FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION

FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION

Definitions:

1.            Development of the whole man-(Comenius)

2.            Developing morality – (Herbart)

3.            Developing the body and the soul of all the perfection which they are capable of – (Plato).

4.            Dispelling error and discovering truth – (Socrates).

5.            Pestalozzi:           Education is the natural, harmonies and progressive

Development of man’s innate power.

6.            John Dewy:         Education is the development of all those capacities in

The individuals who enable him to control his environment and fulfill his responsibilities.

7.            Imam Ghazali:    A process which enable an individual to

Distinguish between the true and the false, the good and the bad, the right conduct and evil doing.

8.                                                    Harris T-William:       Preparing the individual for the reciprocal union With society

9.            William James:   Fitting the individual to his physical and social

                                          Environment

Meaning:       the word “Education” has been derived from the Latin words, education, Educare or Educere.

 Individual process

o   Seeks to bring growth and development within the individual.

The term education then refers to as a process:

Ø  Continuously brings about changes.

Ø  Of growth and development

Ø  Helps the individual to use the knowledge acquired in achieving the aims.

Ø  Helps to organized acquired habits according to social and physical environment.

Ø  Transforms the instinctive behavior to human behavior.

EDUCATION PROCESS

 

Why to Educate:     This includes aims of education. The educator and the educand must be clear about the aims of education, so that efforts are made in the right direction. As already explained, aims of education depends upon various factors i-e. Political, Economic, Social, Geographical, Religious etc. in a net shell, education must produce socially efficient individual.

Whom to Education: The educator most understand the educand through this aptitudes, interests, temperaments etc. so that the best of him is drawn out.

Who is to educate: the teacher is to educate and he must thoroughly understand himself also.

Where to educate:  This leads to the contents of the curriculum which has been described as “The environment in motion” in a broader sense it includes all the course, reading, associations and activities that go in the school-workshop, playgrounds and in the numerous informal contacts between teachers and pupils.

How to Educate:     this involves the knowledge and technique of various methods of teaching for making the teaching learning process dynamic, effective and inspirational.

When to Educate:  this is concerned with the different stages of the child so that “Motivational” aspects may be handled and attended Psychologically.

A teacher has to discover and develop the talents and potentialities of the students for healthy personality, there should be external and internal development of the individual. In order to produce a balance personality through process of education, there should be external development and development from within. There are same hidden qualities possessed by individuals which have to develop.

            Education may be formal or informal; it must continuo throughout the life. Human beings keep on improving through knowledge and through experience of life or through systematic education. According to German Philosopher ‘Kant’ “Education is progress from nature to Reason”. Thought education we learn to exercise control over our emotions, desires of envy, and our behavior should be rationalized.

It is through education that man begins to exercise control over his emotions of anger, jealousy, selfishness and desires. Man learned to be rational, open minded, reasonable, thoughtful, objective and optimistic through knowledge and experience.

Relationship between philosophy and education

Philosophy and education are closely related fields both are vitally concerned with humankind, the nature of human kind, knowledge, relationships, and behavior but whereas philosophy seeks to understand the fundamental theoretical basis of existence education seeks to understand the more practical answers.

Where philosophy would ask, “Where are we going?” Education would ask “How can we get there?” where philosophy would ask, “How do we define ourselves as human?” education would ask, “How do became self-reliant”.

Where philosophy would ask, “where did the universe come from?” education would ask, “Is there life on other planets!”

The world Philosophy comes from the Greek Philos, which means “Love“and sophos, which mean “Wisdom”. Hence Philosophy literally means Love of Wisdoms. Philosophy is therefore, the inquiry in to Principles of knowledge, reality, and the values that constitute wisdom.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION

Philosophy and Education are interdependent

           

            It is a common knowledge and quite evident that philosophy and education are very much interdependent as well as interrelated. James Ross defines the relation between Philosophy and education by saying

“Philosophy & education are like two sides of a coin, the former is the contemplative side and the later is the active side”.

In the words of Jhan Adams “Education is the dynamic side of Philosophy”

Al-Quran is also the contemplative aspect of Islam while the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was the practical means of realizing the ideas of life. The truth of this statement can be observed in the lives of great philosophers and their teaching’s they did their best to put into practice the theories of education propounded by them. They usually implemented their philosophies into concrete form and convinced other people to hold the same ideas and beliefs they hold. A country first of all develops a philosophy of life and later plans a scheme of education accordingly. When there is a change in the philosophy of a nation, it brings a change in education.

In Greece the philosophy of the nation was state-centered. Hence military training and strict discipline were parts of curriculum, later the philosophy changed and it become individual centered. Hence the curriculum turned out to be activity based and more freedom was given to child.

2.         Philosophy determines Aims, Education put them into practice.

           

            Philosophy formulates the aims and objectives of education which in turn influence the practice, the subject of study and method of teaching. Thus the plans and polices of education, the choice of subjects for suitable curriculum, the text books, the employment of method of teaching and the tone of discipline requir3d are all influenced by the philosophy of education.

            The formulation of the aims and the objectives is the mail responsibility of educational philosophy. For achieving the set objectives, specific curriculum and methods are needed. For example

THE RELATIONSHIP OF PHILOSOPHY TO EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE.

