Experience, Reflect, Critique: The End of the “Learning Cycles” Era

According to prevailing models, experiential learning is by definition a stepwise process beginning with direct experience, followed by reflection, followed by learning. It has been argued, however, that stepwise models inadequately explain the holistic learning processes that are central to learning from experience, and that they lack scientific or philosophical foundations. Criticism also centers on the way complex cultural, social, and physical processes during experience and learning are reduced to a rational, excessively cognitive, individual phenomenon. This article reviews this criticism and adds a historical dimension to the analysis, concluding that existing cyclic models might be better valued for their important historical contribution, rather than as active theories of learning in experiential education

Світоглядно-філософські передумови розробки стратегій освітньої політики

У статті виконано аналіз світоглядно-філософських передумов розробки стратегій освітньої політики в сучасній Україні. Визначено, що нова філософія освіти - це результат об'єктивного історичного процесу, темпи й змістове наповнення якого одночасно залежать від зусиль держави й громадськості на шляху формування відповідних ідей, концепцій, парадигмальних основ розвитку суспільства, які б ураховували національну, культурну та світо глядну традицію, визначні набутки педагогічного досвіду, можливість проліферації суб'єктів освітньої політики.The article deals with the analysis of Weltanschauung and philosophical foundations for developing strategies of the education politics in contemporary Ukraine. The new philosophy of education is defined as the result of objective historical process, its pace and substance being dependent on the efforts applied by the government and the public while forming the correlative ideas, concepts, and paradigmatic foundations of social development, which would take into account national, cultural, and Weltanschauung features, considerable amounts of pedagogical experience, the posibilty of proliferation of the subjects of education politics

Guest Editor\u27s Foreword

Almost five years ago we at Educational Considerations had an issue largely devoted to the social and philosophical foundations of education

Political, Not Partisan: Service-Learning as Social Justice Education

By engaging in purposefully designed community work, we can involve students in conversations about social justice and their roles as community members. Service-learning is an engaged pedagogy that encourages students to explore social justice in depth. Social justice work, as well as service-learning, can often encourage students to become involved politically in issues they encounter. Given the Millennial Generation’s distaste for polarized political debates and the potential for overly political discussion to silence students, how can service-learning programs continue to support students’ social justice education and political engagement while avoiding partisanship? This article introduces the concept of justice-based service-learning (JBSL) and explores service-learning as social justice education, including the philosophical foundations of socially just service-learning and the intersections of politics, social justice, and service. The author proposes six principles for creating political—not partisan—socially just service-learning

Личность педагога: историческая ретростектива и современный контекст

У статті досліджуються соціально-філософські основи дефініції «особистість сучасного педагога», відповідно до філософсько-педагогічної думки, парадигми освіти, в основі якої - глобальні проблеми локального, національного, регіонального розвитку .Автори дійшли висновку , що сучасна парадигма освіти вимагає деякої зміни пріоритетів, де в центрі уваги стає особистість педагога, його культура, професіоналізм, а знання та вміння, якими він володіє, перетворюються з самоцілі навчання в засіб його професійного розвитку.The article examines the social and philosophical foundations of the definition of "personality of the modern educator", according to the philosophical and pedagogical thought paradigm of education, based on - global issues of local, national, regional development. The authors concluded that the current paradigm of education requires a change of priorities, where the focus becomes the personality of the teacher, his culture, professionalism, and knowledge and skills that he has, become an end in itself of his training in professional development too

Nip & Tuck: The Humanities and Social Sciences under the Knife

The British government has cut funding for teaching the humanities and social sciences by 100%. This monumentally foolish decision directed by Lord Browne – the former CEO of BP, who arguably has no connection, experience or qualifications to oversee educational provision – was implemented by the Coalition. Lord Browne’s Report argues that STEM subjects; science, technology, economics and mathematics are prioritised as strategically important subjects for higher education, securing a sustainable future for them. Browne here seems to be suggesting that encouraging students to think, engage with critique, analysis and evaluation (as the humanities and social sciences do) is harmful to the longevity of educational provision. This is not only senseless it is restrictive to development opportunities and employability enhancement for young people. To imply that art, culture, language, history, philosophical and theological debate, interfaith dialogue etc. are irrelevant to society is absurd. This ill-considered and very short sighted decision is extremely dangerous long term, and will have far reaching consequences. Indeed, we are already seeing the repercussions as consumerism and marketization take priority over education; Britain’s universities are fast becoming the most expensive in the world – those that have not had to close down – impacting upon the social and cultural experience of young people and also their social capital and mobility. We have all seen the ‘botched’ jobs of unqualified cosmetic surgeons and the long standing, often irrevocable consequences of the ‘nip n tuck’ that promised so much and gave so little. The consequence of these surgical attempts made by incompetent so-called practitioners cause severe anguish and distress at best and extreme complications, radical or permanent damage at worst. Basically, a negligent ‘incision’ not only causes long and far reaching damage, it is extremely difficult to rectify incurring unwarranted expenditure. Perhaps something Lord Browne should consider when he assumes the power of a would-be ‘cosmetic surgeon’, and rather than attempting a procedure he is ill equipped to deal with – cutting funding from crucial sections of education – he should leave the decisions to professional educationalists. This paper discusses the implications of funding cuts to the humanities and social sciences and argues that government utilitarian reasoning is radically short-sighted. The humanities and social sciences are crucial to understanding society – past, present and future – and the complexities of relationships; local, national and international. Indeed, the humanities and social sciences are the foundations of democracy and therefore essential to understanding economies

New challenges to character education

The recent growth of character education worldwide has met with a number of criticisms. This article applies a humanities methodology to investigate three of these criticisms in the belief that a growing movement can only benefit from attention to its critics. The first criticism is that character education depends on flawed or unreliable social science methods. In response, the article recommends more focused attention on the philosophical foundations of empirical research on character. The second criticism is that character education leaves unjust systems unchallenged. In response, the article recommends increased academic dialogue between character education discourse and social justice discourse. The third criticism is that character education violates the purpose of a university. In response, the article denies the objection, appealing to historical and philosophical sources to argue that character has been and should be at the heart of all Higher Education

Проблемы интеграции и дифференциации в профессиональном образовании

Автором висвітлено проблеми інтеграції та диференціації у професійній освіті. Акцентовано увагу на філософських, соціально-економічних, психолого-педагогічних і методичних аспектах інтеграції та диференціації, теоретико-методологічних та дидактичних основах інтеграції у професійній школі, методичних проблемах диференціації в освіті.The author highlights the problems of integration and differentiation in vocational education. The attention is focused on the philosophical, social, economic, psychological, pedagogical and methodological aspects of integration and differentiation, theoretical and methodological foundations of teaching and integration in professional school teaching differentiation problems in education.Автором рассмотрены проблемы интеграции и дифференциации в профессиональном образовании. Акцентировано внимание на философских, социально-экономических, психолого-педагогических и методических аспектах интеграции и дифференциации, теоретико-методологических и дидактических основах интеграции в профессиональной школе, методических проблемах дифференциации в образовании