M.Ed. Semester 1 by Dr. Zaheer Ahmad who is the coordinator of this course.... I does not own this course..... for educational purpose only...

1. Foundations of Education (831)
Unit 2: Philosophical Foundations of Education
Dr. Zaheer Ahmad
Course Coordinator

2. Objectives of the Course
• explain the important features of foundations of
education;
• specify the role of educational thinker in education;
• appreciate the philosophical, psychological, foundations
of education;
• discuss the modes of education;
• discuss historical development of education in Pakistan;
• evaluate the issues and problems of education.

3. Objectives of the Unit
• Discuss the basic concept, nature and scope of philosophy.
• Identify the need of educational philosophy.
• Discuss the following philosophical thoughts.
▫ Idealism
▫ Realism
▫ Naturalism
▫ Pragmatism
▫ Essentialism
▫ Progressivism
▫ Reconstructionism
• Analyse the relevance of the above mentioned philosophical
thoughts with:
▫ Religious and moral development
▫ Intellectual development
• Social and civil obligations

4. Philosophy
• The word philosophy comes from a combination
of two Greek words- “philos” meaning “love” and
“sophi” meaning “wisdom.” Thus, philosophy
means the love of wisdom.
• Philosophy is a logical inquiry into the nature of
reality
• Philosophy is systematic enquiry about the
ultimate reality of the universe

5. Philosophy
• An unceasing effort to discover the general truth
that lies behind the particular facts, to discern
also the reality that lies behind the appearance.
• philosophy is persistent attempt to gain insight
into the nature of the world and of ourselves by
means of systematic reflections”.

6. Philosophy and Education
• Philosophy and education are two sides of a
coin
• Philosophy determines the real destination
towards which education has to go.
• Philosophy determines the various aspects of
education
• Aims, Curriculum. Teaching strategies,
assessment and administration and discipline
• Great Philosophers have been great
educationists also:
• Education is the dynamic side of philosophy

7. Objectives of Studying Educational
Philosophy
1. To find out the solution for various educational
issues.
2. The purpose of studying educational philosophy is
to make education according to the need based life
and society.
3. To determine the aim of human life, aim of survival.
4. To produce better citizen by fostering democratic
attitude in behavior.
5. To make teaching learning process more effective
and attractive according to the need, interest and
ability of child.

8. Objectives of Studying Educational
Philosophy
6. To discern the different philosophies and choose
any one of them to lead a fruitful life in the society.
7. To expand our knowledge and experiences and
implement them in the educational practices.
8. To bring out all round personality development in
child and prepare him to stand on his own feet.
9. To make education flexible in order to achieve the
goals of a country-national integration,
international understanding and globalization.
10.To develop education as a powerful instrument to
bring about social, cultural, political and
economical change in society.

9. Idealism

10. Meaning of Realism
• The term realism come from the Latin
“realists” who is to be really, really real.
• Realism refers to the things exist whether
or not the human mind perceives them.

11. Meaning of Realism
• Aristotle was the leading proponent of
realism and the first philosopher to
develop a systematic theory of logic.
• In a more deeper meaning of realism, it is
a philosophy that assumes that there is a
real external world that can be recognized.

12. Values in Realism
• External world is the reality.
• Man will discover reality with the use of science
and common sense through education or
learning.
• Mind is functioning & is geared towards
creativity.
• Reality can be proved by observation,
experience, experiment and scientific reasoning.
• Values must be studied to be applied in the
actual setting.

13. Realism
• Realism Physical World alone is Objective
• Knowledge acquired through senses only is real
• Universe is independent of ideas
• Things exist whether or not the human mind
perceives them.
• Objects are characterized by their properties, such
as:
▫ Size
▫ Weight
▫ Color
▫ Shape

14. Principles of Education
• Based on science only
• Emphasizes on behaviour and experiment
• Child and his present life are the centres of
education
• It opposes book learning
• Both the individual and the society are valued

15. Realism and Aims of Education
• Preparing the child for happy and successful life
• Preparing the child for a real life
• Developing the physical and mental powers of
the child
• Developing and training of senses
• Acquainting the child with nature and social
environment
• Imparting vocational education

16. Realism and Curriculum
• Developed according to Utility and needs
• Subjects concerning day to day activities
• Main subjects are – natural science, physical
science, health culture, physical exercise, maths,
geography, history, astronomy

17. Method of Teaching
• Scientific and objective method
• Informal method
• Self experience and research
• Experimental method
• Heuristic method
• Correlation method

18. Aim of Education
• Preparing the child for a happy and successful
life.
• Developing the physical and mental powers of
child.
• Imparting vocational education.
• Developing and training of senses.
• Preparing the child for a real life.
• Character development.

