1. Multi-disciplinary Approach
to the study of Education
Purposes of Education: Philosophical,
Historical, Sociological, Psychological
Philosophical:
 Naturalist (Rousseau’s) view that
humans can, through the development
of society, rise above their natural
state

2. Philosophical…
 Idealism
 Realism
 Pragmatism
 Existentialism

3. Philosophical…
 The questions philosophers ask
concern the nature and purposes of
education: what makes an educated
person, how knowledge is organized
and what should be learned. They are
primarily interested in beliefs, morals,
and values which permeate education.
(Steve & Burton, 2012)

4. Philosophical..
 Educational philosophies:
– Perennialism
– Essentialism
– Progressivism
– Reconstructionism/Critical theory

5. Psychological
Perspective
 How people learn and develop
 Our maturation, intelligence,
personality and motivation, and
learning process
 Relation between nature and nurture
 Individual development and
achievement

6. Psychological…
 Information processing
 Behaviorism
 Cognitivism/constructivism
 Humanism

7. Psychological perspective
and education
 Examines: pedagogy with
psychological perspectives
 Psychological pedagogy reveals the
links among psychological,
sociological, and philosophical
influence

8. Historical
 Causal explanations of political and
social timelines of educational
development
 Helpful for strategic vision

9. Sociological/sociology
of education
 Functionalist view of edu. To prepare citizen
for society. (Karl Marx: reinforcement of
class differentials)
 Durkheim (1947) & Parsons (1964):
 Society as a system (structure)
 Structure is fundamental human need
 Conservative ideology

10. Sociological…
 Functions of education:
 Development of basic academic skills
– Socialization
– Social control and maintaining social
order
– Preparing for work
CONFLICT THEORY:
1.Social functions cannot be benefit to all
System cannot serve all
1.Conflict theorists/Marxist see education
as reinforcing a class system

11. Socio …
 Critical importance of role taking and
interpretatyion
 Freedom and ability of the individual to
decide
 Antony Giddens (1985 & 2009):
Language provides Giddens with a
model for “duality of structure”.

12. Conflict …
 Antonio Gramci: Hegemonic role of
ruling (dominant) class
 Social change/revolutionary can be
located in existing institutions.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM:
 Interpretation of symbols
 Actions of members of society
 Weber (1958, 1963): development of
Weber thinking
 George Herbert Mead (1934) as founder
of Symbolic Interactionism

13. Conflict …
 Critical importance of role taking and
interpretatyion
 Freedom and ability of the individual to
decide
 Antony Giddens (1985 & 2009):
Language provides Giddens with a
model for “duality of structure”.

14. Post-structuralist & post-
modernist perspective
 Challenge to dominant discourses and
practices
 Culture, language and identity are key
features of the inequality and operate
through education
 Rethinking the school as an institution
 Discourse on theory of knowledge and
power (Derrida, 1987 & Foucault, 1977)
 Post-structuralism: critical to education
system and traditions.

15. Outcome of Foundational
Analysis
 Life long learning
 Early childhood education
 Post- compulsory education
 Citizenship education
 There remain a Deep conflict in ideas
about knowledge, curriculum and
school
CONCLUSION: Areas are
overlapping