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Educology is the study of education, or more precisely, educological research (or inquiry) is the study of education, and educology is the product of the study, provided that the study is careful, disciplined, successful research (or inquiry) which treats education as the dependent variable and which examines the effects of other variables upon education. [1]
Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, however learners may also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy.
Education is a field of phenomena. It consists of elements (teacher, student, content, setting), relations among the elements (constructive, sustaining, reconstructive, destructive) and processes (teaching, intentional guided studying, conduced learning). Educological inquiry is the systematic asking, answering and verifying answers to questions about the elements, relations and processes in the field of phenomena denoted by the term education. Educological discipline is the set of rules followed in the conduct of educological inquiry. The discipline includes the rules for term definition, statement formation, statement transformation and statement verification. Educology is the set of recorded true statements produced by successful, careful, well-disciplined educological inquiry. The set of recorded true statements constitutes the fund of knowledge about education, and the term educology denotes that fund. [2] Educology includes recorded
Some basic warranted assertions about education which have been produced by educological research and inquiry include:
Educology consists of knowledge about all aspects of education, official and unofficial, effective and ineffective, good and bad. It includes knowledge (recorded true statements) about
For the purposes of research and intentional guided study, educology is commonly organized into subsets or subfunds of educology. The organization is done in relation to features or aspects (elements, relations, processes) in the field of phenomena of education. The subfund is typically denoted by the expression the educology of [some aspect of education]. The educology of some aspect of education is the set of recorded true statements about some feature or characteristic of the set of phenomena denoted by the term education, including any aspect of teachers, students, content and setting, any relation (e.g. dependent, independent, coincidental, causal, constructive, destructive, reconstructive, sustaining, etc.) among those four elements of education and any process in education (e.g. teaching, intentional guided studying, conduced learning). Examples of subfunds of educology include:
(a) the educology of teachers
(b) the educology of students
(c) the educology of content
(d) the educology of setting
Development of educology commenced in the 1950s. Since that time, educology has been extended through publication of research findings in journals and books and through the establishment of departments of educology and the provision of educology courses in universities. [3]
The term educology has been in use in the English language since the seminal work in educology by Professor Lowry W. Harding [4] at Ohio State University in the 1950s and Professor Elizabeth Steiner [Maccia] [5] and her husband and colleague, Professor George Maccia, [6] at Indiana University in the 1960s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, John B. Biggs [7] and Rachel Elder [8] coined the term independently of Harding, Steiner and Maccia. Other researchers in the English speaking world who worked on developing and extending educology in the 1970s and 1980s included James E. Christensen, [9] James E. Fisher, [10] David E. Denton, [11] Diana Buell Hiatt, [12] Charles M. Reigeluth and M. David Merrill, [13] James F. Perry, [14] Marian Reinhart, [15] Edmund C. Short, [16] John Walton, [17] Catherine O. Ameh, [18] Laurie Brady, [19] Berdine F. Nel, [20] Maryann J. Ehle [21] and others. [22]
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, is a large public research university in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and the ninth university in Ohio with the Morrill Act of 1862, the university was originally known as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College (Mech). The college began with a focus on training students in various agricultural and mechanical disciplines but it developed into a comprehensive university under the direction of then-Governor Rutherford B. Hayes, and in 1878 the Ohio General Assembly passed a law changing the name to "The Ohio State University". It has since grown into the third-largest university campus in the United States. Along with its main campus in Columbus, Ohio State also operates regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, and Wooster.
Indiana University (IU) is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 110,000 students, which includes approximately 46,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus.
John B. Biggs, also known as John Burville Biggs, born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1934, is an Australian educational psychologist and novelist who developed the SOLO taxonomy for assessing the quality of learning outcomes, and the model of constructive alignment for designing teaching and assessment. After studying psychology at the University of Tasmania, he moved to the UK for doctoral studies at the University of London. He has since held university faculty positions in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. His final institutional affiliation is as Honorary Professor of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong. His most influential work is his concept of constructive alignment, which is an outcomes-based framework for university teaching as described in Teaching for Quality Learning at University now in its fourth edition with Catherine Tang as co-author. Changing Universities (2013) is an academic memoir covering nearly 60 years of involvement with universities in several countries, and in that time universities themselves have changed drastically.
In Europe, development of educology in the 1980s and 1990s came from the research of Anton Monshouwer, [23] Theo Oudkerk Pool, [24] Wolfgang Brezinka, [25] Carlos E. Olivera, [26] Nikola Pastuovic [27] and in the early 2000s by Birgitta Qvarsell, [28] Kestutis Pukelis and Izabela Savickiene [29] and Sharon Link. [30] Recent contributions to the development of educology have come from the American educologists Theodore W. Frick of Indiana University, Bloomington, [31] and Kenneth R. Thompson of System-Predictive Technologies, Columbus, Ohio [32] and the Australian educologist James E. Christensen of Educology Research Associates. [33] The International Journal of Educology (initially published in Australia, later in the USA and most recently in Lithuania) commenced publication in 1987, and it continues in electronic form into the present. [34] The IJE has served as a forum for the clarification and extension of educology, with the publication of over 100 refereed articles in educology over a period exceeding 30 years. Some universities have adopted the term for their publications, e.g. the University of Illinois [35] and Indiana University. [36] Other universities have used educology for institutional organization and curriculum arrangements. Since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a number of universities in the Baltic countries and elsewhere in Europe have established departments and faculties of educology and offer courses and degrees in educology. They include Vilnius University (Lithuania), Siauliai University (Lithuania), Vilnius Pedagogical University (Lithuania), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), Kaunas University of Medicine (Lithuania), Klaipėda University (Lithuania), Tallinn University (Estonia), Stockholm University (Sweden), University of Presov (Slovakia) [37] and Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia). [38] In addition to academic institutions, some for-profit and not-for-profit organizations have adopted the term in either the name of their organizations or in their publications. [39]
Wolfgang Brezinka is a German-Austrian educational scientist. He served as Professor of Pedagogy at the Pädagogischen Hochschule in Würzburg, as well as at the Universities of Innsbruck and Konstanz.
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states, one of the oldest in Northern Europe, and one of the oldest and most famous in Central Europe, preceded only by the universities of Prague, Cracow, Pecs, Budapest, Bratislava and Konigsberg. Founded in the 16th century, it was the easternmost university in the world. Today it is the largest university in Lithuania.
Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) is a public university in Kaunas, Lithuania. The university was founded in 1922 during the interwar period as an alternate national university.