19. Methods of Education
• • Herbart developed a five-step method as
follows:
– Preparation, Presentation, Association,
Generalization, Application
• Emphasis on critical reasoning through observation.
• Supports formal ways of teaching. • Children should
be given positive rewards (Locke).
• Scientific research and development.
• Precision and order: ringing bells, time periods,
daily lesson plans, and prepackaged curriculum
materials.

20. Chief Characteristics of Naturalism
1. Nature alone is the source of all knowledge.
2. Mind is subordinate to nature.
3. Material world is the real world.
4. There is nothing like ‘supernatural’
5. All values exist in nature.
6. Scientific knowledge is final.
7. Values are created in terms of specific needs.
8. In the nature order all human being are equal.
9. Everything lays in the hands of nature, human
being degrades it.
10.Man creates societies to meet some of his needs.

21. Principles of Education according to
Naturalism
• Naturalism accords an important place to the
educative process.
• Naturalism advocates education in accordance with
the nature of the child.
• Naturalism considers natural environment as an
important source of education.
• Naturalism gives important to present life of the
child.
• Naturalism states that adequate freedom should be
given to the child in the education.
• Naturalism has an insignificant place for acquiring
knowledge from the books.

22. Naturalism and Aims of Education
• It is generally says that naturalism has very little to
offers regards to the aims of education.
1. Developing the child in accordance with the nature.
2. Naturalism give permission to children what they
want to do.
3. It allow children to live in harmony and unity.
4. It allow children to live in surrounding
environment.
5. Naturalism stresses on autonomous development of
child.
6. It give strength to children to fight against struggle.

23. Naturalism and Curriculum
• Curriculum should be arranged as the attitude,
aptitude, interest and needs of the child.
• Curriculum should be prepared in such a way that
we can see the overall developmental stages of child.
• Curriculum is based on the nature of the child and
his interest.
• It should stresses on science, geometry, English, and
all other subjects.
• It should give importance to physical and health
science.
• The skill of vocation should develop.

24. Naturalism
• Naturalism is a concept that firmly believes that
ultimate reality lies in the nature of the matter.
• Matter is considered to be supreme and mind is
the functioning of the brain that is made up of
matter.
• The whole universe is governed by laws of nature
and they are changeable.

25. Contents Roots of Naturalism
1. Life and Works of Philosophers
2. Based on the Division of Philosophy
3. Strengths & Weakness of Naturalism
4. Naturalism in Education

26. Progressivism
• Progressivism is a theory of education that is
concerned with “learning by doing “that children
learn best when pursuing their own interests and
satisfying their own needs.
• Progressivists believe that people learn best
from what they consider most relevant to their
lives. Progressivists center curriculum on their
needs, experience, interest and abilities of
student. Provoke curiosity in students.

27. Characteristics of Progressivism
• Emphasis on learning by doing
• hands-on projects
• experiential learning
• Integrated curriculum focused on thematic units
• Strong emphasis on problem solving and critical
thinking
• Group work and development of social skills
• Understanding and action as the goals of learning as
opposed to rote knowledge
• Collaborative and cooperative learning projects
• Education for social responsibility and democracy

28. Aims of Education
• To develop the personality of an individual
through providing a democratic environment in
the educational institutions.
• An all-round development of child.
• Cooperative behavior and social participation.
• Education of the whole man, or whole
personality, which includes the physical,
emotional, social and intellectual aspects of the
individual.

29. Progressivism and Curriculum
• It should be based on the actual giving environment to the child. It
must reflect his daily life.
• The curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature.
• Books and subject matter were part of the learning process rather
than sources of ultimate knowledge.
• Curriculum is based on students’ interests, involves the application
of human problems and affairs.
• It uses the life experience approach to fit the students for future
social action.
• Curriculum is based on a specific group of students.

30. Progressivism and Method of Teaching
• Project method – active participation of the pupils
in learning.
• Socialized method – to bring all the individual into a
group system of interaction.
• Conferences
• Demonstration
• Group work
• Role play
• Debates
• Inquiry
• Discussion
• Planning and participation in the activities.

31. Pragmatism
• Derived from Greek word ‘pragma’ which means
work, practice, action or activity.
• It is the philosophy of practical experience.
• It is a typical American Philosophy practical in
appraoch.

