Hillside Teachers’ College

CHIGOGO PLAXEDES PA/2016/017

18 JANUARY 2016

LECTURER:MR D MOYO

TOPIC: COURSE MECHANICS

Theory of education consists of three components:

1. PSYCHOLOGY-the development and the working of the mind.Psyc means mind. Psychology

is studying the connection between the mind and the speech. It is the study of whether the mind

develops and do all minds develop the same, how does all these developments affect education.

There are plenty of theories about how mind develops and it studies the difference between the

human minds and those of every creatures

2. SOCIOLOGY-Study the human behaviour in groups. It looks at the different behaviours

associated by humans in social institutions e.g school, church, friends, clubs etc

3. PHILOSOPHY-this is a world of questions where you are asking and queering everything. A

Philosopher try to find out whatever that is happening, to interrogate and establish how people

reason and how does all these affect education

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DATE:19 JANUARY 2016

LECTURER:MR D MOYO

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

There is no single agreed definition of philosophy. Definitions differ according to different views

of philosophers and authors.

1. ETYMOLOGICAL DEFINITION OF PHILOSOPHY

The term philosophy evolved from two Greek words that are PHILOS AND SOPHIA.PHILO

means love and SOPHIA means wisdom. Therefore PHILOSOPHIA means the love of wisdom

or knowledge. Knowledge can be gained through wonderment and questioning.

2. LIPMAN (1991) says philosophy is an enquiry based on logical reasoning.

3. GWARINDA (1985) defines PHILOSOPHY as an academic discipline characterised by

logical, consistent and systematic thinking so that conclusions that are reached considered sound,

coherent and consistent.

IS PHILOSOPHY A SCIENCE OR THEOLOGY?

 It is argued that philosophy is something intermediate between science and

theology .Like theology, it consists of speculations on matter and like science it appeals

to human reason rather than authority.

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PHILOSOPHICAL ACTIVITIES

 When people reflect or think critically on issues affecting human existence with a view of

providing solutions they are philosophers. Some of the philosophical questions can really

make you unpopular in a society

CATEGORIES OF PHILOSOPHY

BY AKINPELU (1981)

1. THE COMMON/POPULAR NOTION OF PHILOSOPHY-according to layman

understanding, philosophy refers to one`s way of life .It is actually a way one can understand

reality about him/herself, society and the communities.

2.THE PROFESSIONAL/ACADEMIC SENSE OF PHILOSOPHY-Is viewed as an academic

discipline characterised by logical ,consistent ,systematic thinking over fundamental issues .The

aim is to reach conclusions that are sound coherence and consistent .The main tool employed in

philosophical activity is reason .In this sense ,philosophy is looked at through four broad

categories which constitutes philosophical perspectives or branches of philosophy.

Branches of Philosophy

1. METAPHYSICS –meta means beyond and physics simply refers to something that is

physical .METAPHYSICS means beyond the physical .It is the theory that deals with the

nature of reality .It deals with or evaluation of the nature of reality .It views ordinary

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experiences and focuses on abstract issues such as mind and the purposes of the universe

and the world .It is concerned with the study of the nature of a man and the world he lives

in.

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DATE: 21 JANUARY 2016

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

2. -It is the study of knowledge .It refers to theory of knowledge .It is a study that questions the

nature, the sources and the process of knowledge. It asks questions such as what to know, is there

any different between knowing and guessing, what are the sources of knowledge, is knowledge

subjective or objective, is knowledge fixed or is ever changing etc

3. AXIOLOGY-is the theory of values. Values can be found either subjective or objective.

Objective-something that cannot be disputed and Subjective-something depends on values and

situations. It is mainly divided into two segments that are:

*ETHICS-is an evaluation of wrong or right, good or bad such as adultery, suicide, prostitution,

stealing, etc. It deals with morality.

*AESTHETICS-Focuses on the appreciation of art and beauty. It questions, what is beauty? Is

beauty universal objective or subjective?

4. LOGIC-refers to the theory of reasoning. It studies the structure and principles of a sound

argument. There are two reasoning structures namely:

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*INDUCTIVE REASONING-a structure of reasoning that moves from a particular instance and

build up to arrive at a generalised principle.

*DEDUCTIVE REASONING-the argument moves from a general premise/position to a

particular instance.

WHAT IS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF PHILOSOPHY

-Philosophers are engaged in the search of truth as they take a comprehensive view by

questioning the fundamental conditions underlying human life

-while factual questions are straight, philosophical questions are debatable and have many varied

but possible answers

CONCLUSION

-philosophy is the inquiry into the principle of knowledge, reality and values that constitute

wisdom

-it is not about providing correct answers but it is all about asking right questions

-in their effort to answer different questions, philosophers have presented different ways of

thinking , which made it possible to classify them into different schools of thought(philosophies)

such as naturalism, idealism, liberalism, realism, existentialism ,pragmatism.......

REFERENCES

Ankipelu,I. A (1981),An Introduction to Philosophy of Education, London: Macmillan

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Barker R. E(1986), Philosophies of Education, Harare: College Press

Gwarinda T. C (1986), Socialism and Education, Harare: College Press

Lipman M (1991), Thinking in Education, New York: Cambridge University Press

08 February 2016

Lecturer : Mr D .Moyo

Topic : The concept of philosophy of education

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION?

Education

 The word education was derived from two Latin words that is Educere –means to lead

out of ignorance, darkness. It implies intellectual growth, freedom and letting learners

grow on their own rather than shaping their behaviour.

 In this sense, education is an art or process of imparting knowledge.

 Educare - it means to form or train .It implies rearing /up bringing the shaping of

character .It is concerned with moral development, producing morally upright

individuals.

 According to Osman and Cravers (1986:299), education involves at least 2 things that is*

passing of generation from one generation to another so that essential social and cultural

contintinuety exist.

