Philosophy of Learning

Hampir dalam setiap bidang, setidaknya para menteri negara berusaha semaksimal mungkin mengambil kebijakan yang dapat mengamankan ‘masyarakat dan negara’. Beberapa aktivitas atau kegiatan yang tidak begitu penting digantikan dan dilakukan secara daring. Contohnya, dalam bidang pendidikan, proses pembelajaran cukup dilakukan menggunakan dengan memanfaatkan internet. Tidak ada lagi proses belajar-mengajar konvensional, duduk di ruang kelas sambil mendengarkan dosen/guru menjelaskan. Kini pelajar/mahasiswa/guru/dosen dapat duduk atau tiduran dirumah sambil melakukan proses transfer knowledge. Namun, kenyataan tidak berjalan seperti apa yang diperkirakan. Proses belajar-mengajar tidak (...) semudah itu diubah di Indonesia. Hal ini menyangkut dengan aspek-aspek lain yang ada dan sangat bersifat sistematik. Oleh karena itu, perubahan dalam pendidikan tidak bisa dilakukan dengan hanya merubah pendidikan itu sendiri. (shrink)

"In this week’s post, Srajana Kaikini contemplates the possibilities of an evolving education system." - Blog Editor.

La pedagogía es un tema crucial en el pensamiento de Rancière y juega un rol principal en su obra El maestro ignorante, texto que el presente escrito analiza y cuestiona. Su propuesta emancipadora establece como punto de partida una igualdad de inteligencias que en este escrito hemos denominado «isonousía», y según nuestra hipótesis, esta igualdad lleva aparejada una desigualdad de las voluntades (anisothelema). En consecuencia, la propuesta de Rancière no altera en absoluto “el orden explicador” que denuncia, pues el maestro (...) emancipador ya no tiene que corregir la ignorancia, pero sí la pereza; no ha de impartir un conocimiento superior, pero sí imponer una voluntad superior. (shrink)

This book addresses essential educational dimensions of the university that are often overlooked, not only by prevailing discourses and practices but also by standard critical approaches to higher education. Each chapter takes a different approach to the articulation of a ‘post-critical’ view of the university, and focuses on a specific dimension, including lectures, academic freedom, and the student experience. The ‘post-critical’ attitude offers an affirmative approach to the constitutive educational practices of the university. It is ‘post-’ because it is a (...) movement in thought that comes after the critical, which, in its modern and postmodern forms is considered, in Latour’s terms, to have ‘run out of steam’. It is an attempt to articulate new conceptual and methodological tools that help us grasp our current conditions. It is not anti-critique; but rather than seeking to debunk current practices, this affirmative approach offers perspectives that shed new light on what we do as educators, on the essence of our educational practices, and on their immanent value. The focus on the educational, then, applies not only to practices that happen to take place in the educational space of the university, but also to those practices whose value we can understand in educational terms. (shrink)

The practice of taking hand-written notes in lectures has been rediscovered recently because of several studies on its learning efficacy in the mainstream media. Students are enjoined to ditch their laptops and return to pen and paper. Such arguments presuppose that notes are taken in order to be revisited after the lecture. Learning is seen to happen only after the event. We argue instead that student’s note-taking is an educational practice worthy in itself as a way to relate to the (...) live event of the lecture. We adopt a phenomenological approach inspired by Vilém Flusser’s phenomenology of gestures, which assumes that a gesture like note-taking is always an event of thinking with media in which a certain freedom is expressed. But Flusser’s description of note-taking focusses on the individual note-taker. What about students’ note-taking in a lecture hall as a collective gesture? Nietzsche considered note-taking ‘mechanical,’ as if students were automatons who mindlessly transcribed a verbal flow, while Benjamin considered it an inaesthetic gesture: at best, boring; at worst, ‘painful to watch.’ In contrast, we argue that the educational potentiality of note-taking—or better, note-making—can be grasped only if we account for its mediaticity (as writing that displaces the voice), together with but distinct from its political potentiality as a collective mediality (as a ‘means without end’). Note-taking enables us to see how collective thinking emerges in the lecture, a kind of thinking that belongs neither to the lecturer nor the student, but emerges in the relation of attention established between the lecturer, students and their object of thought. (shrink)