     

If the aim of education is a progress in agricultural and industry”, courses related to this field must be included in the curriculum .if it is greed that aim of education is “the development of the personality of the learner.” such methods of education should be employed which help in attainment of this goal. The philosophy even describes the curriculum, text books, employment methods and one of discipline required.

       Philosophy like plot and Aristotle has given their theories on education, which formed the aim and objectives of education.

(i)         In Plato words

          “Education must develop four cardinal virtues”

Ø  Wisdom: to different between right and wrong.

Ø  Courage: Make sacrifices for others.

Ø  Self-control: To exercise control over emotions desires and temptations.

Ø  Justice: Equality, result of the above all.

(ii)                  According to Aristotle, moral, Physical and spiritual development of the individual is important.

“A sound mind in a sound body.”

Keeping their views in our mind, we determine our aims and objective of education.

3.         Both Impart Knowledge:

            A very vast knowledge about every aspect of life is provided by philosophy. It provides knowledge about universe, the nature of god, and purpose of life. Education imparts knowledge in different discipline viz: Medicine, Law, Engineering, social Science etc.

4.         Both Provide Correct Knowledge:

            Philosophy enables the teacher to provide true and accurate knowledge to the learners. Almost all the philosophers gave their theories which were based on truth and realties and education impart them, practically.

5.         Method of Teaching:-

            Almost all philosophers gave their own method of teaching.

Ø  First method of teaching was given by the Plato i.e. Question Answer method.

Ø  Method of Practical was introduced by Aristotle i.e. Experimental Method.

Ø  Activity method was increased by Rousseau, Braudy & Dewy.

Ø  Socrates and Plato favored and supported discussion and questioning method. Teachers used to analyze the questions raised by the students and their satisfactory answer should be given by the teachers. Students allowed bringing growth their ideas and views and judging their soundness.

Ø  Experimental method was suggested by Aristotle. Students should learn by performing experiment.

Ø  Broudy and Dewy introduced activity method. Learning is based upon activity method.

6.         Subjects of Study:

            Subject of study were included in curriculum by Philosophers. Philosophers presents basic subject of studies, which were developed by educationists. As the aim of education was intellectual and physical development. This aim was divided into two subjects. For physical development the subjects were music and gymnastics. For intellectual development the subjects suggested were physics, philosophy, mathematics, geometry, logic and ethics. This suggestion was given by Plato. Aristotale also added the Rhetoric (Power of Expression), Poetics (Literature) and politics.

7.         Both Develop objective and positive attitude:-

            Objective and positive attitude is developed by philosophy and education as well. Objective mean not be prejudiced we should be open and broad minded. Do not accept any knowledge and idea blindly by developing critical thinking our opinion and ideas would be objective not subjective.

            Positive attitude means to accept ups and down of life not to become disappointed by failure in life. Develop positive and realistic attitudes towards life and the universe.

8.         Both Deals with Morality:-

            Both are interested in the moral code for men. Philosophy emphasizes that man should do what is right and good. Man must differentiate between right and wrong and follow the right path. Education also emphasizes character building as the Chief Objective. Man should learn to be kind polite, respectful, honest and true.

9.         Philosophy is a guide for the teacher:

            The study of Philosophy is essential. It is essential for teacher as well as for taught. But for teachers it is inevitable. Teachers take the responsibility of educating the youth of nation. Teachers are the ultimate builders of the nation. They are supposed to translate into practice a country’s educational theories and policies by implementing in real and practical situations.

10.       Comparison of Theories:

            The role of philosophy can very easily be viewed when we compare the ancient theories of education with the modern ones. In ancient Greek, the policy of education did not allow the free development of individuals. Loyalty and obedience to the state was imperative upon the individual. Therefore, the subjects included in the curriculum were such which should inculcate these qualities in them. The methods of education employed in the process of education aimed at producing the qualities of obedience and submissiveness among the pupils. According to the Naturalists Rousseau and his followers, a child should grow up in a free atmosphere. Therefore, the present experience, interest and activities of the child are considered very important.

            Furthermore, the pragmatist’s school of thought emphasized on the principles of utility in the choice of the subjects and the method of education allows more practical activities for the learner. Dewey, the Chief exponent of this school emphasized that since activity is the Chief Characteristics of childhood, the process of learning also should be a way of doing things. Influenced by such Philosophies of education all modern methods of teaching are “Child Centered”. This philosophy draws its data from a wide variety of sources.

            It starts from the humble data of common sense and goes into philosophical thinking of great construction and of high standard. It pays high regards to the life of sciences of Biology and Psychology.

Philosophy	Education
1.                                                    Both Differ in Scope
Study of Metaphysics, Axiology and logic	Concern with aims, Curriculum, methods of teaching, Administration, Examination and discipline
2                                                     Both Differ in Methods
Speculation reflective thinking, analysis and synthesis, comparison and contrast	Lecture, discussion, questioning, narrative
3.                                                    Both Differ in functions
Search for Ultimate Reality Mind, Matter, Soul, Good, Evil, justice, Freedom etc.	Develops individual Potentialities
4.              Is Theoretical                                                           Is Practical
It is a set of Ideas	Produces Better human being

                                                    

 Difference between Philosophy and Education