The term educology derives from the term education and the suffix -logy. The term was coined to dispel the confusion caused by using the term education to name the process of teaching, studying and learning under guidance, and calling knowledge about the educational process by the same name, education . [40] A range of arguments for the use of the term educology has been developed over the past fifty years and more. Some have argued that the term educology should be used to name only philosophy of education , or only theory of education , [41] or only scientific knowledge about education (science of education) [42] or only knowledge about effective practices in education (praxiological knowledge, also spelled praxeology ). [43] [44] The prevailing and generally accepted argument which has emerged from the discourse among educologists over the last half of the 20th and the early 21st century is that the term educology names the entire fund of knowledge about education including theoretical, philosophical, scientific and praxiological knowledge. [3]
Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or learning.
The philosophy of education examines the goals, forms, methods, and meaning of education. The term is used to describe both fundamental philosophical analysis of these themes and the description or analysis of particular pedagogical approaches. Considerations of how the profession relates to broader philosophical or sociocultural contexts may be included. The philosophy of education thus overlaps with the field of education and applied philosophy.
Praxeology or praxiology is the study of human action, based on the notion that humans engage in purposeful behavior, as opposed to reflexive behavior like sneezing and unintentional behavior.
Within common usage of the English language and also within special usages (i.e. technical usages) of that language, several terms have been used to name the fund of recorded knowledge about education. Included among those terms are pedagogy , andragogy , [45] ethology , [46] Education , Education Studies, Professional Education and psychopedagogy . [47] However, educologists argue that one term performs the job of naming the fund of knowledge about education even better than these seven: educology. [48] [49] [50] Educologists maintain that the term educology suits the job best for three compelling reasons:
Educologists argue that the concept of educology implies the inclusion of the entire fund of recorded propositional knowledge about the entire process of education, from nascence to senescence. It is not limited only to knowledge about the education of children (pedagogy) [51] or to that of male adults (andragogy). It is not recorded knowledge about processes other than education, such as knowledge about character development (ethology) [52] or a combination of psychological knowledge and knowledge about the practice of teaching (psychopedagogy). The name educology eliminates the ambiguity which is created by naming the process of guided study with the term education and naming the fund of recorded propositional knowledge about that process with the same term education.
Educologists demonstrate the power of the term educology to dispel ambiguity through techniques such as word substitution in sentences. For example, the practice of capitalizing the term education and of adding the term professional or the term studies or the term teacher to the term education are attempts to remove ambiguity. Educologists argue that the use of these terms (Education, Education Studies, Professional Education and Teacher Education) are not nearly as cogent in dispelling the ambiguity as is the use of the term educology. This can be illustrated with, for example, the sentence,
In their [education] to qualify as primary school teachers, students study some psychology, sociology and [education].
The ambiguity created in the meaning of the sentence can be reduced somewhat, but not entirely, by substituting the second education with the terms Education, Education Studies, Professional Education and Teacher Education.
The ambiguity created in the meaning of the sentence can be eliminated entirely by substituting the second education with the term educology.
In their [education] to qualify as primary school teachers, students study some psychology, sociology and [educology].
The term substitution of educology for education completely eliminates the ambiguity and conforms with the convention for naming funds of knowledge with the suffix -logy: for example, psychology from psyche (mind) plus -logy (knowledge about); sociology from society plus –logy (knowledge about); educology from education plus –logy (knowledge about).
Educologists maintain that there are at least three compelling reasons for creating new terms in discourse about the educational process.
Educologists conclude that the case for the term educology is supported by all three reasons. The term education functions ambiguously to name the process and also to name warranted assertions about the process. To educologists, it is a misnomer to name warranted assertions about the educational process with the term education. It is like using the term animals to name zoology. It is a category mistake. The term educology names a new meaning for which there is no satisfactory existing term. It names, and only names, and names nothing more than, nor less than, knowledge about education. [3]
Educologists recognize that there is discourse in education and discourse about education. [53] Discourse in education occurs in the form of talk and writing within the educational process. Discourse in education is one of many phenomena within the educational process. Discourse about education, when it is sound, well founded and warranted, is educology. These two categories of discourse are illustrated in Table 1.
Example of discourse in education (educational discourse) | Example of discourse about education (educological discourse) |
---|---|
The scenario is that Mark is a single parent who lives in Los Angeles. He works as an insurance adjuster. He has one child, a daughter, Bronwyn, who is just over two years old. Here is a conversation between them. | This is an educological analysis of the conversation between Mark and Bronwyn. |
| From an educological viewpoint, the conversation between Bronwyn and Mark is typical of the educational process. The episode has all of the distinguishing characteristics of an educational event or episode.
The activities of teaching. Mark does his teaching as a matter of course, without being selfconscious of his teaching. Educologically, this is significant because it illustrates that it is possible to act intentionally without being fully selfconscious the whole time of the intentionality. This occurs especially when the intentional action has become integrated into a person's patterns of conduct and thought in the form of habits. [54] The activities of studying. The same is true of Bronwyn's studying under guidance. Intentional, unselfconscious performances are what Bronwyn and Mark are undertaking with each other in the studying and teaching of language. Methods and intentions in teaching. It is part of Mark's set of habits to expand what Bronwyn says into full, syntactically, grammatically and semantically correct sentences. His intention is to help Bronwyn to develop her ability to make such sentences, even though he may not be selfconscious of his intentionality because it has become habit. Methods and intentions in studying. In turn, Bronwyn accepts his guidance and uses it, sometimes unselfconsciously and sometimes consciously, to signify meaning with her words. All of the elements for an educational transaction are present: teacher, student, content and setting, including physical, social and cultural. Unofficial vs. official education. Mark and Bronwyn are engaged in unofficial (vs. official) education. There is no written lesson plan, instructional program, syllabus, curriculum, assessment or certification of achievement. There are no licensed teachers, principals or superintendents. The conversation is an unofficial educational episode involving a parent and child. |
Table 1: Example of educational discourse and educological discourse
The term study denotes the set of activities one undertakes to learn something. [55]
Study can be done independently, outside of the educational process, without the guidance of a teacher. And it can be undertaken under the guidance of a teacher, within the educational process. Education is a process about which one can conduct inquiry and research. Educology is the fund of knowledge which is produced from well disciplined and successful inquiry and research about the process. [56]
Educology is not the study of education because educology is not an activity. Study is an activity. One can study educology, i.e. undertake activities to learn knowledge about education with a view to extending one's range of knowing about education. [57] But the activity of studying about education is not the fund of knowledge about education.
Education is studied by experiencing it as a participant and an observer. The study of education (i.e. undertaking study about the educational process), if conducted as serious, well disciplined inquiry and research, can produce educology (recorded true statements about education).
Educology is studied by reading it. The study of educology (i.e. undertaking study of the fund of knowledge about education), conducted independently or conducted under the guidance of a teacher, can lead a student to learn educology and develop an educological understanding of education. [58]
Educology is the fund of knowledge about education, so it is not accurate to characterize educology as theory, and only theory. Educology incorporates facts with theories. Educologists develop and use theory to extend and organize educology. They also use theory to guide their research. Three kinds of theory commonly developed and used in educological inquiry are descriptive, explanatory and normative theory.