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 Providing the skills ,abilities and understanding to develop

new ways of doing things in light of changing conditions

(the main concept of adaptation )

 Perusuh and Nhundu (1999) sees education not only a process but also a product this

involves other things, learning consciously or otherwise by young people from their

elders or seniors in the society, (learning can either be formal or informal.)

 Education must produce products with cherished qualities in the community.

 Peters (1966), sees education as a normative term. In education, Peters says that,” there is

something called good .It implies that, something worthwhile is being transmitted and

must be done in a morally acceptable manner.”These processes of learning will enable a

person to acquire all the skills, behaviour, knowledge, values and norms which are

considered worthwhile in the society they belong “( Barker ,1986: 10).

 Langford ( 1968) says,” education is what is going in schools and formal institutions of

learning .This view is narrow as it leaves out informal education which is crucial form of

education .

 “I call ,therefore a complete and generous education that fits a man to perform

justly ,skilfully and magnanimously, all the offices both public and private of peace and

war”( Milton in Schofield ,1972: 31)

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

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 According to Osman and Cravers ( 1986) ,it is the application of philosophical ideas to

educational problems and about the practice of education leading to refinement of

philosophical ideas.

 Langford (1968) ,asserts that , philosophy of education aims at the acquisitions of

informed opinions about education problems .Generally philosophy of education

questions the assumptions ,beliefs and view about the nature ,goals ,and functions of

education.

 The following questions are of interest to philosophy of education:

What are the some of the assumptions that we often hold about

education

What is the purpose of education?

Are our children receiving quality education?

What is quality education? Should education have aims?

What should be matter /content to be taught in schools?

Who should choose that content?

From whose culture should be chosen when teaching content in school?

What is worthwhile education?

 Philosophy of education enables us to understand the nature of our educational aims,

objectives, content and selection of such.

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 Education cannot operate in a vacuum, it has to be guided by a specific philosophy .Here

are some philosophies:* realism, pragmatism, naturalism ,liberalism etc

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DATE: 09-02-16

LECTURER:MR MOYO

TOPIC: PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

IDEALISM

Definition

1. A group of philosophies which asserts that reality, or reality as we can know it, is

fundamentally mental, mentally constructed otherwise immaterial

2. Any philosophy that assigns crucial importance to the spiritual realm in its account of

human existence may be termed idealist

3. Is a philosophical approach that has its central tenet that ideas are the only true reality,

the only thing worth knowing is search for truth, beauty and justice that is enduring and

everlasting, the focus in life is on conscious reasoning in the mind

EARLY IDEALISTS

1. Plato says that abstractions/forms/ideas are more basic to

Reality than things human perceives

2. Socrates says reality can only be known through ideas, psychological experience can only

be up-handed by the mind

3. Anaxagoras taught that all things were created by mind

KEY CONCEPTS IN IDEALISM

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1. Idealists metaphysic

a. idealists believe that the spiritual world is real

b. They see the world as a creation of great universal mind

c. Macrocosm[universal mind], microcosm[personal mind]

 Life is in dual forms

. The supra world known by the mind and the material world.

2. Idealist epistemology

a. Ideas are not only universal but there are also eternal

b. These ideas are latent in every human being people are born with them

3. The human soul before birth is in a spiritual world of ideas when it dies it goes back to

the world of ideas.

-Learning is a process of recapturing knowledge of perfect ideas

- Knowledge is only gained through intellectual exertion formed by education rigour

-genuine knowledge is not sensory but it is intellectual

4. IDEALISM IN PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Aims of education

- The aim of idealistic education is to discover and develop each individual’s abilities and

full moral excellence in order to better serve society

- Emphasis is placed on developing the mind, personal discipline and character

development education should be on literacy and good character

Methods of education

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1. Holistic approach that involves teaching body, soul and the mind.

2. Their learning approach is dialectic [asked and given chance to agree or disagree]

3. Focus is not on technical skills development but on self realisation and self education

Curriculum

- Idealists want a curriculum that will focus on making students to think[teaching students

how to reason]

Role of the teacher

- Teachers should be a role model for students to emulate

- Unit 2 , idealism, realism and pragmatism in education PDF my URL. Com

Materialism

- The word materialism has been used in modern times to refer to a family of metaphysical

theories-theories on the nature of reality

- According to Democritus the world consist of nothing but atoms [indivisible chucks of

matter in empty space], these atoms can be imperceptibly small and they interact either

by impact or by hooking together depending on their shapes

- Materialism beliefs quite the opposite of idealism, materialism is the belief that what is

real is matter, matter is the fundamental and sole constituent of the universe. It denies the

existence of God, the mind as an independent spiritual entity and the world of the super

natural. Everything in existence is caused by material processes in a purely mechanical

and scientifically explicable fashion

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- This school of thought/theory is more model and obviously more scientific in its thinking.

It seek to promote change, progress and reform and has been largely responsible for the

tremendous strides humans have made in technology and material culture progress

- Included under the materialist ideological heading are pragmatism, naturalism,

progressivism, reconstructionism

Materialism in education

Aims of education

- Materialists believe in understanding the physical world through methods of rigorous

inquiry

- They promote the study of science and scientific methods i. e stem. Survival is based on

planning and calculation and not faith

- Learnt information should be useful and practical and should be applied to life

Methods of education

- Teachers should use practical media

- The project approach

- Laboratory experiment approach

- Learning should be organised and systematic

THE TEACHERS ROLE

-to provide learning basics including practical studies e. g reading, writing, drawing, geography,

agriculture, mathematics,

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-many experiences should be provided by the teacher since children come to school to gain and

to receive information e. g teach how to debate

-environment arrangement is a necessity

-extrinsic motivation is also part of learning

-materialist’s Curriculum emphasises both mental and physical development

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29 FEBRUARY 2016

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: REALISM

Task: identify the differences, in perspectives, between idealism and realism

References

J A Akinpelu (1981)

Barker 1986

Chitumba W [2006]

Reed A. J. S and Bergeman V. E [1995]

Rasky and Scotland [1969]

Definition of realism

-refers to the theory [doctrine] that whatever knowledge we receive through the senses is a true

reflection of what really exist

-the world of reality consist of real tangible matter having an independent existence on its own

which can be discovered by direct scientific inquiry [Barker 1986: ]

Metaphysics

-reality is objective and is composed of matter and form

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-it is fixed and based on natural laws

-the world exist by itself as a reality independent on whether there are human beings to perceive

it or not because the world is not a construct of the human mind as the idealist will want us to

believe.

