (1959), H. G. Rickover (1959), Paul Copperman (1978), and Theodore Sizer (1985). Progressivism Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem solver and thinker who makes meaning through his or her individual experience in the physical and cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing. Curriculum content is derived from student interests and questions. The scientific method is
  • 4. used by progressivist educators so that students can study matter and events systematically and first hand. The emphasis is on process-how one comes to know. The Progressive education philosophy was established in America from the mid 1920s through the mid 1950s. John Dewey was its foremost proponent. One of his tenets was that the school should improve the way of life of our citizens through experiencing freedom and democracy in schools. Shared decision making, planning of teachers with students, student-selected topics are all aspects. Books are tools, rather than authority. Reconstructionism/Critical Theory Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) was the founder of social reconstructionism, in reaction against the realities of World War II. He recognized the potential for either human annihilation through technology and human cruelty or the capacity to create a beneficent society using technology and human compassion. George Counts (1889-1974) recognized that education was the means of preparing people for creating this new social order. Critical theorists, like social reconstructionists, believe that systems must be changed to
  • 5. overcome oppression and improve human conditions. Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion education and literacy as the vehicle for social change. In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression and not become its victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and critical consciousness, the development of awareness to overcome domination and oppression. Rather than "teaching as banking," in which the educator deposits information into students' heads, Freire saw teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world. For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation, and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly in social studies and literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies. Eclecticism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.
  • 6. It can be inelegant, and eclectics are sometimes criticised for lack of consistency in their thinking, but it is common in many fields of study. For example, most psychologists accept parts of behaviorism, but do not attempt to use the theory to explain all aspects of human behavior. A statistician may use frequentist techniques on one occasion and Bayesian ones on another. An example of eclecticism in economics is John Dunning's eclectic theory of international production. Existentialism "Childhood is not adulthood; childhood is playing and no child ever gets enough play. The Summerhill theory is that when a child has played enough he will start to work and face difficulties, and I claim that this theory has been vindicated in our pupils' ability to do a good job even when it involves a lot of unpleasant work." • A. S. Neill Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism.' ' • Jean Paul Sartre Existentialism as a Philosophical Term The existentialist movement in education is based on an intellectual attitude that philosophers term existentialism. Born in nineteenth-century Europe,
  • 7. existentialism is associated with such diverse thinkers as • Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), a passionate Christian, and • Friedrich Nietzsche (1811 1900) who wrote a book entitled The Antichrist and coined the phrase God is dead. While the famous existentialists would passionately disagree with one another on many basic philosophical issues, what they shared was a respect for individualism. In particular, they argued that traditional approaches to philosophy do not adequately respect the unique concerns of each individual. Jean Paul Sartre's classic formulation of existentialism--that "existence precedes essence"-- means that there exists no universal, inborn human nature. We are born and exist, and then we ourselves freely determine our essence (that is, our innermost nature). Some philosophers commonly associated with the existentialist tradition never fully adopted the "existence precedes essence" principle. Nevertheless, that principle is fundamental to the educational existentialist movement. Existentialism as an Educational Philosophy Just as its namesake sprang from a strong rejection of traditional philosophy, educational existentialism sprang from a strong rejection of the traditional, essentialist approach to education. Existentialism rejects the existence of any source of
  • 8. objective, authoritative truth about metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Instead, individuals are responsible for determining for themselves what is "true" or "false," "right" or "wrong," "beautiful" or "ugly." For the existentialist, there exists no universal form of human nature; each of us has the free will to develop as we see fit. In the existentialist classroom, subject matter takes second place to helping the students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The teacher's role is to help students define their own essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life and creating an environment in which they may freely choose their own preferred way. Since feeling is not divorced from reason in decision making, the existentialist demands the education of the whole person, not just the mind. Although many existentialist educators provide some curricular structure, existentialism, more than other educational philosophies, affords students great latitude in their choice of subject matter. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options from which to choose. To the extent that the staff, rather than the students, influence the curriculum, the humanities
  • 9. are commonly given tremendous emphasis. They are explored as a means of providing students with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self- expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialists focus upon the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models for the students' own behavior. In contrast to the humanities, math and the natural sciences may be de- emphasized, presumably because their subject matter would be considered "cold," "dry," "objective," and therefore less fruitful to self-awareness. Moreover, vocational education is regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than of earning a livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages individual creativity and imagination more than copying and imitating established models. Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self- paced, self directed, and includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly. Although elements of existentialism occasionally appear in public schools, this philosophy has found wider acceptance in private schools and ill alternative public schools founded in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Comparison of Attributes of Educational Philosophies
  • 10. Categories Traditional Contemporary Philosophical - orientation Realism Idealism & Realism Pragmatism Pragmatism Theoretical- orientation Perennialism Essentialism Progressivism Reconstructionism Direction in time preserving the past growth, reconstruct present, change society, shape future Educational value fixed, absolute, objective changeable, subjective, relative Educational process focuses on teaching focuses on active self-learning Intellectual focus train, discipline the mind engage in problem-solving, social tasks Subject- matter for its own self-importance all have similar value Curriculum composed of three Rs three Rs, arts, sciences, vocational Learning cognitive learning, disciplines exploratory, discovery Grouping homogeneous heterogeneous, culturally diverse
  • 11. Teacher disseminates, lectures, dominates instruction facilitates, coaches, change agent Student receptacle, receives knowledge, passive engages discoverer, constructs knowledge Social direction, control, restraint Individualism Citizenship cognitive, personal development personal, social development Freedom and Democracy conformity, compliance with authority, knowledge and discipline creativeness, self-actualization, direct experiences Excellence vs. Equality excellence in education, academic, rewards and jobs based on merit equality of education, equal change to disadvantaged Society group values, acceptance of norms, cooperative and
  • 12. conforming behavior individual growth, individual ability, importance of individual Adapted from Ornstein’s and Oliva’s Educational Philosophies. From the dissertation of Dr. David E. Diehl entitled “A Study of Faculty-Related Variables and Competence in Integrating Instructional Technologies into Pedagogical Practices.” ©2005-06. Revised 2006. Reprinted by permission.