32. Basic Principles
• Gives importance to action.
• Gives importance to experience.
• Believes in change.
• No belief in permanent values.
• Gives emphasis on experimentation.
• A practical philosophy.
• A humanistic philosophy.
• Pragmatists believe on present.
• Believe that growth and development takes place
through interaction and environment.
• Deep faith in democracy.
• Emphasis on means not on ‘end’.

33. PRAGMATISM IS A PRACTICAL
PHILOSOPHY
• It aims at developing efficiency of the pupil
through activities and experience.
• Education should enable the child to solve his
daily problems and lead a better life.
• It is a work philosophy.
• Activities lie at the centre of all educative
process.

34. AIMS OF EDUCATION
• Does not believe in setting predetermined fixed,
ultimate and general aims of education.
• The only aim is more and more growth and
creation of new values. One can create values
through activities and experience.
• Aims of education given by John Dewey in his
‘Democracy and education’:
▫ --Natural development.
▫ --Development of social efficiency.

35. PRAGMATISM AND CURRICULUM
• Pragmatic curriculum is framed according to the
following principles:
• Principles of dynamism and flexibility.
• Principle of utility – subjects like language, literature,
physical education, hygiene, history, geography, civics,
sociology, psychology etc. Priority is given to social
sciences to make the students good, cooperative and
useful citizens. Natural sciences come next.
• Principle of activity and experience, agriculture, wood
craft and industrial sciences.
• Principles of integration.

36. METHODS OF TEACHING
• Against out dated, lifeless and rigidly traditional
methods of teaching.
• Methods to be formulated on the basis of following
principles:
▫ -Principles of purposive process of learning.
▫ -Principle of learning by doing.
▫ -Principle of integration.
• Project method by kilpatric.
• Experimental method.
It also encourages: Discussion as a method-
laboratory work. Personal reference in the library.
Educational tows and excursions.

37. Pragmatism
• Derived from Greek word ‘pragma’ which means
work, practice, action or activity.
• The philosophy that encourages people to find
processes that work in order to achieve their
desired ends.
• Pragmatists believe that reality is constantly
changing and that we learn best through
applying our experiences and thoughts to
problems, as they arise.

38. Principles
1. PLURALISM- Philosophically, the pragmatists are
pluralists. According to them there are as many
words as human beings. The ultimate reality is not
one but many. Everyone searches truth and aim of
life according to his experiences.
2. EMPHASIS ON CHANGE- The pragmatists
emphasize change. The world is a process, a constant
flux. Truth is always in the making. The world is ever
progressing and evolving. Therefore, everything here
is changing.
3. UTILITARIANISM- Pragmatists are utility is the test
of all truth and reality. A useful principle is true.
Utility means fulfillment of human purposes. The
results decide the good and evil of anything, idea,
beliefs and acts. Utility means satisfaction of human
needs.

39. 4. CHANGING AIM AND VALUES- The aim and values of life
change in different times and climes. The old aims and values,
therefore, cannot be accepted as they are. Human life and the
world is a laboratory in which the aims and values are
developed.
5. INDIVIDUALISM- Pragmatists are individualists. They put
maximum premium upon freedom in human life. Liberty goes
with equality and fraternity. Everyone should adjust to his
environment.
6. EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL ASPECTS- Since man is a social animal
therefore, he develops in social circumstances. His success is
success in society. The aim of education is to make him
successful by developing his social personality.
7. EXPERIMENTALISM- Pragmatists are experimentalists. They
give more importance to action than ideas. Activity is the means to
attain the end of knowledge. Therefore, one should learn by
doing constant experimentation which is required in every field
of life.

40. EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
1. EDUCATION AS LIFE Pragmatists firmly believe that old and traditional
education is dead and lifeless. Education is a continuous re-organizing,
reconstructing and integrating the experience and activities of race. Real
knowledge can be gained only be activity, experiments and real life experiences.
2. EDUCATION AS GROWTH Each child is born with inherent capacities,
tendencies and aptitudes which are drawn out and developed by education. One of
the aims of education is to develop all the inherent capacities of the child to the
fullest extent.
3. EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL PROCESS Man gains more knowledge through
personal experiences than he gets from books.
4. EDUCATION A CONTINUOUS RESTRUCTURING OF EXPERIENCE Knowledge
is gained by experiences and experiments, conducted by the learner himself.
Educational process has no end beyond itself.
5. EDUCATION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE Education is the birth right of
each individual and may not be within the right of the individual, so the state should
shoulder the responsibility.