Descriptive theory consists of well defined terms. Educologists formulate and use well defined terms to denote, discern, observe and describe aspects or features in the field of phenomena of education. For example, they use clear, unambiguous, phenomenologically sound definitions of the terms teacher, student, content and setting to denote, discern, observe and describe teachers, students, content and settings within the field of phenomena of education.
Explanatory theory consists of a system of mutually implied statements. Educologists develop and use explanatory theory to provide reasons for why things happen as they do in education and to predict what will happen under a given set of circumstances. The predictions serve as hypotheses which can be tested. The verification or falsification of hypotheses provides evaluations of the adequacy or inadequacy of the explanatory theory. Through the evaluation of explanatory theory, the theory is affirmed, or revised, or abandoned for a more suitable explanatory theory. [59]
Normative theory consists of norms (i.e., an explicitly stated set of standards and/or rules) which are appropriate to use in making and justifying evaluations (i.e. judgments about the instrinsic worth of something) and prescriptions (i.e. recommendations about what proper, moral, ethical action ought to be taken). Educologists conduct inquiry about what set of norms are appropriate and justifiable, and they use the norms to make and justify evaluations of states of affairs in education and prescriptions for actions to take in the field of phenomena of education. [60]
Educology is a fund of knowledge, not a discipline. But educologists use a set of disciplines to produce educology. The set of disciplines requisite for producing educology includes the sets of techniques and rules which are necessary for conducting at least three categories of inquiry and research: [53]
Educologists use the term process of inquiry to mean the same as the process of asking questions, formulating answers to those questions, and presenting necessary and sufficient evidence to warrant that the answers which are formulated are necessarily true, in the case of analytic educological facts, or very highly probably true, in the case of empirical educological facts, or are valid, sound and fruitful, in the case of educological explanatory theories and educological justificatory arguments. [53]
The educological perspective is inclusive of the following perspectives in discourse about the educational process or about aspects of the educational process:
Educologists use one, or a selection and sometimes all of these perspectives in their inquiry. For example, in conducting inquiry about secondary education, educologists typically address the questions of:
Well founded and warranted answers to these questions are all part of the educology of secondary education. [62]
In contrast to other viewpoints (in the sense of arrangements of discourse, e.g. sociology, anthropology, psychology), the educological perspective treats the educational process as the dependent variable, and it is used to conduct research and inquiry about the effects of other factors, such as social settings, economic activity and political attitudes, upon the educational process. [63]
Treating education qua education, the educological perspective conceives of education as a system made up of the elements of teacher, student, content and setting, all standing in relation to each other. The educological perspectives analyzes the relations among these four elements. For example, it examines what set of relations does
All other educological questions derive from this basic set of four questions. [64]
Of course, regardless of what questions are asked about a field or how a field of phenomena is described or characterized, that field remains unchanged. Spoken or written discourse about the way a plant uses sunlight, water and soil to grow does not affect the plant in its use of those things. We can use spoken or written discourse, however, to take effective action in relation to a plant to influence its growth.
And so it is with the different arrangements of discourse (or viewpoints) about the educational process. None of the arrangements (sociology, anthropology, psychology, educology, etc.) changes the form and function of the educational process. All can be used to take some kind of action in relation to the educational process to achieve some intended outcome or desired goal, aim, objective or state of affairs. [63]
The domain or territory of educology is the set of all phenomena within the educational process. Inquiry and research from an educological perspective is undertaken about this set of phenomena with the intention of producing warranted assertions, or knowledge, about education. Part of the domain or territory of educology is represented in the following table. [65]
Educational process | Age levels of the educational process | Basic components of education | Derivative components of education | Basic processes in education | Processes closely related to education |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Official education: Conducted in schools, academies, colleges, institutes & universities with written lesson plans, instructional programs, syllabii, curricula, assessments or certifications of achievement, licensed teachers, enrolled students, principals, superintendents, boards of trustees or governors and rules, regulations, policies & codified laws which specify prohibitions, options and requirements |
|
|
|
|
|
Unofficial education: Conducted in families, peer groups, work places, recreational events, etc. (outside of schools, academies, colleges, institutes & universities and without written lesson plans, instructional programs, syllabii, curricula, assessments or certifications of achievement, licensed teachers, enrolled students, principals, superintendents, boards of trustees or governors and rules, regulations, policies & codified laws which specify prohibitions, options and requirements) |
|
|
|
|
|
Table 2: Categories of phenomena within the educational process for educological inquiry
The relationship between educological inquiry and educology is the relationship between a process and its product. Educological inquiry uses a logic of inquiry and a set of techniques of inquiry to produce a set of products of inquiry. [3]
Logic of inquiry. The set of disciplines which is used in the verification of statements (i.e. the warranting of assertions) is the logic of an inquiry. At least three principles of verification are used in educological inquiry.
Techniques of inquiry. The actual behaviors performed and the procedures followed in adducing evidence to verify a statement (warrant an assertion) are the techniques of an inquiry. Examples include conducting surveys, experimentation, drawing analogies, running simulations, locating documents, taking notes, classifying objects, defining terms, clarifying concepts, etc.
Products of inquiry. The product of successful inquiry about the educational process is educology. Educology is the set of warranted assertions (i.e. statements which are judged to be true) about some aspect of the process of teaching, studying and guided intentional learning. The set can be classified into at least three categories, viz. analytic, normative and empirical knowledge.
Discipline for forming educology. The logic and techniques for conducting inquiry about the educational process constitute the discipline requisite for conducting sound and productive educological research and inquiry, including retro-search, re-search and neo-search. [66] The product of sound, well disciplined and fruitful educological inquiry is educology. [3] (See Table 3.)