-objects have a reality independent of our knowledge or our desire to know it

-there is orderliness in the world’s organisation

-the world is real and it is what the scientists tell us it is so scientific discoveries must be

respected

Nature/epistemology

-knowledge consists of sensation and abstraction, this means that the process of knowing is

that of the mind responding to impressions that are made upon it from external sources

-we can verify whether it is true or not by comparing what our senses tell u with the actual

situation

-if it corresponds, then that becomes reality

Axiology

-values are absolute, eternal, objective and universal

-values exist objectively in things whether we appreciate it or not

- They exist in object for us to discover

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-there are objectives in values of culture, norms and standards of conduct which do not depend

upon each citizen thinks and feel

-such objective cultural values and standards of conducts must form the co-curriculum of the

worthwhile education.

Ideas of selected realists

-Aristotle [0384-0322 BC]is the founder of realism

-he believed that reason was the ability to know the unchanging form of objects through sense

experience and then deduce from these forms the characteristics of these objects themselves.

- Francis Backbone [1561-1626] was against Aristotle’s deductive reasons

-science must be based on inquiry without pre conceive assumptions

-we must begin by observing, verifiable instances and then through reason arrive to general laws

or statements

-John Locke[1632-1704]

-there are no pre-conceived ideas in human thoughts

-at birth, the mind is a tabula rasa [blank slate] upon which ideas will be imprinted later

-all knowledge is acquired from sources independent from the individual’s mind and form

experience by way of sensation and reflection.

-all imprints and differences are due to education since all minds are identical in structure

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-ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD [1861-1947] process is the central aspect of reason.

-BETRAND RUSSEL[1872-1970]

-he claims that the world is characterised by patterns which van be verified and analysed through

mathematics

IMPLICATIONS TO EDUCATION

-the agreement of the world into patterns implies that knowledge is classified according to

disciplines/subjects

-the centrality of process implies that teaching must be arranged orderly, acquainting the learner

with the several sorts of order of application, either from general particulars or vice versa. It

should let the learner see the advantages of both methods [rusk and

-therefore learning should be both discipline centred and teacher centred

-justification* : there are certain basic truths to be transmitted, truths which are contained in

different disciplines. The teacher has some of these truths and is therefore a reposity of

knowledge and wisdom.

-the duty of a learner is to assimilate the truths presented to him

-the teacher is an authority with superior knowledge, he is the channel through which knowledge

reaches the children

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-teachers must have specific knowledge about a subject so that they can order it in such a way as

to teach it rationally and must also have a broad liberal arts background in order to show clearly

and logically the correlations that exists in the fields of knowledge[ Reed and Bergman ]

-there is need for what they call a basic core curriculum which contains the essential truth and to

which every child should be exposed in the course of his school education

-this core curriculum should be the same for all levels of education, except that it should start

with the simple, basic principles and increase in detail and complexity as the levels rises higher

[Akinpelu 1981:139]

-instruction must therefore, be made to suit the child’s level of understanding and his stage of

development

-allow pupils to use all the senses:- variety of aids to learning should be made use of e. g models,

photographs, drawings, paintings e. t. C

-since learning depends on experience and discovery, teachers must make use of experiments and

demonstrations to advance rationality

-Locke says language should be taught through the direct method, not the traditional grammatical

approach

-education must have a utilitarian value, so the learner should see the reason for learning any

body of knowledge

Conclusion

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 -the teacher is crucial in the teaching/learning setup since learning is based on the

teacher’s knowledge and his methods of lesson delivery

 -it is the duty of a teacher to prepare well for his lessons and to deliver them in the best

manner he possibly can.

ESSENTIALISM

ORIGINS OF ESSENTIALISM

 -it is not a philosophy but it is an educational theory/theory of learning

 -it was introduced in the late 1930s by an American called William C Bagley.

 -is rooted in the philosophical schools of idealism and realism

 -it came about as a reaction to progressivist approaches of the 1920s and early 1930s

which were seen as an over-emphasis on the child-centred approach to education and a

concern that learners were not gaining appropriate knowledge in schools.

The essentialist curriculum

 -is conservative in nature and states that there is common core of knowledge that needs to

be transmitted to all learners.

 -these essentials must be taught in a systematic, disciplined and morally acceptable way.

 -emphasis is on high intellectual achievement and moral standards that schools must

teach.

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 -in other words, essentialism tries to instil in all learners the most essential or basic

academic knowledge, skills and character development.

 -teachers should try to cultivate traditional moral values such as respect for authorities,

perseverance, consideration for others, general discipline, punctuality and intellectual

knowledge

 -the basic curriculum should be based on training learners to read, write, speak and

compute clearly and logically

 -the basic subjects will include mathematics, foreign languages, natural sciences, history,

literature, art and music.

 -essentialism frowns upon vocational courses.

 -the traditional approach was meant to train the mind, promote reasoning and ensure a

common culture.

 -subject content and skills are broken down to suit the level or grade of learners

 -the content gradually moves towards more complex skills and detailed knowledge

 -promotion to the next grade or level is on the account of the mastering of techniques of

the lower level.