The goal of this chapter is to provide an interpretation of experiential learning that fully detaches itself from the epistemological presuppositions of empiricist and intellectualist accounts of learning. I first introduce the concept of schema as understood by Kant and I explain how it is related to the problems implied by the empiricist and intellectualist frameworks. I then interpret David Kolb’s theory of learning that is based on the concept of learning cycle and represents an attempt to overcome the corresponding (...) drawbacks of these frameworks. I show that Kolb’s theory fails to achieve its goal because it is rooted in some of the fundamental epistemological presuppositions of these frameworks. Subsequently, I present a group of works from phenomenology, in particular Merleau-Ponty’s, in order to show that Kolb’s attempt is insufficient due to a lack of understanding of the problem expressed by Kant via the concept of schema. Finally, I outline an interpretation of experiential learning as differentiation of experiential schemas and explain how it meets the epistemological challenges outlined above. (shrink)

A reply to Stuart Brown on how to understand the concept of learning.

In this paper we explore the interrelationship between the sociotechnical-pedagogical culture of e-learning, the emerging disciplines of Web science, Social Sensing and that of Cognitive Computation–as an emerging paradigm of computation. We comment in particular on the importance of this relation for the development of learning-analytics discourse. Moreover, we present an initial relational framework between these disciplines and suggest how these relations can be exploited to solve problems in each area. This paper argues for (a) the particular importance of the (...) abstract class of ‘learning machines’ for Web science, (b) understanding cognitive computation as a necessary practical framework for the increasingly dominating, situated informal learning context, and (c) the potential benefit of Web science frameworks for investigating both, contemporary research questions in e-learning and the development of theories for informal ubiquitous learning. Finally, we argue that exploring links between these disciplines is necessary for improving practical research, for the purpose of developing learning-analytics methodology for evaluating the growing types of modern e-learning contexts such as the informal situated learning context. (shrink)