Kind of inquiry | Logic of inquiry | Product of inquiry | Techniques of inquiry |
---|---|---|---|
Analytic educological inquiry | Principle of necessity reasoning | Warranted analytic assertions (analytic educology) | Conceptual analysis, propositional analysis, definition, explication, illustration, model case, contrary case, borderline case, invented case, related concept, unrelated concept, practical consequences, term substitutions, subscripts, invented terms, statistical analyses (analysis of variance, correlation, etc.) |
Normative educological inquiry | Principle of normative reasoning | Warranted normative assertions (normative educology) | Evaluation, prescription and justification of evaluation and prescription with value clarification, value validation, value vindication, rational value choice |
Empirical educological inquiry | Principle of observation (extrospection and introspection) | Warranted empirical assertions (empirical educology) | Survey, experimentation, quasi-experimentation, analogy, unobtrusive measures, case studies, participant observation, systematic observation, simulations, ethnographies, naturalistic studies |
Table 3: The discipline requisite for producing educology
The product of successful educological inquiry is educology, and educology can be arranged into subsets or subfunds of educology. Two categories which are critical for the arrangement of the product of educological inquiry and research are (1) the phenomena about which inquiry is conducted and (2) the purpose of the inquiry. The use of these categories makes possible the arrangement of subfunds of educology. [3]
Phenomena of inquiry. The something which is investigated in the act of research (including retro-search, re-search and neo-search) [66] is the set of phenomena being inquired about, or the phenomena of inquiry, or the object of knowledge. Phenomena in the educational process can be classified into many categories. Six of the critical categories are:
Purpose of inquiry. The intended outcome of an inquiry is its purpose. At least seven purposes of inquiry can be distinguished: (1) characterization, (2) description, (3) explanation, (4) prediction, (5) prescription, (6) evaluation and (7) justification.. Characterization is a set of statements which identifies the essential properties which distinguish one category of phenomena from another. Description is a set of statements which elucidates and represents a state of affairs as it exists. Explanation is a set of statements which provides reasons for why a state of affairs is as it is. Prediction is a set of statements which foretells how a state of affairs will be. Prescription is a set of statements which tells what, how and when to do something in order to achieve a desired state of affairs. Evaluation is a set of statements which reports that a state of affairs is good (or bad) or relatively better (or worse). Justification is a set of statements which presents a coherent argument about why a course of action ought to be taken (or not be taken) and/or why a state of affairs is good (or bad), better (or worse), ethical (or inethical), valuable (or worthless).
Subfunds of educology. An arrangement of educological assertions in relation to a nominated set of purposes and a specified set of features within the educational process constitutes a subfund of educology. At least seven major subfunds of educology can be distinguished with respect to phenomena of inquiry and purpose of inquiry. They include
Other arrangements, of course, are possible. Examples include the
Culture, curriculum, early childhood, etc. are phenomena of inquiry. Thus, the subfunds of educology in the second list are arranged in relation to some subset of phenomena found in the field of phenomena of education. The subfunds of educology arranged by phenomena of inquiry typically include (1) analytic philosophical, (2) normative philosophical, (3) historical, (4) scientific, (5) empirical non-scientific, (6) praxiological, and (7) jurisprudential educology within them. For example, the educology of women implies all seven subfunds. Thus, within the educology of women, there is the
See Table 4.
Subfund of educology | Phenomena of inquiry (phenomena inquired about or object of inquiry) | Purpose of inquiry |
---|---|---|
Analytic philosophical educology | All discourse within education | Characterization, description, explanation, prediction, prescription, evaluation, justification of discourse within education, |
Normative philosophical educology | Intrinsically and extrinsically good and bad states of affairs for and within education | Characterization, description, explanation, prediction, prescription, evaluation, justification of intrinsically and extrinsically good states of affairs for and within education |
Historical educology | Education of past times and ages | Characterization, description, explanation, evaluation, justification of education in past times and ages |
Jurisprudential educology | Legal discourse which guides and regulates education | Characterization, description, explanation, prescription, evaluation and justification of legal discourse which guides and regulates education |
Scientific educology | Extant educational phenomena | Characterization, description and theory-generated explanation & prediction of educational phenomena |
Empirical non-scientific educology | Extant educational phenomena | Characterization, description (without theory-generated explanation or prediction) of educational phenomena |
Praxiological educology | Effective educational practices | Characterization, description, explanation, prediction, prescription, evaluation, justification of effective educational practices |
Table 4: Critical categories for arranging educology into subfunds of educology
At least four meanings of the term philosophy of education can be distinguished:
The first two are subfunds of educology. The third and fourth are knowledge about educology, not about education. Therefore, they are meta-educology, or knowledge about knowledge about education. [67]
Analytic philosophy of education (or analytic philosophical educology) is an arrangement of warranted assertions which describes and characterizes the necessary implications of concepts and propositions used in discourse within the process of education. The theorizing of James Gribble, George F. Kneller, John B. Magee, Gilbert Ryle, Israel Scheffler and B. Othanel Smith, for example, exemplifies analytic philosophy of education, or analytic philosophical educology. [68]
Relevant to the explication of philosophy of education is the concept of language of education. The term functions ambiguously. It can mean (1) language or discourse which occurs within the process of teaching and studying, and it can also mean (2) language or discourse which is about the process of teaching and studying. In its first sense, language of education means language in education. In its second sense, it means language about education. These two senses can be distinguished by subscripts:
What people say while engaged in the role of teaching or in the role of studying under guidance are examples of [language of education]1 or language in education. Educology is [language of education]2 or language about education. Educology is only that language or discourse about education which is warranted with evidence. Obviously not all discourse (or assertions) about education is warranted with evidence. [53]
Normative philosophical educology is the same as normative knowledge about education or normative philosophy of education. This arrangement of educology again requires the use of the three disciplines (analytic, normative, empirical). Questions of what is desirable and undesirable for and in the educational process (normative questions) lead on to questions of meaning (analytic questions) and questions of the actual consequences of actions or practices (empirical questions). To settle normative questions competently, one must also be able to settle questions of meaning and questions of actual consequences.
Normative philosophical educology addresses questions such as,
Normative philosophy of education (or normative philosophical educology) describes and characterizes that which has worth in education. The theorizing of Ernest Bayles, John Dewey and John Butler, for example, exemplifies normative philosophy of education, or normative philosophical educology. [69]
Normative philosophical educology is part of educology. It is a subfund of educology. Its focus is upon desirable and undesirable or relatively desirable and undesirable states of affairs, relationships, entities, practices, situations and the like within the educational process (and for the educational process).
Normative philosophical educology is closely related to philosophy of education, but it is not identical with it. Often the term philosophy of education is used without distinguishing between normative and analytic philosophy. This usage conflates different arrangements of knowledge. [53]
Philosophy of educology. Given the distinction between two senses of language of education, a third meaning of philosophy of education is possible to distinguish. Language about education can be an object of inquiry, or something about which inquiry can be conducted. It can be analyzed, and true statements about it can be produced. This set of true statements, or warranted assertions, constitutes a fund of knowledge. That fund includes the logic, epistemology, ethics and praxiology of making warranted assertions about the educational process. The fund includes that which is named by the term research methods or research methodologies, because research methodologies about the educational process are included in the praxiology of educology (vs. the praxiology of education). [3] [70]
In common usage discourse about education, the logic and epistemology of forming warranted assertions about the educational process is called philosophy of education, because in common usage, the term education names (1) the teaching and studying process and (2) knowledge about that process. But a name which more adequately characterizes the fund is the term philosophy of educology. The substitution of the term educology for the term education in the name philosophy of education (making it philosophy of educology) clarifies the point that the object of knowledge (i.e. that which the knowledge describes, characterizes and explains) is language (discourse) about education. Philosophy of educology includes analytic philosophy of educology and normative philosophy of educology. [53]
In addition to educological inquiry and subfunds of educology, there is meta-educological inquiry and meta-educology. There is language (or discourse) within the educational process (what teachers say to students and vice versa) and language (or discourse) about the educational process (what is said about teachers and students). There can be warranted assertions about the educational process, i.e. verified statements about teachers and students. There can also be warranted assertions about what is said about teachers and students, i.e. verified statements about statements about the educational process. Warranted assertions about the educational process are educology. Warranted assertions about statements about the educational process are meta-educology. [3] The statement,
Compulsory schooling is a requirement which all contemporary nations have stipulated in law
is an example of educology. In contrast, the statement in brackets,
[The statement, "Compulsory school is a requirement which all contemporary nations have stipulated in law," requires verification by examining the statutes of every nation]
is an example of meta-educology. It is a warranted assertion about a statement about education.