Methodology

 -classrooms must be teacher centred

 -the teacher must serve as a role moral model for the learners

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 -the teachers and administrators decide for the learners what to learn, with little regard for

the interest of the learners

 -there is excessive use of textbooks

 -the seating arrangement should be orderly, with the teacher’s position clearly at the front

of the class.

 -learners are usually passive, sitting at their desks and listening to the teacher. They

would take down notes where necessary.

Basic common teaching approaches

 -teacher exposition [a brief description/explanation of the expectations on the

topic/concept to be dealt with]

 -guided/focused class discussion

 -the lecture method

 -the question and answer technique [also known as the Socratic method]

 -silent/loud reading followed by written work

 -demonstration

 -drills

Basic tenets/principles of essentialism

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 -learning by its nature requires hard work and often unwilling application [ so

encouragement and motivation on the part of the teacher are key attributes]

 -the initiative towards education lies with the teacher , not with the learners * this calls

for innovativeness and resourcefulness on the part of a teacher*

 -the learner’s absorption of the prescribed subject matter is the hard educational process.

*[it means the learners must listen and teacher must present facts truthfully]

 -the schools should employ traditional methods of mental discipline, that is, the teacher

must be the central classroom authority in terms of discipline, motivation and content

mastery. *[ the teacher must maintain a task oriented focus]

Implications for real classroom practice

Teaching methodologies should:

 -help learners use their minds well and profitably

 -teach for mastery of essential skills and competence in the different areas of knowledge

 -ensure that learners are recognised as workers and achievers. * so dependence should not

be solely placed on the teacher.

 -use exposition as introduction to concepts but thereafter the learner should diligently

work towards their own high academic achievement

 -provoke learners to learn how to learn

 -reflect values, be they of trust, decency, tolerance or any other values.

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 -expect much from the learners without threatening them

Conclusion

-the essentialists’ goals are to instil with the essentials of academic knowledge, patriotism,

diligence and character development through traditional [or back-to-basics] approaches.

-the teacher and the content are crucial ingredient in the learning set up and the learners are

expected to apply what they have learnt in the classroom in their adult life.

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Date: 05 May 2016

Lecturer: Mr, D.Moyo

Topic: EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRAGMATISM

 Learners already have knowledge gained from the environment.

 Teachers should build on the pupils’ knowledge not to behave as if they are the only

source of knowledge themselves.

 Theory must be married with practical work

 Consolidate what the home environment teaches – not to divorce school experience from

home experience

 To teach from the known to the unknown – simple to complex.*

RECOMMENDED TEACHING APPROCHES

 Pragmatism encourages those teaching methods that stimulate day-day life experiences.

 It recommends active participation by learners so that they may process their own

experiences and refine them and create their own knowledge.

 E.g. of teaching methods,* project methods – give your pupils a project to carry out

which you can monitor throughout the term.* debates – to listen to the creativity of your

learners * discussions – class discussion , conference .

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ROLE OF THE TEACHER.

 The major role of a teacher is to provide and arrange learning materials and also

moderate the learner when she /`he goes home using his superior experience.

 He is the participant in the learning activity sharing his /her experience with learners and

promoting development of intelligent .

CONCLUSION

 While pragmatism like naturalism emphasises that the child should learn with interest

from him , it differs from naturalism that it recognises the role of the teacher as the

director, guide and moderator of the learners’ education using his superior experience.

Task. To what extent do you find pragmatism applicable to the Zimbabwean secondary

education .

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13-06-2016

Lecturer: Mr .L Moyo

Topic: Modern Theories of Philosophy

Reconstructionism, progressivism and Utilitarianism

 These philosophies of education they have a commonality, the common essence being

child centred and sometimes they focus on the individual capabilities and ability to learn

 They focus in assisting the individual learner to make them the best they could without

comparing them to other learners’ .They are anti-social approach of grouping people as

the same.

 They argue that, human beings are born unique some are slow learners, average and some

are fast learners etc.

 These theories are more in favour of scientific approach in studying teaching and

learning approaches .They are also against teacher dominated pedagogy (teaching and

learning) .

 According to these theories learning is a hands on approach and should be a practical

experience.

Reconstructionism

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 Reconstructionists think society needs re-arranging and they think in society there is lack

of democracy that does not value individual rights their concern is that democracy should

be part of the education or curriculum .

 Democracy should be taught in schools .They value different opinions and they say these

opinions should be accepted as part of a democratic process of learning

 Reconstructionists believe that education’s key role is a means in preparing people for

creating a new social order that include appreciation of different opinions ( diversity,

multi-culturalism , mult-perspective )

 According to Reconstructionists curriculum should focus on students experience and take

social actions on real problems such as violence, hunger, inflation and

inequality .Education should focus on dealing with controvessional issues through

inquiry, dialogue and mult-perspective focus.

 Community based learning should be embedded in the formal curriculum.

Progressivism

 Progressivists argue that education should be based on contemporary issues and these

issues should be taught in practical ways such as, music, arts, fieldtrip.

 They are anti-theoretical approach

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14 -06-2016

Lecturer : Mr D Moyo

Topic : liberalism / liberal education

 It originated in the Greek society during the time of Aristotle

 The liberalism is derived from a Latin word that is “ liber “which means independent and

free. It denotes that which worth of a free man.

Concepts of a free man during the time of Aristotle

 According to Greek tradition there were two types of man a slave and a free man. The

free man was someone with a legal status ,a men who was not overburden by materials

cares .A man who was able to think beyond now and a man who was good at thinking

about abstract issues .

 The English tradition * during the 19th Century ,the concept of a free men changed and it

follows English tradition. A free men was a men who qualified to be called a gentlemen

and these are the qualities of a gentlemen – a man of leisure , a man who would

womenial jobs , a men who had dignity , who commanded the state, A man of peace with

polished speech , A man of high intellectual capability , A men whose reasoning was

not contextually bound.