41. PRAGMATISM AND CURRICULUM
Activity Centered Curriculum
1. PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY Subjects, activities and experiences
which are useful to the present needs of the child are
included in the curriculum, such as: Language, physical well-
being, physical training, Geography, History, Science,
Agriculture and Home science.
2. PRINCIPLE OF INTEREST Only the activities and
experiences that interests the child should be included in the
curriculum. It comes with four varieties namely- (1)
interest in conversation (2) interest in investigation (3)
interest in construction (4) interest in creative expression
Keeping these varieties of interests the curriculum should
include Reading, Writing, Counting, Art, Craft-work, Natural
science and other practical work of simple nature.

42. 3. PRINCIPLE OF EXPERIENCE The third
principle of pragmatic curriculum is the child’s
activity, vocation and experience. All these three
should be closely integrated.
4. PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRATION Deals
with the integration of subjects and activities.
Knowledge is one unit. Pragmatists want to
construct flexible, dynamic and integrated
curriculum.

43. Roles
Teacher and Administrators
• Teacher works as a friend and guide to the children. Teacher knows students interest
and understanding regarding the conditions of changing society
• The teacher puts problems in front of students which are interesting and students are
expected to solve it.
• Acts as a facilitator and helps guide students in the right direction.
• pragmatism believes in social discipline based on child’s interest, activities and sense of
social responsibility. It condemns enforced discipline.
Students
• Want experiences to make the learning real for the students.
• Pragmatists believe that learners should apply their knowledge to real situations through
experimental inquiry
• This prepares students for citizenship, daily living, and future careers.
Schools
• Schools philosophy is having students gain real experiences of actual life which develop
social sense and sense of duty towards society and the nation.
• It is not only a sense of education but a sense of community.
• Preparing students to be better citizens

44. Essentialism
• Essentialists hope that when students leave
school, they will possess not only basic skills and
an extensive body of knowledge, but also
disciplined, practical minds, capable of applying
schoolhouse lessons in the real world. (William
Bagley)

45. What is Essentialism?
• Essentialism is the educational theory and educational
philosophy, whose followers believe that students should
learn traditional basic subjects thoroughly.
• For essentialists, education involves the learning of basic
skills, arts and science.
• After the learning of these skills and subjects students
can function as a member of civilized society.
• Essentialists argue that classrooms should be teacher-
oriented. The teacher should serve as an intellectual and
moral role model for the students.

46. Essentialists Beliefs
• Essentialism tries to instill all students with the
most basic knowledge, skills and character
development.
• Essentialists believe that students should be
taught to be a model citizen.
• Essentialists believe that teachers should teach
traditional moral values and virtues.
• Essentialists believe in mastery learning.

47. Purpose of Schooling
• Prepare students to be productive, contributing
members of society.
• For essentialist, the aim of education is to teach
the young the essentials they need to live well in
the modern world.
• Essentialists teach the basic subjects.

48. Curriculum of Essentialism
Curriculum of
Essentialism
Mathematics
Natural
Science
History
Foreign
Language
Literature

49. Reconstructionism
Premises of Reconstructionism
• The two major premises of reconstructionism
▫ Society is in need of constant reconstruction or change
▫ Such social change involves a reconstruction of
education and the use of education in reconstructing
the society background.

50. Social Reconstructionism
• Is a philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions and a quest
to create a better society and worldwide
democracy. Typically a reconstructionist
focuses on a curriculum that highlights
social reform.

51. Background of Reconstructionism
• Emphasizes the addressing of social questions
• 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

52. Reconstructionism as Critical Theory
• Curriculum focuses on student experience
and taking social action on real problems:
▫ Violence
▫ Hunger
▫ International terrorism
▫ Inflation
▫ Inequality

53. • Strategies for dealing with controversial issues,
inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are
the focus
• Community-based learning and bringing the
world into the classroom are also strategies.

54. Educational Theory
• Sees things the same way as the
progressive
• Through experience, students learn more,
remember it longer, and apply it to new
situations, rather than through being told
something.
• Doesn’t believe in a predetermined
curriculum

55. Educational Theory
• Use the subject matter from any or all disciplines
when needed to solve a problem
• Deal more with the subject matter of social
experience in solving problems
• Do not favor any type of ability grouping but
students should be grouped only upon the basis
of common interests

56. Description
Goal of Education Use education to help solve significant social problems
to create a more effective democratic society
Nature of
Curriculum
Learner-centered curriculum
Role of Teachers Facilitator, guide
Role of Students Problem-solvers/ critical thinkers, socially oriented
Teaching Method Problem-based learning, cooperative learning,
community-based learning, dialogue/ debate
Subject Taught Politics, Economics, Religion, History (controversial
issues)