Meta-educological inquiry. Meta-educological inquiry includes asking and answering questions (with the necessary and sufficient evidence) about (1) the necessary implications, (2) the value and worth and (3) the attribution and provenance of discourse about the educational process. Thus, at least three categories of meta-educological inquiry can be distinguished: (1) analytic, (2) normative and (3) empirical. [53]
Analytic meta-educological inquiry requires the use of the principle of necessity reasoning as its logic of inquiry. It produces warranted analytic meta-statements as its product of inquiry. Its techniques of inquiry include concept isolation, propositional isolation, concept analysis, propositional analysis, definition (including classificatory, synonymy, equivalent expression definition), identification of definition functions (including reportive, stipulative, programmatic functions), explication, model case, contrary case, borderline case, invented case, related concept, unrelated concept, term substitution, subscripts, invented terms, social context technique, result in language technique, practical results technique. [53] Its phenomenon of inquiry (phenomenon about which inquiry is conducted) is the entire set of discourse about the educational process. Its purpose of inquiry is description and explanation of the implications of all discourse about the educational process. [53] The statement in brackets,
[The statement, "Individualization is instruction that is adapted to individual needs . . .," is an analytic statement verifiable by the principle of necessity reasoning]
is an example of an analytic meta-educological statement.
Normative meta-educological inquiry requires the use of the principle of normative reasoning as its logic of inquiry. It produces warranted normative meta-statements (evaluations and prescriptions) as its product of inquiry. Its techniques of inquiry include value clarification, value validation, value vindication and rational value choice. [71] Its phenomena of inquiry (phenomena about which inquiry is conducted) are intrinsically and extrinsically good and bad states of affairs for and within discourse about the educational process. Its purpose of inquiry is description, explanation, prediction, prescription and justification of intrinsically and extrinsically good states of affairs for and within discourse about the educational process. [53] The statement in brackets,
[The statement, "Individualization is instruction that is adapted to individual needs . . .," is a good statement for beginning inquiry about individualization of instruction in the educational process]
is an example of a normative meta-educological statement.
Empirical meta-educological inquiry requires the use of the principle of observation (extrospection) as its logic of inquiry. It produces warranted empirical meta-statements as its product of inquiry. Its techniques of inquiry include location of recorded texts, authentication of recorded texts and citation of recorded texts. Its phenomena of inquiry (phenomena about which inquiry is conducted) is extant recorded statements (i.e. texts in articles, journals, papers, books, etc.) about the educational process. Its purpose of inquiry is description, attribution and provenance of extant discourse about the educational process. The statement in brackets,
[The statement, "Individualization is instruction that is adapted to individual needs . . .," is found on p. 272 of The Teacher's Handbook (Dwight W. Allen & Eli Seifman, Eds., 1971)]
is an example of an empirical meta-educological statement.
Not a subfund of educology. Meta-educology does not constitute a subfund of educology. Educology is its phenomenon of inquiry, just as education is the phenomenon of inquiry for educology. Educology is the phenomenon about which meta-educological research inquires. Education is the phenomenon about which educological research inquires. See Table 5.
Critical category | Category details for analytic meta-educology | Category details for normative meta-educology | Category details for empirical meta-educology |
---|---|---|---|
Kind of inquiry | Analytic meta-educological inquiry | Normative meta-educological inquiry | Empirical meta-educological inquiry |
Logic of inquiry | Principle of necessity reasoning | Principle of normative reasoning | Principle of observation (extrospection) |
Product of inquiry | Analytic meta-educology, i.e. warranted analytic meta-assertions, which are the same as verified analytic meta-statements | Normative meta-educology, i.e. warranted normative meta-assertions, which are the same as verified normative meta-statements (evaluations and prescriptions) | Empirical meta-educology, i.e. warranted empirical meta-assertions, which are the same as verified empirical meta-statements |
Techniques of inquiry | Concept isolation, propositional isolation, definition (classificatory, synonymy, equivalent expression), definitional function (reportive, stipulative, programmatic), explication, model case, contrary case, borderline case, invented case, related concept, unrelated concept, term substitution, subscripts, invented terms, social context technique, results in language technique, practical results technique | Value clarification, value validation, value vindication, rational value choice | Location, authentication & citation of recorded texts consisting of educological statements |
Phenomena of inquiry (phenomena inquired about or object of inquiry) | All discourse about the educational process | Intrinsically and extrinsically good and bad states of affairs for and within discourse about the educational process | Recorded text containing statements about the educational process |
Purpose of inquiry | Characterization, description, explanation of the necessary implications of discourse about the educational process | Characterization, description, explanation, prediction, evaluation, prescription and justification of intrinsically and extrinsically good states of affairs for and within discourse about the educational process | Description, attribution and provenance of recorded statements about the educational process |
Subfund of educology | None (not a part of educology): analytic meta-educology is a fund of knowledge at a second level of discourse, above and outside of educology | None (not a part of educology): normative meta-educology is a fund of knowledge at a second level of discourse, above and outside of educology | None (not a part of educology): empirical meta-educology is a fund of knowledge at a second level of discourse, above and outside of educology |
Table 5: Critical categories for forming analytic, normative and empirical meta-educology
It is the responsibility of educological researchers to be expert in both educological inquiry and meta-educological inquiry. [53] Both activities are required in the task of competently making warranted assertions about the educational process. It is the educological researcher's responsibility to identify significant problems about the educational process and to solve those problems. It is also the educological researcher's obligation to clarify:
To ask and answer these five questions is to undertake meta-educological research. If the educological researcher omits these questions, the researcher risks derailment at the very beginning of the inquiry. Much work can be wasted and invalid results perpetrated if an analytic question is mistaken for an empirical one, or an empirical one, for a normative one. Each kind of question implies its appropriate logic, product, techniques, phenomena and purpose of inquiry. Analytic questions must be treated as analytic questions for the results to be valid, and so it is for normative and empirical questions. This is why educological researchers, in order to do their job properly and correctly, must be able to undertake expert meta-inquiry at the second level of discourse, i.e. at the level of warranted assertions about statements about the educational process. See Table 6.
