PHILOSOPHICAL

FOUNDATIONS OF
EDUCATION
by
Kristina E. Soroten
MAED- Educational Management
 WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

• Etymologically, philosophy means the love of

wisdom.
• Greek words, “philo” meaning love and “sophi”
meaning wisdom
“Philosophy is the science which investigates the nature
of being, as it is in itself.” – Aristotle

“Philosophy may be defined as the attempt to think truly

about human experience as a whole and to make our
whole experience intelligible.” – Brightman

“Critical reviewing of the familiar things.” – John Dewey

 BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

Metaphysics Epistemology Axiology

– study of questions -the study of the -The study of question
concerning the nature nature of knowledge of value
of reality or existence and how these are
Q: What is reality? attained and
What is the meaning evaluated
of life? Q: What is the truth?
 AXIOLOGY

ETHICS SOCIAL/POLITICAL AESTHETIC

– study of moral -the study of value -The study of nature
principles, attempts judgments operative and value of works of
to establish rational in civil society art and the aesthetic
grounds for good Q: What form of experience
conduct government is the Q: What is beauty?
Q: What is good/bad? best?
Without a distinctive philosophy of reality, truth,
and value, a person or group cannot make
intelligent decisions either for their individual
lives.

Philosophy provides the foundation for

educational theories.
 WHAT IS EDUCATION?

• Latin word “educare” meaning to educate and

“educere” to lead out.
• Education is a process of leading someone out
of ignorance through teaching.
• Education means to develop the inborn qualities of a
child to the full.

• Education must based on social values

• Must deal with the nature and dignity of man, the

nature of knowledge and truth and the source of
knowledge
Philosophy of education is a practical
process of inquiry on the existing
educational objectives and practices in
order to validate its effectiveness and
efficiency to the learners.
THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
OF PHILOSOPHIES
 IDEALISM

• Greek word “idein” meaning “to see”

• The notion that reality of everything lies in ideas,
thought, and mind not in material thing.
• Highest aim is the search for truth and values that
will stand the test of time
• Truth and values are seen as absolute, timeless, and
universal
 IDEALISM IN EDUCATION

• Has a high regard for individuality and freedom

• Education must provide for the development of the mind of
every learner
• SUBJECT-CENTERED curriculum to provide the very best
ideas of human culture
• The contents of the curriculum is from simple to complex,
concrete to the more abstract aspects of subjects
(Thorndike’s Law of Gradual Reaction Change)
• Curriculum is hierarchical. Concept and abstract subjects
are the top subjects. (Philosophy, theology)
• Promotes abstract thinking (Mathematics is considered
important because it cultivates the power to deal with
abstract thinking)
• Language subject is important
• Vocational skills
• Teacher is expected to be an excellent and all around
person
Education must emphasize
• intellectual activities
• Moral judgment
• Aesthetic appreciation
• Self-realization
• Individual freedom
• Individual responsibility
• Self-discipline or control
 IDEALIST
• Plato (427-347 BC)
• Saint Augustine (354-430)
• Rene Descartes – (1596-1650) modern Idealist
• Benedict De Spinoza (1632-1677)
• Gottried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716)
• George Berkeley (1685-1753)
• Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
• George Hegel (1770-1831)
 REALISM
• Latin word ‘res’ meaning thing
• It is an attempt to portray life as it is
• According to the philosophy, knowledge is derived through
sense experience
• Truth is discovered by man, emanate from both science and art
• People can come to know the world through their senses and
reason
• Believed in Natural Law
 REALISM IN EDUCATION

• The purpose of education is to provide man with the

essential knowledge he needs to survive in nature
• Emphasis on self-experience and research, experimental
method
• Believes in individual and social development
-(Piaget’s moral stages and Kohlbereg’s moral development)
• Subjects should be arranged from simple to the more
complex –logically
• The nature of learner must be taken into consideration, such
as ability, interest, and needs – psychologically
• Teacher’s role is supreme for he brings the child in touch
with the external realities of life.
 REALIST PHILOSOPHERS

• Aristotle • Bacon
• Comenius • Locke
• Pestalozzi
• Herbart
• Montessori
• Hobbes
 ESSENTIALISM
• Formulated by William C. Bagley
• Common core of information and skills needed
• Knowledge: Essential skills, master of concepts, and
principles
• Role of teacher: Authority in the field
• Teaching method: explicit teaching of traditional values
Tough discipline.
 ESSENTIALISM IN EDUCATION
• Essential skills –Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Right Conduct
• Essential subjects: Natural Sciences, history, math, foreign
language, Literature
• Affected by the demand of the public to raise the academic
standards and to improve students’ work and minds
• Purpose if the curriculum: To help the learners acquire basic
skill set, intelligence and morals for them to become model
citizens.
• Teaching strategies and approaches: Teachers on this school
focuses on the mastery of subject matter and basic skills
through the use of prescribed textbooks, drill method and
the lecture method.
• Subjects that have contents are emphasized rather than
process
• Back-to-basic curriculum
• Excellence in education
• Cultural literacy
• Teachers are seen as fountain of information and Paragon of
virtue
 PRAGMATISM