 Contemporary times * distinctions between a free man and a slave no longer exist

so ,every men is free .A free man has an openness of mind. Men is expected to be free of

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dogmas( beliefs that are not founded) and superstitious. A free men is expected to be

able to interrogate any standing beliefs and give new meanings to old phenomena .

Goals of liberal Education

 To prepare students for life * the learner is expected to understand the world he lives in

 To develop rational thinking

 To produce mature ,good and hopefully wise men

 To produce the ideal of well stopped cultivated mind

 To produce a gracious and well disciplined character .

Objectives

 To provide the students with certain kinds of knowledge which every men is better for

possessing .Giving knowledge which makes a human being different other animals

 To provide a holistic( whole/entire) approach to learning as opposed to narrow

specialised approach.

 Liberalism argues for whole sameness as opposed to oneness

 To help form the mind and personality so that it is possible to be free of gross material

care

 To equip students with the command of their own language

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 To equip students with skills of vigorous thoughts * thinking logically and not giving up

as things became difficult

 To equip students with a grasp of mathematics

Tenets or principles of liberalism

 Men is a rational being * thinking creature ,reasoning entity ,identifying alternatives .

 Human personality should develop freely guided by reasoning rather than limited by

artificial constrains

 Liberal education is a process of freeing or liberating the mind from error

 Education aims ultimately to enable the individual to make free choices rather following

up what is considered to be correct without understanding it

 Knowledge is good for its own sake * you should not aim to get knowledge so that you

can something but get knowledge for the sake of enjoying it .

Curriculum of Education

 Dyden in Ankpelu 1981, asserts that liberal education’s main feature is integration, the

curriculum is therefore a coverage of a wide range of types of knowledge as Dyden

reviewed in Ankinpelu (1981: 98) .” it is our desire and purpose to teach not so much

knowledge of useful things as useful knowledge .”

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 The men who so educated should be free from ignorance .The liberal curriculum

recommends teaching as many subjects as possible all of which should be learnt to a

level that does not allow for specialisation

Justification why the wide curriculum

 The 1st orientation of liberal education is towards men as men not towards men as money

maker

 The aim is to make men sensible men before they become capable workers.

Let’s consider the expected products of liberal education

 .First his body is the ready servant of wheel * whatever it that a person does it is because

you have reasoned that it is the best thing to do*

 A product of liberal education is rational

 Is intellectual curious open minded and free from vindictiveness ,is tolerant ,balanced in

judgement and mature

 Must respect others as much they respect themselves

Implications for a teacher

 Teach all subjects under the sun that constitutes knowledge without be too detailed

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 Children are unique individuals although they are fundamentally equal in terms of human

dignity worth and human rights .

 Children are rational creatures in that they can understand ,think and

reason ,investigate ,think critically and creative .

 Children are free to express their feelings opinions and beliefs therefore tolerate

individual differences as a teacher

 Developing in pupils both deductive and inductive reasoning

Summary

 The curriculum of liberal education is very wide and there is no specialisation

 There is emphasises of tolerance of differences

 The quest for knowledge must not be subordinated to political or any other expediencies

 Knowledge .learning and personal development are good themselves

 The highest purpose of education is to produce good men not god trade men or good

citizens.

Critic of liberalism

 There is no clear belief about the nature and destiny of men ( does not deal with

metaphysics)

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 It sound too much of a Utopia

 Liberal beliefs leads to discouragement of manual labour

 It encourages attitude of social elite

 Elviline ( 1997: 66) says that making all education truly liberal never succeeded even

with the privilege of Greeks and English

Questions

 Is a graduate of liberal education marketable ?

 How far can we stretch the idea that a men should be educated for the sake of knowledge

and not for financial gain?

References

Akinpelu J.A

Barker R E (1986)

Connell W. F, et al (1966)

Elvin L. (1997)

Jeffrieys M (1950)

16-06-2016

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Lecturer: D Moyo

Topic : Education and Indoctrination

Education

 Barrow and Hood ,(1982: 10) says that education implies that , “something worthwhile

is been or has been intentionally transmitted in a morally accepted manner .”

 Gwarinda , (1990: 8) asserts that ,education is a process of liberation .

 Education has also been defined as the passing on of and acquisition of a social body of

knowledge and skills .

 in all aspects of definition of education is has been seen as a desirable element in a

human being

Indoctrination

 Barrow and Hood ( 1982) says indoctrination clearly causes people to hold certain beliefs

 To indoctrinate is to teach someone to fully accept ( dogmatically ) the ideas ,opinions

and beliefs of a particular group and never that there are any other alternatives .

 Atkson ( 1999) says indoctrination is the application and influence in such a way that

other people are denied a reasonable opportunity to make their own minds

 The person who influences others is called an indoctrinator

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 The indoctrinator seeks to in force his /her views on others without giving them an

opportunity to ask question or to raise doubts

 Indoctrination assumes derogatory connotation of totalitarian rule ( authoritarian ) .It is

looked in the wrong way and is thus condemned as an approach to education

What is the nature of indoctrination?

 It is closely related to education but it is a term of condemnation which uses manipulation

to achieve its goals

 A product of indoctrination does not exercise rational thinking since the aims of

indoctrination are to make people accept beliefs in an uncritical way.

 It presents a specific partisan of bias belief or point of view of an argument or any issue

 There are three main aspects of indoctrination :

Method of transmission * According to Akinipelu (1991: 198) the method used in

indoctrination is propaganda or the presentation of one’s side of view in a way that

prevents a leaner from doubting it. The method is authoritarian and it interferes

with rational thinking

The method transmits controversial issues as if they are truths .

During delivery there is no time for questions or critical analysis

Indoctrination demands acceptance and rejection is un-acceptable .