Level of discourse | Distinguishing characteristics of the level |
---|---|
Level 2 discourse (discourse about educology) | Fund of knowledge: meta-educology (warranted assertions about statements about the educational process) |
Level 1 discourse (discourse about education) | Fund of knowledge: educology (warranted assertions about the educational process) |
Level 0 (no discourse) | Phenomena: education (the phenomena of teaching, studying and learning under guidance some content in some physical, social and cultural milieu) |
Table 6: Education, educology and meta-educology and corresponding levels of discourse
Educologists distinguish between knowledge about education and knowing about education. [3] Knowledge is recorded warranted assertions. Knowing is the learned ability to perform consciously, purposefully, intelligently and adequately in relation to some state of affairs.
Educological knowledge. Educology is one among many funds of knowledge. It is the fund of recorded warranted assertions about the educational process. It is located in the discourse of books or any other medium suitable for recording statements, e.g. magnetic tape, microfilm, microfiche, computer memory, CDs, DVDs. Recorded propositional knowledge about the educational process is related to knowing about the educational process, but it is quite distinct from it as well. [3]
Educological knowing. From an educological viewpoint, knowing is an ability which is realized (vs. potential). It is learned (vs. being inherited or being instinctual). It is an ability to perform with some intention (i.e. it is a purposeful performance). It is done in relation to some state of affairs. And the ability takes some form, or is manifested in some way (at least five forms of knowing can be distinguished). An example of knowing is that of knowing about education. Knowing about education is educological knowing. It is the learned ability to perform adequately with intention or purpose in relation to the educational process. Knowing is located within the function of people. It is their cognitive function in relation to the educational process. People can know, but not be demonstrating that knowing at any one instant. An instance of demonstrated knowing is an exemplification of knowing. For example, a woman sitting on a bus one morning may be able to ice skate. While she is not ice skating at that moment, she still knows how to ice skate. When she actually ice skates later that afternoon, she is providing an exemplification of her knowing how to ice skate. When she teaches her students that afternoon how to execute a three-point turn, her demonstration of the three-turn is an exemplification of knowing how to do a three-turn organized for purposes of teaching and guided study. As students, people can study the recorded propositions in educology and exemplifications of educological knowing (live or recorded in some medium - sound, photographs, film, DVD, etc.) in order to extend their educological knowing. In doing so, they extend their cognitive function in relation to the educational process. Through their study, they might improve their function with respect to their conduct as teachers, students, counselors, coaches, trainers, mentors, curriculum developers, educational administrators and managers, or educological researchers (including retro-researchers, re-searchers and neo-searchers). [3]
Extension of knowing from studying educology. As students, through their study of educology and exemplifications of educological knowing (knowing-that-one, knowing-that, knowing-how and knowing-to), people can extend their ability to speak purposefully and adequately about education or to speak purposefully and adequately while engaging within the process of education as a teacher, student, counselor, curriculum developer, administrator or manager. They might extend their ability to think to themselves, silently, about education, to write soundly about education, or to draw supportable and warranted inferences about education. Studying educology and representations of educological knowing, under guidance or independently, is a means by which one can extend one's ability to recall educational states of affairs, anticipate educational moments, create educational occasions, or discern educational transactions. [3]
Transience of knowing vs. permanence of knowledge. It is the nature of human beings that we are mortal. We all die, and our knowing dies with us. But educology and recorded exemplifications of educological knowing do not die. While a person's cognitive function ceases with that person, recorded propositions about education remain in the recorded media, and recorded exemplifications of educological knowing also remain in the recorded media. Each person who comes anew as a student to the fund of educology and the recorded exemplifications of educological knowing has the opportunity to extend her or his educological knowing. In addition, new generations, through successful educological research (retro-search, re-search, neo-search) have the opportunity to contribute to the revision and extension of the fund of warranted assertions which constitutes educology. [3]
Educologists distinguish at least four kinds of educological knowing. Each of the kinds may be manifested in at least five forms and at three levels. The four kinds are knowing-that-one, knowing-that, knowing-how and knowing-to. [72] The five forms are linguistic, physical, physiological, imaginal and emotional. The three levels are preconventional, conventional and postconventional. [73] The four kinds of knowing are distinguishable with respect to the object or states of affairs in relation to which the knowing is performed. The five forms of knowing are distinguishable with respect to the manner in which the knowing is manifested. The three levels of knowing are distinguishable with respect to the degree of expertise with which the knowing is performed.
Range of knowing. The combination of kinds, forms and levels of knowing constitutes a range of knowing. A range of knowing may vary from narrowly restricted to widely extended. It is possible for a person to develop knowing-that-one without knowing-how or knowing-that without knowng-to. It is possible for a person to develop, for example, knowing-how at a conventional level in a linguistic form, but not in a physical form. A wide or extensive range of knowing constitutes understanding.
Levels of knowing | Kinds of knowing | Forms of knowing (ways in which knowing is manifested) |
---|---|---|
Third level: postconventional knowing |
|
|
Second level: conventional knowing |
|
|
First level: preconventional knowing |
|
|
Table 7: Range of knowing as combinations of levels, kinds and forms of knowing
Knowing-that-one.Knowing-that-one about education is the ability to perform adequately in relation to unique states of affairs within education. A teacher recognizes, is acquainted with and appreciates Michael's moods, motivations, aspirations and capabilities, not as an adolescent or a middle class child or a student in his 9th year of school, but as Michael, in all of his uniqueness. This is an example of a teacher's knowing-that-one. The teacher might be able to manifest this knowing-that-one of Michael in talking with Michael (linguistic knowing), in anticipating Michael's behavior (imaginal knowing), in making gestures to which Michael will respond positively (physical knowing). Knowing-that-one of education gives the knower (e.g. teacher, student, counselor, administrator, manager, curriculum developer, researcher) sensitivity for the educational process and for features within the process so that significant and important aspects of the process can be discerned and appreciated by the knower.
Knowing-that.Knowing-that about education is the ability to perform adequately in relation to states of affairs within education as members of categories. A teacher can, for example, classify Michael's behavior as typical of 15-year-olds. The teacher can categorize Michael's capabilities as characteristic of middle level achievers and relate his aspirations and motivations to what one might expect of middle class adolescents. The teacher might manifest this knowing-that in writing a report (linguistic knowing), in having a feeling of familiarity and towards Michael's behavior as typical of boys of his age (an emotional knowing), in imagining how Michael will resemble his mates in a year's time (imaginal knowing), in making gestures and managing body language towards boys of Michael's kind (physical knowing). Knowing-that gives the knower adequacy and power with respect to theory (i.e. knowing-that gives theoretical adequacy). The knower with knowing-that about education can describe and explain (i.e. theorize) about the educational process in terms of categories, classifications and relationships of features or aspects of the educational process. The knower can do this, if she or he has knowing-that, with necessary and sufficient evidence and sound inferences.
