Comparative perspective of Education

1. Perennialism, Essentialism, progressivism,
Reconstructionism
Muhammad Ayoob Babar
Reg. No. 140FSS/PHDEDU/F17
Department Of Education
International Islamic University, Islamabad

2. 1.Perennialism
The word perennial means everlasting.
Perennial is a plant live for many years and flower grow year after
year

3. What is Perennialism
• Focuses on knowledge and the meaning
of knowledge
• Student should enable to think that will
secure
Individual freedom
Human rights
Responsibilities through the nature

4. Cont..
• A teacher-centered philosophy
emphasizes the importance of transferring knowledge,
information, and skills from the older (presumably wiser)
generation to the younger one.
• Focus on everlasting ideas and universal
truths
believing the ideas are as relevant and meaningful today
as when they were written in the past

5. Cont..
• Less freedom in the classroom
The Perennialists also believe that people are
essentially sinful in nature (Howick, 1980). Adults
know what is important for students to study.
• Perennialism is subject-centered.
Adler (1982), advocates that education should be the
same for all students
• Teacher is not concerned at the student interests

6. Component or mode of learning
1. Acquisition of organized knowledge.
This is accomplished by means of using lectures
and responses, textbooks, and other aids.
2. The development of intellectual skills
such as reading, writing, calculating, observing,
measuring, and speaking. This is accomplished by
coaching, drill, and supervised practice.

7. Cont..
3. An enlarged understanding of ideas and
values.
This is accomplished by questioning and
discussion of real books.
There is also little emphasis on vocational
training (Knight, 1998).

8. Teaching Tools
• Standardized Tests
• Teacher-made tests
• Memorization
• Classic Books

9. Classroom Management
• Orderly rows
• Neat/Clean room
• Strict rules
• Punishment/Rewards

10. Curriculum
• Literature
• Philosophy
• Theology
• History
• Social Sciences
• Mathematics
• Music

11. 2. Essentialism
• William Bagley introduced the philosophy of
Essentialism in education in the 1930’s. ( American
philosopher)
• Concept of universal education
There is essential knowledge that everyone in a
given culture must have in order to be a
knowledgeable and fully participating member of
that culture.

12. What is Essentialism
• There is essential knowledge that
everyone in a given culture must have in
order to be a knowledgeable and fully
participating member of that culture

13. Teacher role
Use verified instructional strategies
Lecture
Memorization
Homework
Teacher and subject centered
Mastery learning

14. Student role
• passive and be ready to learn what the teacher
presents to them.
• Students should listen and learn.
The student is to sit still and take in what the teacher
is teaching.

15. Curriculum
• Basic skills in elementary schools
• Disciplined knowledge and scholastic
achievement in secondary schools.
• There should be a common core curriculum
that is taught to all students.

16. 3. Progressivism
• John Dewey(1920) is the most notable
philosopher of progressivism.
• Importance of learning by doing
• rather than the traditional schooling
method of learning by absorption

17. Cont..
• progressive education also termed as
"child-centered" and "social
Reconstructionist approach

18. What is Progressivism
• Emphasis on learning by doing-practical
• Curriculum focused on thematic units
• Strong emphasis on problem solving and
critical thinking

19. Cont..
• Group work is emphasized
• Assessment by evaluation of child’s
projects and productions
• students should test ideas by active
experimentation

20. Cont..
• Learning should be directly related to the
interests of the child
• The teachers role is not to direct but to
advise
• The school should encourage
cooperation rather than competition

21. Teacher role
• Teachers are facilitators of learning
who encourage students to use a wide
variety of activities to learn
• Progressive teachers encourage students
to learn by discovery

22. Student role
• Student is an active participant in their
learning
• Active engagement and thinking for
themselves

23. Curriculum
• Series of things that children and youth must
do and experience
• All the experiences children have under the
guidance of teachers

24. Cont..
• The total experience with which the school
deals in educating young people
• A set of values that is activated through a
development process and conclude in
classroom experiences for students