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 The intention

o According to Snook ( 1972 ) there is no indoctrination by accident

o The intention is mainly to impart beliefs in such a way that nothing will shake them

whether the issue is factual or controversial the intention is to make the beliefs sticks .

o The aim of indoctrination is to give the learner what to think

 The Content

There must be a particular content needed for indoctrination usually the content is determined by

the motives of indoctrination

Differences between indoctrination and Education

 Education allows for verification of issues through the use of evidence while

indoctrination suppresses evidence

 Analysis * Education subjects the transmission of facts and belies to scrutiny while

indoctrination closes up any analysis

 Education emphasis rationality while indoctrination uses emotion and persuasion

 Intelligence versus no thought* In education the learner intellectual integrity is fully

respected while in indoctrination the learner is expected to accepts the presented view .

Marxist View
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 Says all education is indoctrinated

 Marxists believes that, because of education schools have been created

15/05/17

Lecturer: MR .D Moyo

Topic: Freedom and Authority

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Freedom/ Autonomy

Qns

a) Too much freedom leads to too little. Discuss.

b) Total freedom is no freedom at all. Do you agree?

 Freedom is of a major philosophical consideration in the enterprise and practice of education. It

entails lack of restrictions / self –determination.

 The basic idea involved in the word freedom is that of; Not being impeded .It implies no

cohesion, no force or restraint, no un -invited interference and no undue expectations to

conformity.

 It implies being left alone to do what one wants to do in the manner which they feel ,they want to

do it .

 It implies independence of mind where one is oneself without anyone imposing any control

measures or restricting laws that may force one to do what pleases other.

The Paradox of Freedom

 Too much freedom leads to too little.

Types of Freedom

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a) Desirable Freedom

 It does not impact negatively on the others because it respects freedom of others . e.g./ Freedom

to watch ,how to worship ,freedom to marry ,freedom of association ,political freedom .

b) Un-desirable Freedom

 Is the freedom that fails to respects the freedom of others. E.G. freedom to steal ,freedom to insult

others ,freedom to rape, freedom to lie. Etc.

The need for Freedom

 It is everywhere regarded as good and worthy having.

 It is needed in any social setup especially in the classroom .Pupils need to express ;

 Themselves without fear

 Their feelings

 Their thoughts

 Their expectations

 Their desires

 Anxiety

 It is only through their expression that they can get assistance

 It creates rappel between the teacher and pupils making them experience mutual

friendship .Pupils gain more confidence in the teacher and open up on any issues of concern.

 It enhances creativity

 It also enhances participation in group work. When pupils are not free ,they don’t want to

talk.

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Hazards of Freedom

 Loss of focus

 Creates un necessary chaos( disorder)

 Etc

Authority

Qns

c) Establish the link between freedom and authority

d) Assess the notion that , a teacher is an authority in authority.

 It is generally agreed that while those people on whom authority is exercised is be little and

denied their freedom ,total absent of authority will result unpredicted chaos in any org or

institutions .

 Implicit in the term authority are concept of power ,leadership ,restrictions ,

control ,rules ,regulations .law and order among other things

 It is usually used as a social control mechanism

 It is essential in limiting excessive and irresponsible freedom

 It is inseparable from rules and regulations as it regulates the behaviour of people towards what is

assumed to be socially acceptable .

Examples of figures of Authority are;

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 Teachers

 Priests

 Police officers

 Doctors etc

 The roles of these figures of authority in society is to enforce rules

 Authority is supported by power , where power is a means of making other people obey ones will.

Authority and the teacher

 The teacher has authority in the number of senses’

 First he needs to know about the material and psychological consideration which are best suited

to education progress

 A teacher is a specialist and a master of his or her subject(s).He knows not only the skills but also

how to impact those skills to learners and is able to identify weaknesses in the learners so that he

can help them

 The teacher is there to maintain discipline and order

17/05/2017

Lecturer: D Moyo

Topic: Spheres of Authority

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Spheres of Authority

 For a teacher authority operates on two spheres;

The sphere of knowledge

This is where one is unquestionably or is master in a particular subject he /she teaches

Knowledge of one’s subject is at the finger tips where those who want to learn look up to

him or her and consult when they face problems.

A knowledgeable teacher is therefore an authority as pupils trust his knowledge and

abilities.

To the pupils he is an undisputable source of knowledge.

The Sphere of Social Control

Here authority is used to enforce rules in order to get pupils to behave in a particular manner and

it shows the degree to which the controlled people obey the one in authority

Authority is both in position and in person occupying the position.

In this sphere the teacher controls the class to maintain discipline ,making sure they behave

accordingly .in this case then the teacher is in authority

There are two different ways of looking at the types of authority under the sphere of control;

o Authority de jure- this is authority vested in the office which the figure holds /person. It

is authority that goes with ones position within the society or an org. All people in

positions have authority by virtue of appointment into those office positions. It does not

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matter what all other people think about the person .They are all given the right to be

obeyed in their sphere

o Authority de facto – this is authority in practice . It is simply to get one’s orders done

and obeyed .It involves the actual instruction and supervision . It entails getting

obedience without the use of force. It is important for a teacher to allow learners to be in

free learning environment so that they will be efficient but their freedom should be

guided by authority so that their freedom will be rational

Discipline and Punishment

Discipline

o Are formal org are concerned with the behaviour of their members . As a result ,such org has sets

of rules and regulations that attempt to achieve some kind of uniformity in the behaviour of their

manners .

o Generally conformity to such expected contact is interpreted as discipline while indiscipline is

any behaviour that is at variance with those set standards of behaviour

Definition of Discipline

o According to Moore (1992),the term discipline conveys the notion of submission to rules of some

kind of order( looks at behaviour)

