What is the purpose of education? What are your pedagogical beliefs?

What is the purpose of education?

            It is strongly suggested, “education corrects and transforms our self-understanding” (Wiercinski, 2012, p.114). It allows us to develop and accumulate our personal skills, knowledge, and self- discipline. “ Since human beings are not isolated individuals we realise that fulfilling the call to live a good life lies in the quality of our relationships. Education is therefore connected with the way we live with the other in the world that we share” (Wiercinski, 2012, p.114). Similarly Nelson Mandela (2003) once argued that education is the most influential proficiency to change the world and well as have effect on future living (Mandela, 2003). Education cannot be manufactured nor measured (Wiercinski, 2012, p.114).

             Nonetheless, the purpose of education can also be perceived as a social transformation, which links to Vygotsky’s theory of social development and the alignment with “democratic ideals” (Vadeboncoeur, 1997, p. 15). His theory displays that learning is more of a “necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organised, specifically human psychological function” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 90). Unlike Piaget’s belief that children’s development must lead their learning (McLeod, 2014). This view of education is mainly based on the theory of human development “which locates the individual within a cultural setting and identifies the subject of study as the dialectical relationship between the two” (Vadeboncoeur, 1997, p. 15).

            With regards to Government policy, schools minister Nick Gibb gave a speech and addressed the Education Reform Summit on his view on the purpose of education. He evidently claimed that education and learning allows the economy to run, as it is “the foundation of our culture and it’s an essential preparation for adult life” (Government, 2015). Gibb’s view clearly exhibits a vocational approach to education; as he wants to ensure that this learning could assist children as well as, young people to receive the right preparation “they need to secure a good job and fulfilling career” (Government, 2015).

            Lastly, education and learning should always be and remain relevant. When teaching children, educators mark a great emphasis on teaching “logical reasoning skills” and “factual knowledge”, which are seen as the main indicators of “educational success” (Yang and Damasio, 2007, p.9). Unfortunately, There are two problems to this attitude:

1.    Throughout our learning years we will be challenged to use our skills and knowledge, nonetheless it is significant that our education involves us not only physically but also emotionally. 

2.    Teachers are minimizing the emotional factors of their academic curriculum that inheritably will not prepare them for real-world situations, as educators are primarily focusing on these sorts of knowledge (Yang and Damasio, 2007, p.9).

Education should simply been seen as a production, which contributions (such a student teachers and textbooks) are combined to produce desired achievements (such as students learning)  (Tsang, 2003, p.168).

What are your pedagogical beliefs?

          To our understanding, pedagogy is primarily defined as the study of methods and practices of teaching (Cambridge Dictionary, 2017). Saying this, there are many discussions regarding pedagogy simply been seen as schooling. Smith (2012) suggests that an efficient way of exploring pedagogy “is as the process of accompanying learners; caring for and about them; and bringing learning into life”, displaying that educators cannot be pushed or ‘banked’ (Freire, 1972) into teaching knowledge that has been “drawn up by others” (Smith, 2012), but to be able to grasp education and learning as a process of living (Dewey, 1963) and to be able to make teaching worthwhile.

          Similarly, as Pestalozzi once acknowledged, “education is rooted in human nature; it is a matter of head, hand and heart” (Brühlmeier, 2010), appreciating that education will continuously be within us, therefore being a grand statement I thoroughly agree with.

          Finally, in an article by Tait Cole written for ‘The Guardian’, Cole strongly argues that teachers should embrace the means of pedagogy and heighten students to be able to “demand equality for themselves and others” (Coles, 2014). He continues by saying, that teaching a prescribed “core knowledge” will not help the growth and development of children as they are given “carefully selected knowledge” to learn from. Educators are not fully encouraging their students to think critically about their surroundings and everyday living. They are not being driven nor challenged (Coles, 2014). I agree with this statement, as it shows that students need to be able to express themselves and that no system can define them and their individual learning capabilities (Coles, 2014).

        In conclusion, the purpose of education is tremendously essential and should not be shadowed by other factors getting in the way of educations purest reason to fundamentally educate children and young people. It is something that is within an individual’s life as they grow up, showing this significance.

Reference List:

Brühlmeier, A. (2010). Head, Heart and Hand. Education in the spirit of Pestalozzi. Cambridge: Sophia Books.

Cambridge Dictionary (2017) ‘Pedagogy’. Available at: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pedagogy (Accessed on: 5 October 2017)

Coles, T. (2014) Critical Pedagogy: schools must equip students to challenge the status quo. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/feb/25/critical-pedagogy-schools-students-challenge (Accessed: 8 October 2017).

Dewey, J. (1963). Experience and Education, New York: Collier Books. [First published in 1938].

Freire, P. (1972). ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Government (2015) The purpose of education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-purpose-of-education (Accessed: 4 October 2017).

Mandela, N. R. (2003) 'Lighting you way to a better future: Speech delivered by Mr N R Mandela at the launch of Mindset Network'.

McLeod, S. (2014) Lev Vygotsky: Simply Psychology. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html (Accessed: 3 October 2017).

Smith, M. K. (2012). ‘What is Pedagogy?’, the encyclopaedia of informal education. Available at: http://infed.org/mobi/what-is-pedagogy/ (Accessed on: 5 October 2017).

Tsang, M. (2003) “Economic Analysis of Educational Development in Developing Nations” in Guthrie, J. W. (2003). Encyclopedia of education. New York: Macmillan ref. USA.

Vadeboncoeur, J. A. (1997) 'Child Development and the Purpose of Education: A Historical Context of Constructivism in Teaching Education', in Richardson, V. (ed.) Constructivist Teacher Education: Building a World of new Understandings. 1 Gunpowder Square London, EC4A 3DE: The Falmer Press, p.15.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes.

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Wiercinski, A. (2011). Hermeneutic education to understanding: Self – education and the willingness to risk failure. In Fairfield, P. (2011) Education, Dialogue and Hermeneutics, London and New York: Continuum, 107 – 123.

Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, brain, and education, 1(1), 3-10.