Knowing-how.Knowing-how is the ability to use a set of procedures to achieve an intended result. A teacher, for example, starts class by having the children line up outside the classroom, enter the classroom in single file and take their seats as assigned seats. The teacher has learned that this set of procedures achieves an orderly entry into the room and focuses the attention of pupils upon what is to happen next in the lesson. In this example, this teacher is manifesting knowing-how. When the teacher is giving directions, the knowing-how is being manifested as linguistic knowing-how. It can be manifested in gestures and body language (physical knowing), in feelings (emotional knowing), in anticipation (imaginal knowing). Knowing-how is the basis for effective action within the educational process.
Knowing-to.Knowing-to is the realized ability to exercise conscious intention, will and choice in a rational way that is consistent with a set of freely and rationally chosen norms (i.e. standards and/or rules). A synonym for knowing-to is conative knowing. Conative knowing is a state of knowing-to, as distinct from knowing-that-one, knowing-that or knowing-how. Individuals have achieved a state of knowing-to when they can say (and mean and justify it), "I am willing to do that." That state of willingness, or knowing-to, is the same as conative knowing. [74] Conative knowing is the ability to choose rational courses of action which are consistent with standards and rules by which to regulate, control and direct one's self. Conative knowing is the basis for living a rational, principled life. Conative knowing gives us the ability to set goals and make plans in relation to criteria and to make choices consistent with chosen plans and goals. Conative knowing, or knowing-to, is the realized ability to consciously and thoughtfully live consistently by a set of standards and rules. An example of knowing-to is a teacher consciously choosing to treat each and every student respectfully, courteously and fairly.
Other possibilities of knowing. While the examples just given of knowing-that-one, knowing-that, knowing-how and knowing-to were ones in which a teacher manifested the four kinds and five forms of knowing, other players in the educational process are capable of learning these kinds and forms of knowing about education. These include students, counselors, coaches, mentors, administrators, managers, curriculum specialists and any one interested in knowing about education from a professional viewpoint or from the viewpoint of extending one's liberal education. One can develop educological knowing as a liberal study as well as a professional study.
Levels of knowing. At least three levels of knowing are possible (preconventional, conventional and postconventional). The three levels relate to the distinctions of beginner, intermediate, expert and expert innovator. One who has preconventional knowing is just at the beginning of learning some kind and form of knowing about education. The person has not yet achieved the conventions for a set of knowing. At the conventional level, the person has learned the conventions, and the level includes both intermediate and expert performances. The postconventional level is being manifested when the knower is creating innovations which have not yet become conventions. Innovative expert performers within the educational process and researchers who are engaged in neo-search about the educational process, if successful, are performing at the postconventional level of knowing. They are setting new standards or conventions of knowing about education.
From an educological viewpoint, understanding is the realized ability to perform consciously, purposefully, intelligently and in a well informed way to resolve challenges, solve problems and achieve desired results within some state of affairs. [75] Educological understanding is an understanding of states of affairs within the educational process. More specifically, educological understanding is the realized ability to perform consciously, purposefully, intelligently and in a well informed way to resolve challenges, solve problems and achieve desired results for and within the educational process. Educological understanding relates to educological knowing in that educological understanding is the achievement of some range of educological knowing at the conventional and post-conventional levels. A wide or extensive range of educological knowing at the conventional and post-conventional levels constitutes educological understanding.
Within matters educational, experience is highly prized. While it is true that experience within the educational process is important for developing educological understanding, educologists maintain that experience alone is insufficient. [3] All of us experience disease, but this does not qualify us as medical practitioners. We occupy space and exist in time, but this experience does not transform us into physicists. So it is with educological knowing. In order to develop educological understanding, one must engage in experiences with an educological perspective so that the significant and important features of the experience may be discerned, reflected upon, evaluated and appreciated educologically. In order to develop a range of knowing about education, one must, as a student, study educology and representations of educological knowing in addition to having experience within the educational process. Rational constructive action within the educational process requires educological understanding. Without understanding, naive uninformed action can be taken, but not rational, well informed action. If naive uninformed action is constructive, it will be by accident, not by educological knowing. The way to rational constructive action within the educational process is through coming to know as much as one can about education from an educological perspective. Educological knowing requires study of educology, i.e. the reading and comprehension, reflection upon and intelligent action in relation to warranted assertions about the educational process. It is educology which provides concepts, propositions, facts and theory about education and cognitive structure for reasoning about education and for taking rational constructive action in and for education.
Liberal and professional education. Educologists argue that educology has uses in the curriculum of liberal education as well as professional education. Liberal education is undertaken to extend one's ability to function as a free person with free will within a free and democratic society. Professional education is undertaken to function as an effective, ethical and accountable practitioner, e.g. a teacher, counsellor or mentor, within the educational process. [63] Sound educological understanding provides the basis for undertaking rational, constructive action within the educational process and for engaging in sound, well informed discourse about the educational process. Through studying educology, one can develop educological understanding towards several ends, e.g. towards
The liberal and professional uses of educology are described, explained and illustrated in a number of educological works. [3]
Naming professional organizations. Another important use of educology is the naming of professional organizations whose purposes are to conduct research, produce knowledge and disseminate knowledge about the educational process. For example, the conflation of (1) object of inquiry with (2) product of inquiry is removed by making the change of name from:
Naming organizational units. Likewise, educology has an important use for naming organizational units whose purpose it is to teach and extend knowledge about the educational process. The use of educology in the naming of organizational units within academies, institutes, colleges and universities dispels conflation of concepts and confusion in discourse about education. For example, the name change from:
removes the conflation of (1) object of inquiry with (2) product of inquiry and makes clear that the purpose of the units is to teach and study knowledge about educational phenomena and extend knowledge about the educational process. [76]
Structuring programs, curricula and courses. Within organizational units of educology (university faculties, colleges, schools, departments) the six critical categories of
have important applications for making decisions about
Use of these categories reduces the likelihood of category mistakes, nonsensical contradictions and wasteful duplication in educological programs, curricula, courses and organization of staff. The application of the six categories also increases the probability of arrangements of academic staff and curricula which have coherency, clarity and flexibility, without ambiguity or equivocation. The benefits of using the six critical categories include the likelihood of producing an organization which (1) makes sense to those whom it arranges and (2) contributes to cooperative effort towards the worthwhile goal of extending knowledge about education. [76]
The role of units of educology. From an educological perspective, the proper role of a unit of educology (i.e. a faculty, school, college, department or division of educology) within a university is to provide a favorable and supportive environment in which
Roles | Activities | Products |
---|---|---|
Educologist | Research about the educational process | Educology, i.e. warranted assertions about education |
Teacher of educology | Management of guided study of educology | Students with an extended range of educological knowing |
User of educology | Use of educological understanding in addressing problems & issues in the educational process | Achievement of a desired state of affairs in relation to the educational process |
Meta-educologist | Research about discourse about the educational process | Meta-educology, i.e. warranted assertions about warranted assertions about the educational process |
Teacher of meta-educology | Management of guided study of meta-educology | Students with an extended range of meta-educological knowing |
User of meta-educology | Use of meta-educological understanding in addressing problems & issues in discourse about the educational process | Achievement of a desired state of affairs in relation to discourse about the educational process |
Table 8: Key roles in a unit (department, faculty, college, school) of educology
A teaching method comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. These strategies are determined partly on subject matter to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. For a particular teaching method to be appropriate and efficient it has to be in relation with the characteristic of the learner and the type of learning it is supposed to bring about. Suggestions are there to design and selection of teaching methods must take into account not only the nature of the subject matter but also how students learn. In today's school the trend is that it encourages a lot of creativity. It is a known fact that human advancement comes through reasoning. This reasoning and original thought enhances creativity.
