Philosophical Thoughts On Education: PROFED 3 - Prelim-Lesson 1

PHILOSOPHICAL
THOUGHTS ON
EDUCATION
PROFED 3 – Prelim- Lesson 1

January 18, 2021
Topics:
▰ John Locke (1632-1704) The Empiricist Educator

▰ Herbert Spenser (1820- 1903) Utilitarian Education
▰ John Dewey (1859- 1952) Learning Through Experience
▰ George Counts (1889-1974) Building a New Social Order
▰ Theodore Brameid (1904- 1987) Social Reconstructionism
▰ Paulo Freire (1921- 1997) Critical Pedagogy
Organized by CCIT and COED in cooperation with HRMD and MIS
2
OBJECTIVES:
 Understand and discuss the philosophies of
education;
 Demonstrate understanding of the principles
of each philosophical thoughts; and
 Derive implications towards effective
teaching based on understanding each
philosophy of education.
▰
▰ PHILOSOPHY
▰ What do you understand about the word,
Philosophy? Enumerate words that are
associated with the said word. What is your
philosophy as a student?
4
Do you still remember any Philosophy and
its philosopher that you have learned? Share it
with your classmates.
Principles are fundamental truth
or propositions that serve as the
foundation for a system of belief or
behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
A. John Locke (1632- 1704):
The Empiricist Educator
 Acquire knowledge about the world through the senses-
learning by doing and by interacting with the environment
 Simple ideas become more complex through comparison,
reflection and generalization- the inductive method
 Questioned the long traditional view that knowledge came
exclusively from literary sources, particularly the Greek and
Latin classics
 Opposed the “divine rights of kings” theory which
held that the monarch had the right to be an
unquestioned and absolute ruler over his subjects
 Political order should be based upon a contract
between the people and the government.
 Aristocrats are not destined by birth to be rulers. People
were to establish their own government and select their
own political leaders from among themselves; civic
education is necessary
 People should be educated to govern themselves
intelligently and responsibly.
Thus, for John Locke, education is not acquisition of
knowledge contained in the Great Books. It is learners
interacting with concrete experiences, comparing and
reflecting on the same concrete experience. The learner is
an active not a passive agent of his/her own learning.
Herbert Spencer (1820- 1903): Utilitarian
Education
Spencer’s concept of “survival of the fittest” means that human
development had gone through an evolutionary series of stages from
the simple to the complex and from the uniform to the more
specialized kind of activity.
Social development had taken place according to an evolutionary

process by which simple homogenous societies had evolved to more
complex societal systems characterized with humanistic and classical
education.
 Industrialized society require vocational and professional
education based on scientific and practical (utilitarian)
objectives rather than on the very general educational
goals associated with humanistic and classical education.
 Curriculum should emphasize the practical, utilitarian and
scientific subjects that helped human kind master the
environment.
 Was not inclined to rote learning; schooling must be
related to life and to the activities needed to earn a living
 Curriculum must be arranged according to their
contribution to human survival and progress
 Science and other subjects that sustained human
life and prosperity should have curricular priority
since it aids in the performance of life activities.
 Individual competition leads to social progress. He
who is fittest survives.
Therefore, for Spencer, to survive in a complex
society, specialized education is over that
of general education.
John Dewey (1859- 1952): Learning Through
Experience
- Experience is a social process and so school is

intimately related to the society that it serves.
- Children are socially active human beings who want

to explore their environment and gain control over
it.
-Education is a social process by which the
immature members of the group,
especially the children, are brought to
participate in the society.
- The school is a special environment established by members oof
society, for the purpose of simplifying, purifying and integrating the
social experience of the group so that it can be understood,
examined and used by its children.
- The sole purpose of education is to contribute to the personal and

social growth of individuals.
The steps of the scientific or reflective method which are
extremely important in Dewey’s educational theory are
as follow:
▰ The learner has a “genuine situation of experience” involvement in
an activity in which he/ she is interested.
▰ = Within this experience the learner has a “genuine problem” that
stimulates thinking.
▰ = The learner possesses the information or does research to
acquire the information needed to solve the problem.
▰ = The learner tests the solutions by applying them to the problem
in. In this way one discovers their validity for oneself.
- The fund of knowledge of the human race past ideas, discoveries and
inventions was to be used as the material for dealing with problems.
This accumulated wisdom of cultural heritage has to be tested. If it
served human purposes, it becomes part of a reconstructed
experience.
- The school is social, scientific and democratic. The school introduces
children to society and their heritage. The school as a miniature society
is a means of bringing children into social participation.
- The school is democratic because the learner is free to test all ideas,
beliefs and values, Cultural heritage, customs and institutions are all
subject to critical inquiry, investigation and reconstruction.
- School should be used by all, it being as democratic institution. No

barrier of custom or prejudice segregate people. People ought to
work together to solve common problems.
- The school is democratic because the learner is free to test all ideas,
beliefs and values, Cultural heritage, customs and institutions are all
subject to critical inquiry, investigation and reconstruction.
- School should be used by all, it being as democratic institution. No

barrier of custom or prejudice segregate people. People ought to
work together to solve common problems.
- The authoritarian or coercive style of administration and teaching is
out of place because they block genuine inquiry and dialogue.
- Education is a social activity and the school is a social agency that

helps shape human character and behavior.
- Values are relative but sharing, cooperation and democracy are

significant human values that should be encouraged by schools.
Hence, Dewey does not disregard the
accumulated wisdom of the past.

www.goodreads.com
Assignment: To be sent to
[email protected]
▰ Activity 1. Directions: Write the philosophical thought and its

philosopher or proponent. Under each philosophical thought,
write a statement that will state how you understand the main
principle or belief of the philosopher.
▰ Note: Do not copy what is the powerpoint. Use your own words.
▰ Activity ll. Directions: Choose one (1) philosophical thought and
have a Reflection Paper. Remember that a Reflection Paper is
meant to have your understanding of the material (your reading
about the philosophical thoughts of education) and how it affects
your ideas and possible practice in the future when you become a
teacher. You are also encouraged to search the meaning of
Reflection Paper, its contents and how to accomplish it for you to
be guided more in your performing of this task.
▰ Activity lll. Directions: Explain how you understand the steps of
the scientific/ reflective method of Dewey’ educational theory.
Use real/vivid classroom setting to make your explanation clear.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those
who prepare for it today.”
Malcolm X

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PHILOSOPHICAL

PROFED 3 – Prelim- Lesson 1

▰ John Locke (1632-1704) The Empiricist Educator

Social development had taken place according to an evolutionary

- Experience is a social process and so school is

- Children are socially active human beings who want

- The sole purpose of education is to contribute to the personal and

- School should be used by all, it being as democratic institution. No

- School should be used by all, it being as democratic institution. No

- Education is a social activity and the school is a social agency that

- Values are relative but sharing, cooperation and democracy are

▰ Activity 1. Directions: Write the philosophical thought and its

Organized by CCIT and COED in cooperation with HRMD and MIS

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