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o According to Rorse (1966) , discipline is the means by which children are claimed in

orderliness ,good contact and the habit of getting the best out of themselves

o It ought always to refer to the effects of schools to the pupil’s characters

o It is not concerned with merely outward behaviour but with the inner motives of contact ( it looks

at what derives the behaviour

o Mouly ,1972 ,argues that the term may be tooled in a number of ways which are;

a) autocratic discipline associated with punishment

b) Democratic discipline which is in the form of orderliness through the form of self

submission

THE NEED FOR DISCIPLINE AT SCHOOL

o It creates social harmony

o When pupils are disciplined they observe general cleanliness and smartness .

o Disciplined learners are self motivated to study

o It increases pupils’ freedom and reduces their fear

o It makes pupils respect both rules and other people and so naturally it makes pupils conform to

rules and regulations

o Disciplined pupils genera.lly do well in their study as a result of their self motivation

HOW CAN DISCIPLINE BE ACHIVIED

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o Set rules

o Let the learners understand the reasons for which each rule was set. Explain why set rules are set

o Involve learners in the decision of setting rules and regulations

o Give the learners some kind of autonomy by delegating some duties so that learners to exercise

some authority

o Keep the learners mean fully occupied

o Try your best to be friendly with them and avoid to be angry with them

o Show that you trust them so that they will be free with you

Punishment

o There are different philosophical arguments regarding to whether learners should punished or not

o It will be important for the teacher therefore before punishing or not punishing the learner to;

consider the different arguments that have been put forward by different philosophers

Definition

o Moore ,(1982;84) , says “when force is used formally by those in authority it is used

called punishment .”

o The root notion of punishment is that it requires intentional inflection of pain to the

offender .

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o It seems are simple principle that punishment should be something unpleasant on the

part of the one who is accused of having committed a bridge of rule

o There are three basic conditions that are needed in order for an painful act to be

considered as punishment ;

I. The infliction of pain must be intentional and not accidental

II. The punisher must have the authority to do so

III. The one who is being punished must be dammed for bridging the rule

SHOULD LEARNERS TO BE PUNISHED?

There are number of philosophical position from which question can be answered

o An autocratic View – an eye for an eye . It is in line with idealist and imperialists. It beliefs in

the doctrine of original sin and philosophy of suppressing its behaviour ‘It beliefs therefore, that

learners must be punished if they break rules or if they don’t conform to expected behaviour . The

role of punishment is to eliminate chances of repeating its behaviour and bring the learner back to

respect rules . Co-oporal punishment is an integral instrument

o Democratic view- it is line with the progressivism . It believes in innate goodness of the child .

Children must learn in a free and happy environment and should not always expected to conform,

They should be allowed free expression . learning should be without tears . Punishment should

come as natural consequence of their fault.

-Dewey argues that , teachers should aim at achieving the best of their learners so that issues of

punishment do not arise .Where there is need ,learners should be guided through counselling .If

punishment is going to achieve so\ be useful purpose let it be use .

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 -Despite the possible agreements for non-punishment by democrats , in practice teachers will

occasionally punish the children as a need of helping learners towards self discipline but since

punishment is essentially negative it must be generally accompanied by constructive guidance on

what to do and not to.

Mutumba W,2006, T M ,1959 ,

Moore ,T,W ,1982

Morely ,J ,G ,1992,

Rose ,J,S

Streaming and mixed ability grouping

Equity and justice

05 June 2017

Lecturer : Mr D Moyo

Topic : The History of Education in Zimbabwe

Pre-colonial or traditional education

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 It refers to community and communal education before the colonisation of Zimbabwe in 1890

 It is also referred to indigenous education

 It was both formal and informal

 It was lifelong( from birth to death)_

 It involve the acquisition and transmission of culture passing on of behaviour

patterns ,beliefs ,practices and norms and values .

 It was so well structured that it provided members with sense of direction and purpose

Philosophical Thought during this time( characteristic of traditional education)

 Conservative – knowledge was not supposed to be changing from generation to another.

This knowledge was not open to criticism , communities have an obligation to maintain

certain values derived from their past

 Holistic – the person was to be developed in all human aspect that is

physically ,mentally ,spiritually and socially . It upheld the belief in the interrelationship

and interdependence of all things or all aspects of life. Holistic education is that

education which develops the whole person by addressing this physical ,mental and

socially needs . It looks at a person not only as an individual but more importantly as a

member of a group or society, Thus to this effect Mbiti ,( 1975) ,says “ I am because we

are and since we are therefore i am.” This means am here in the society because of the

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society or am what i am as a result of what the society has done for me . Society is more

important than individual

 A person becomes the member of a community through the process acceptance as a result

of socialisation

 Holistic education was aimed at instilling in the individual a decent code of behaviour

which had consideration of one’s’ fellow men ( unhu or ubuntu)which refers to the the

quality of being upright or humble

Communalistic

 Life was conducted communally

 Decisions were communal ,everybody was expressing oneself freely and was listened to

Humanistic

 It upheld respect for human life and humanity in general

 Everybody was seen as an equal deserving equal respect although there were some obvious

social differences

 Importance was attached to good manners ,self awareness ,self control( emotions) and respect

for family and communities

African Education System

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 Education in an African philosophy means a transmission of community culture from generation

to generation

 It was a way of ensuring continuity and experience gained through successive generations

 It was seen as a process of developing a capacity of men to able him to know the truth

THE AIMS OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

 To pass on to the young the accumulated knowledge ,skills ,modes of behaviour and values of the

group

 To develop in the young good social attitudes

 To fit then very young into the society

 To teach the young to love and respect others

 To ensure a smooth and easy transition into adulthood and to produce socially modelled

 To produce honest, respectful ,skilled and knowledgeable adults who are vest in the custom of the

group

 To ensure social responsibility

Methodology of African Education

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 Observation and active participation