Science education is the field concerned with sharing science content and process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community. The learners may be children, college students, or adults within the general public; the field of science education includes work in science content, science process, some social science, and some teaching pedagogy. The standards for science education provide expectations for the development of understanding for students through the entire course of their K-12 education and beyond. The traditional subjects included in the standards are physical, life, earth, space, and human sciences.
Social constructivism is a sociological theory of knowledge according to which human development is socially situated and knowledge is constructed through interaction with others.
Critical thinking is the analysis of facts to form a judgment. The subject is complex, and several different definitions exist, which generally include the rational, skeptical, unbiased analysis, or evaluation of factual evidence. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities as well as a commitment to overcome native egocentrism and sociocentrism.
Pedagogy refers more broadly to the theory and practice of education, and how this influences the growth of learners. Pedagogy, taken as an academic discipline, is the study of how knowledge and skills are imparted in an educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place during learning. Pedagogies vary greatly, as they reflect the different social, political, cultural contexts from which they emerge. Pedagogy is the act of teaching. Theories of pedagogy increasingly identify the student as an agent, and the teacher as a facilitator. Conventional western pedagogies, however, view the teacher as knowledge holder and student as the recipient of knowledge.
Situated cognition is a theory that posits that knowing is inseparable from doing by arguing that all knowledge is situated in activity bound to social, cultural and physical contexts.
Reflective practice is the ability to reflect on one's actions so as to engage in a process of continuous learning. According to one definition it involves "paying critical attention to the practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining practice reflectively and reflexively. This leads to developmental insight". A key rationale for reflective practice is that experience alone does not necessarily lead to learning; deliberate reflection on experience is essential.
Participatory action research (PAR) is an approach to research in communities that emphasizes participation and action. It seeks to understand the world by trying to change it, collaboratively and following reflection. PAR emphasizes collective inquiry and experimentation grounded in experience and social history. Within a PAR process, "communities of inquiry and action evolve and address questions and issues that are significant for those who participate as co-researchers". PAR contrasts with many research methods, which emphasize disinterested researchers and reproducibility of findings.
Lee S. Shulman is an American educational psychologist. He has made notable contributions to the study of teaching, assessment of teaching, and the fields of medicine, science and mathematics.
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy. Its pedagogy strives to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner. The cultivation of pupils' imagination and creativity is a central focus.
The community of inquiry, abbreviated as CoI, is a concept first introduced by early pragmatist philosophers C.S.Peirce and John Dewey, concerning the nature of knowledge formation and the process of scientific inquiry. The community of inquiry is broadly defined as any group of individuals involved in a process of empirical or conceptual inquiry into problematic situations. This concept was novel in its emphasis on the social quality and contingency of knowledge formation in the sciences, contrary to the Cartesian model of science, which assumes a fixed, unchanging reality that is objectively knowable by rational observers. The community of inquiry emphasizes that knowledge is necessarily embedded within a social context and, thus, requires intersubjective agreement among those involved in the process of inquiry for legitimacy.
Inquiry-based learning is a form of active learning that starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios. It contrasts with traditional education, which generally relies on the teacher presenting facts and his or her knowledge about the subject. Inquiry-based Learning is often assisted by a facilitator rather than a lecturer. Inquirers will identify and research issues and questions to develop knowledge or solutions. Inquiry-based learning includes problem-based learning, and is generally used in small scale investigations and projects, as well as research. The inquiry-based instruction is principally very closely related to the development and practice of thinking and problem solving skills.
Multiperspectivalism is an approach to knowledge advocated by Calvinist philosophers John Frame and Vern Poythress.
Education sciences and education theory seek to describe, understand, and prescribe educational policy and practice. Education sciences include many topics, such as pedagogy, andragogy, curriculum, learning, and education policy, organization and leadership. Educational thought is informed by many disciplines, such as history, philosophy, sociology, and psychology.
Thomas S. Popkewitz is an American curriculum theorist on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education. His studies are concerned with the knowledge or systems of reason that govern educational policy and research related to pedagogy and teacher education. His research includes histories of the present, ethnographic and comparative studies of national educational reforms in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, and the US. His book Cosmopolitanism and the Age of School Reform (2008) explores the systems of reason in pedagogy through historically examining the changing images and narratives of Enlightenment concerns with cosmopolitanism. He has written or edited approximately 30 books and 300 articles in journals and book chapters. Two of his books have won awards for their contribution to educational studies. His work has been translated into twelve languages.
Religious epistemology as a broad label covers any approach to epistemological questions from a religious perspective, or attempts to understand the epistemological issues that come from religious belief. The questions which epistemologists may ask about any particular belief also apply to religious beliefs and propositions: whether they seem rational, justified, warranted, reasonable, based on evidence and so on. Religious views also influence epistemological theories, such as in the case of Reformed epistemology.
Constructivism has been considered as a dominant paradigm, or research programme, in the field of science education. The term constructivism is widely used in many fields, and not always with quite the same intention. This entry offers an account of how constructivism is most commonly understood in science education.
Transactionalism is a philosophical approach that views social exchange as a fundamental aspect of human existence; all human exchange is best understood as a set of transactions within a reciprocal and co-constitutive whole. This approach takes an "unfractured observation" of human being as "organism-environment" -- as always embedded within and constituted by their situatedness within an environment. In other words, an observer, the process of observing, and the observed are all "affected by whatever merits or defects it may prove to have when it is judged" given its situated-ness or environment.
Deanna Zipse Kuhn is an American psychologist. She is Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is known for contributions to the psychology of science – the scientific study of scientific thought and behavior. Her research program has focused on the development of scientific reasoning skills, critical thinking, metacognition, informal reasoning, and constructivist teaching methods, such as problem-based learning and collaborative learning.