This blog claims that educators benefit from intellectual stimulation and reasoned debate. Sadly many in educational management would eschew the sentiments of the first sentence and favour on-going teacher formation based on the development of practical skills and what is sometimes called ‘professional knowledge’.
Such a division between so-called ‘professional knowledge’ and broader learning is bridged in the study of the history and philosophy of education. A recently published book, ‘Understanding Teaching and Learning: Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill’ edited by Brian Mooney and Mark Nowacki, is an example of the type of book which should be available in schools and used in university courses in education. This book offers samples of the writing on education of each of the four thinkers mentioned in the title and accompanied by dedicated commentaries. The Introduction offers a helpful and stimulating exploration of some key issues in teaching and learning.
This type of book reminds us that the study of ‘education’ cannot be reduced to social-science inspired measurements of data and exploration of professional practice. While the analysis and interpretation of these issues remain part of the fabric of the study of education, the core issues in education are philosophical. Two of these issues are: what is the purpose of education and in what way are the processes of education rooted in particular worldviews. Until we get to grips with these crucial matters, modern education will continue to spin many plates and call it curricular reform.