25. 4. Social reconstructionism/Critical Theory
• Schools should be the primary place to work on the
reconstruction of society
• Emphasizes the addressing of social questions
• Quest to create a better society and worldwide
democracy
• Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) was the founder of
social reconstructionism, in reaction against the
realities of World War II

26. Cont..
• 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.

27. Cont..
• In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression
and not become its victims, nor oppress others.
• Requires dialogue 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,

28. Classroom Management
• Teacher and students question the assumptions of the
status quo and examine social issues and future
trends.
• Organize classroom in a gender-free and non racist
manner
• Conflict resolution and differences in world views
would be encouraged and reinforced

29. Cont..
• Less emphasis on management and control and
more focus on community building
• Atmosphere that promotes analysis, criticism, and
research would best describe the classroom
environment

30. Role of teacher
• Cooperative learning, problem solving, critical
thinking
• Focus on active learning and activities outside of
school
• Students spend time in the community to learn
its problems

31. Cont..
• Analyze research and link issues to place in the
community and larger society
• Take action or responsibility in planning for
change
• Teachers should give their students ideas on how
to make the world a better place to live in

32. Role of student
• Students are a critical element in bringing social
change
• Students are capable of initiating and adapting to
change especially if they are influenced by
appropriate adult role models
• Students should learn how to make a society a
better place and have more order

33. Curriculum
• focuses on student experience and taking social
action on real problems, such as violence, hunger,
international terrorism, inflation, and inequality.
• Reflect democratic ideals and emphasize civic
education
• Opportunity for students to study real social
problems and controversial issues

34. Cont..
• Students consider societal problems such as place of
ethics in improving quality of life, conserve
natural resources, and issues of foreign policy and
naturalism
• curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim
of education.

35. References
• Adler, M. J. (1982). The Paideia Proposal. New York: Macmillian.
• Ansbacher, T. (2000) An Interview with John Dewey on Science Education. Physics
• Teacher, 38,224-228. Retrieved March 1,2003 from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database.
• Bauer, S.W. & Wise, J. (1999) The Well Trained Mind New York: W.W. Norton.
• Bertrand, Y. (1995). Contemporary Theories and Practice. Madison: Magna Publications.
• Brooks, J. G., & Brooks, M. G. (1993). In Search ojUnderstanding: The Casejor Constructivist
Classrooms. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
• Bruner, J. (1960). The Process oj Education. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
• Christian Schools' Trust Science Curriculum Team. (1998). Science in Faith: A Christian
• Perspective on Teaching Science CA.Jones, Ed.). Essex, Great Britain: Christian Schools' Trust.
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• Coburn, A. (2000). Constructivism: Science Education's 'Grand Unifying Theory.'

36. Cont..
• Clearing House, 74,9-13. Retrieved March 1, 2003 from EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier database.
• Crowther, D. T. (1997). The Constructivist Zone. Electronic Journal ojScience Education, 2. Retrieved March 12,2003, from
http://unr.edulhomepage/jcatmon/ejse/ejsev2n2ed.html
• Deconstruction and re-thinking education (PDF Download Available). Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279380533_Deconstruction_and_rethinking_education [accessed Oct 23 2017].
• Derrid a J 1984 . Dialogue w ith Jacq ues Derrid a: decons truction and the other. I n: R Kearney (ed .). Dialogues with contemporary
continental thinkers: the phenomenological heritage. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
• Derrida J 19 86. Antinomies of philosophy. Paris: Osiris.
• Derrida J 19 88. Limited inc. Evanston: Northwestern University Press.
• Null, J. W. (2004). Social efficiency splintered: Multiple meanings instead of the hegemony of one. Journal of Curriculum and
Supervision, 19(2), 99 – 124. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from EBSCO online database, Academic
• Search Premierhttp ://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dir ect=true&db=aph&AN=11801482&site=ehost-live Rohman, C. (1999). Ideas:
A dictionary of important theories, concepts, beliefs, and thinkers. New York: Random House Books.
• Sadker, M., & Sadker, D. (1994). Teachers, schools and society. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Shaw, L. J. (2006). Five Educational Philosophies. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/LShaw/
f95syll/philos/phprogr.html

37. Thanks