• Derives its origin from a Greek word ‘pragma’ meaning to

do, to make, to accomplish – so the use of the words like
‘action’ or ‘practice’ or ‘activity’
• Great importance is laid upon practicability and utility
• Beliefs and ideas are true if they are workable and profitable
otherwise false.
 PRAGMATISM IN EDUCATION
• Education is based on psychology and science
• It emphasizes experimental and practice.
• It opposes book learning
• Only sociability is emphasized
• It is progressive, dynamic and changeable ideology
• The learner must be the center of educative process
• The aim of education is the development of the total
child through experiencing or through the use of the
theory of self-activity
• The school curriculum must select and organized in
terms of activities and projects which are relevant to
the needs, abilities, and interests of the learner
• Teacher’s role is that of a friend, philosopher and guide
• Main subjects are health, hygiene and science, physical culture,
history, geography, math, home science, science and agriculture
• Emphasized the principles of purposive processes of learning,
learning by doing and by experience, and correlation and
integration
• Project method (Kilpatrick) a method which is widely accepted
and used in the field of education
 PRAGMATIST

• Charles Pearce
• William James
• Schiller
• John Dewey
• Kilpatrick
 PROGRESSIVISM
• Philosophical base: Pragmatism
• accept the impermanence of life and inevitability of
change
• For John Dewey, education should not be the teaching
of mere dead fact, but that the skills and knowledge
which students learn be integrated fully into their
lives as persons, citizens, and human beings.
 PROGRESSIVISM IN EDUCATION

Advocates “learning by doing” and the incorporation

of the student’s past experiences into the classroom.
Aim of education – promote democratic and social
living
Role of education – knowledge leads to growth and
development of lifelong learners who actively learn
by doing
• Learner-centered curriculum
• Learning by doing and experiencing – learning is an
active process
• Teaching is good when it utilizes the principle of self-
activity
• Subjects to be taught focuses on skills in gathering
and evaluating information, problem solving skills,
natural and social sciences
• Analysis and synthesis are utilized to stimulate thinking and
reasoning
• Emphasis is in group planning, discussion, and self-
expressions, creativeness and responsibility. Evaluation is
based on flexible standards or the grading must be based on
the normal-probability-curve
• Guidance is made integral part of teaching and learning
Teaching strategies and approaches:
Teachers use experimental methods in teaching that
encourage the learners to gain knowledge from
actual experience. Teachers in this school of
educational philosophy also use the “hands-on-
minds-on-hearts-on” teaching methodology to let
the students interact with nature and society.
 EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF JOHN
DEWEY

• Education is life
• education as growth
• education is a social process,
• and education is the construction of human
experience.
 METHODS OF TEACHING

Learning by doing
Collective Approach
Integrated Approach
Individual Approach
Purposive process of learning
 THE INFLUENCE OF PHILOSOPHY TO
CURRICULUM

• Educators, curriculum makers and teachers must have

espoused a philosophy or philosophies that are deemed
necessary for planning, implementing, and evaluating a
school curriculum. The philosophy that they have embraced
will help them define the purpose of the school, the
important subjects to be taught, the kind of learning students
must have and how they can acquire them, the instructional
materials, methods and strategies to be used, and how
students will be evaluated.
• Likewise, philosophy offers solutions to problems by helping
the administrators, curriculum planners, and teachers make
sound decisions. A person’s philosophy reflects his/her life
experiences, social and economic background, common
beliefs, and education.

• When John Dewey proposed that “education is a way of life”,

his philosophy is realized when put into practice. Now,
particularly in the Philippines, Dewey’s philosophy served as
anchor to the country’s educational system
•REFERENCES:
• Bauzon, Prisciliano T. Fundamental philosophies of education (second edition).
Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore.2005
• Gregorio, Herman C. and Gregorio, Cornelia M. Philosophy of education in Philippine
setting. Quezon City: Garotech Publishing.1979
• Recto, Angel S. Foundations of education Volume II. Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc. 2005
• Tulio, Doris D. Foundations of education II. Mandaluyong City: National Bookstore.1999
• https://simplyeducate.me/2015/01/09/4-major-foundations-of-curriculum-and-their-
importance-in-education/ 2:13
• https://www.cmasas.org/philosophical-basis-teaching-and-learning-model-0 1:58
• https//www.scribd.com/document/337130608/7-Philosophies-of-Education