 Role play’

 Guided discovery

 Rot learning

 Discussions

 Story telling

 Emulation of adult behaviour

 Poetry

 Physical exercising eg. Tree climbing

 Apprenticeship

The Content ( matter)

 This leads us to African epistemology

 It is closely linked to methodology ; content was related to life in the whole and the community

 It was built around a story so the content of the story become the content of the lesson

 It was derived from the vocational oriented skills being passed on to the children

 The content helped the children to understand ,adjust and share the common culture and life

 It provided the learners with what was directly relevant to light; it directly help learners solve

problems

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 The teachers were parents ,grandparents and siblings

Formation initiation skill schools

 The initiation ceremony were held once a year

 Focussed on traditional , social behaviour ,sexual behaviour ,domestic issues and

physical exercises meant to harden the individual

 The whole exercise would cumulate into circumcision and passing out ceremony

 Stories of heroes and heroines would dominate the lesson do that children would aspire

to be like those heroes and heroines

 There were also stories related to supernatural powers so that children would be aware of

religious conations

 Songs and dances were made to support the spoken word

THE strengths of African Education

 Rote learning was minimum

 It produced wholesome individuals

Weaknesses

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 Paying more attention to the group neglecting the individual

 It allows contact with the outside world since it was conservative

 No tolerance

 No attempt at explanation and interpretation only acceptance and assimilation of

information

 The role of the teacher was to indoctrinate

Conclusion

 Though some weaknesses are noted traditional education was true education whose main aim was

to conservative the cultural in heritage of learning and the clan and tribe

 It allows children adapt to their physical and social environment

 This education system sustained the African society long before the Europeans brought their

views o education

09 June 2017

Lecturer : Mr D Moyo

Topic : The Keigwin Experiments and Jeanes’ Schools

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 All issues of interests pertaining to the Africans were dealt with under the department of native

affairs

 Up to 1917 the entire budget of the Africans was bunched purse

 In 1918 there was an establishment of the department of native development

 The reasons was to separate issues of African development from other issues that was not

necessarily on development

 The first Director of the department of native development was Harold Keigwin

 In 1921 ,Keigwin concluded that there was need for a new strategy for African Education which

would seek to encourage the development of a small number of highly efficient mission centres

 Institutions in existence then included ,Mount St and St Augustine ,Penhalonga

 The idea was to give assistance to those institutions and develop a curriculum especially suited

for the Africans

 These institutions were supposed to experiment with teaching methods suited to then life styles

of the Africans and serve as central agencies for the training of teachers of the African children

 He was convinced that a higher standard of living was possible for the African and that to achieve

it there was a need for the government to intervene in the work of then missionaries in the

provision of education;

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o The African was supposed to be taught to enhance his standard of living in an African

style

o According to Keigwin the missionaries were giving the Africans too academic education

which was inconsistent with their way of life;

o Instead they were supposed to be given an industrial oriented kind of education

o The kind of education that was being offered to the Africans was giving them a false

hope and expectations of things they will never achieve

o According to Keigwin as recorded by Zvobgo ,(1986;17),

if we do not intend to admit blacks , be it now or by degrees to

encroach on social inequality ,let us not put false ideas into their

heads nor encourage them to foster hope of equality.

o He put in place a policy on African education which he said should take the African out of what

he called , “ the called intellectual atmosphere of the classroom.”

o Into what he called “ an outdoor training in industrial trades such as building ,carpentry and

farming.”

Keigwin Justifications

o He argued that this type of education was more relevant to the lives of the Africans

o He then ensured that the government established two industrial institutions for the African ;

 Domboshava (1921) and Tsholotsho( 1922)

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o Education was used here as a tool to perpetuate white dominance over blacks in spheres of

politics, economic and any other social services.

o Since then government ensured that financial assistance to the education of the blacks saw

successful reductions while that of the white was lavishly funded

o African education was still funded by denominational missionaries

o The weakest and most numerous of the African schools structures were the kraal schools- owned

by the communities –with no resources

Jeanes’ Schools

o A wealth philanthropist by the name Anna T.

o Jeanes established a fund that will be used in training teachers who would be deployed to

kraal schools ( Philanthropist - someone who makes charitable donations intended to

enhance the welfare of humanity )

o Men were trained at Domboshava while women were trained at hope fountain

The curriculum in the Jeanes’ Schools

o Emphasis was placed on what the colonial government termed essentials of education ;

 Health

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 Family life

 Use of the environment ( both human and material)

 Recreation

 Religion

The Daily Programme

 Began at 6:30hrs with physical exercises and prayer

 From 7 00hrs – 08:30 hrs it was time for literally instruction( theory) . This wa repeated in the

evening

 The rest of the day was set aside for manual and technical operations ( punctuated by spells of

football and other sports)

A brief Look at the Manual and Technical Operations

 In building ,pupils were involved in constructing pole and dagga huts because

those were structures that were close to the experience of the learners

 Both building and elementary carpentry were taught from an essentially

functional aspect .For instance , for sawing , pupils were asked to identify their

own tree ,feel it and saw it

 They would be taught how to construct a good roof and thatch

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Hillside Teachers’ College
CHIGOGO PLAXEDES PA/2016/017
Philosophy Lecture Notes 2016-2017

Conclusion

 The efforts by both Keigwin and Jeanes could have been borne out of genuine concern

for the betterment of African life style ,as Keigwin believed that production was central

to the African Style than literacy.

 Jeanes, on the other hand , realised the importance of quench the thirsty to academic

education by Africans

 The subsequent implementers of these ideas ,however, may not have had same spirit that

originators of ideas had.

 They therefore , emphasis more the racial unsuitableness of African to receive academic

or literally instruction.

References

 Moyana ,1989

 Zvobgo ,1986

How useful would have Keigwin ideas in present day Zimbabwe

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