REFLEXÃO SOBRE A METODOLOGIA DO ENSINO DE FILOSOFIA -/- -/- REFLECTION ON THE METHODOLOGY OF PHILOSOPHY TEACHING -/- -/- Por: Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva – IFPE-BJ, CAP-UFPE e UFRPE. E-mails: eisaque335@gmail.com e eics@discente.ifpe.edu.br. WhatsApp: (82)9.8143-8399. -/- -/- -/- Etimologicamente, a palavra método é constituída pelos termos gregos metá, "por meio de", e hodós, "caminho". O método é, portanto, um "caminho por meio do qual" chegamos a um fim, atingimos determinado objetivo. -/- Vejamos qual é o desafio para o professor (...) estabelecer seu método, tendo em vista os fins pedagógicos do ensino de filosofia. Comecemos comparando a metodologia do filósofo com a do cientista, para constatarmos uma diferença fundamental: os cientistas procuram manter certa '"cumplicidade metodológica", caracterizada pelo que se chamou de paradigma, um modelo comum a todos os cientistas de um determinado campo do saber, durante um período do tempo; já os filósofos não são unânimes quanto às regras do método, de modo que os caminhos percorridos por eles são diferentes, como percebemos no contato com o pensamento de Platão, Descartes, Espinosa, Hegel, Husserl, para citar apenas alguns. -/- Ao escolher o programa das aulas com o conteúdo a ser discutido em cada ano do curso, ocorre algo semelhante: nas disciplinas das áreas de matemática e ciências da natureza, por exemplo, o campo do saber é aceito pela comunidade científica, o que orienta o professor dessas disciplinas na composição daquele conteúdo. Já para a aula de filosofia, existe mais flexibilidade de escolha tanto do conteúdo como da metodologia empregada. -/- A diferença entre o ensino das demais disciplinas e o ensino da filosofia nos coloca a seguinte questão: "Se não existe um método único para orientar os filósofos - já que não há uma filosofia, mas filosofias qual o sentido, aqui, de buscar um método para ensinar a filosofar?". De fato, o professor-filósofo possui sua visão de mundo, como todo ser humano integrado a seu tempo, ciente dos problemas éticos e políticos diante dos quais toma partido. Nesse sentido, ele teria também o seu próprio método, acrescido esse fato ao conhecimento que o professor dispõe de história da filosofia. -/- Contudo, pode-se reavaliar essa objeção se destacarmos a possibilidade de alternativas metodológicas que poderão enriquecer a atividade pedagógica. -/- 1. Riscos de instrumentalizar a filosofia -/- O compromisso do professor com o exercício do filosofar decorre de não ser o seu objetivo encaminhar os alunos na direção "certa" ou "guiá-los como um farol" para que "não se extraviem". A aula de filosofia cria um espaço de discussão de conceitos, exposição plural de ideias e problematização para que permita aos educandos desenvolverem as competências necessárias para pensar por conta própria, ou seja, para a autonomia intelectual. -/- Qual seria, então, o objeto do ensino de filosofia no ensino médio? Dizendo de outra forma, a aula de filosofia teria objetivos além do próprio filosofar? -/- Vejamos alguns exemplos de risco de instrumentalização da filosofia. -/- 1.1 O ensino de filosofia é neutro? -/- Trata-se de uma questão metodológica indagar se seria possível a neutralidade do professor em filosofia. Podemos perguntar: "1Jm professor de filosofia cristão ou ateu, liberal ou marxista, platônico ou nietzschiano pode ou não repercutir nas aulas sua formação e suas preferências?". -/- É ilusório imaginar a total neutralidade nesse campo. Podemos destacar na formação do professor-educador três aspectos importantes: -/- • qualificação: o professor precisa adquirir os conhecimentos indispensáveis ao ensino de um conteúdo específico; -/- • formação pedagógica: a atividade educativa supera os níveis do senso comum para se tornar uma atividade sistematizada; -/- • formação ética e política: o professor educa com base em valores. -/- Assim diz o professor Antônio Joaquim Severino, a propósito da formação de todo e qualquer educador: -/- Sem dúvida, um curso de formação de educadores pressupõe necessariamente um mínimo de habilitação técnica, fundada n um campo de conhecimentos científicos. [...] Também ao educador, como a qualquer outro profissional, impõe-se a exigência da competência, entendida como domínio de conteúdos, dos métodos, das técnicas especializadas relativas à área dos conhecimentos educacionais. [...] -/- Mas, sem prejuízo deste compromisso com a competência, os cursos de formação de educadores têm que assumir um outro compromisso: o de dar sólida formação política, mediante adequada conscientização dos aspectos políticos, económicos e sociais da realidade histórica em que se desenvolvem os processos educacionais nos quais atuará o futuro educador. [...] Todo projeto educacional será necessariamente um projeto politico e não há como evitá-lo. A educação, como qualquer outra atividade humana, não é um processo neutro. Considerá-la assim é reforçar posições politico-ideológicas consolidadas (1966, p. 13-14). (Temas Básicos de Educação e Ensino). -/- No entanto, espera-se que, no ensino médio, o professor não se restrinja às suas preferências, porque a sala de aula é o espaço por excelência do pluralismo e da diversidade. Desnecessário dizer que não é desejável qualquer tipo de proselitismo, que abre caminho para uma doutrinação sectária. Ao contrário, é salutar oferecer um leque maior de concepções filosóficas. -/- Não nos referimos, no entanto, a uma "assepsia" pela qual os alunos não tenham acesso às posições assumidas pelo professor. Evitar a parcialidade em temas socialmente controversos não significa abster-se de opinar, desde que sua posição esteja ancorada em argumentações firmadas na sua experiência com a história da filosofia e aberta ao debate plural. -/- Com essas ponderações, não se pretende indicar regras de conduta ao professor, mas apenas acenar com a necessidade de refletir sobre alternativas entre parcialidade e neutralidade do ensino a fim de não instrumentalizar a filosofia. -/- 1.2 A filosofia “ensina” cidadania? -/- Uma polêmica despertada pelo artigo 2° da LDB de 1996 nos ajuda a refletir um pouco mais sobre o tema do risco da instrumentalização da filosofia: -/- A educação, dever da família e do Estado, inspirada nos princípios de liberdade e nos ideais de solidariedade humana, tem por finalidade o pleno desenvolvimento do educando, seu preparo para o exercício da cidadania e sua qualificação para o trabalho (BRASIL, 1996). -/- No que se refere ao ensino de filosofia, a pergunta é a seguinte: "Pode-se dizer que um dos objetivos da filosofia no ensino médio é ensinar cidadania?". Esse questionamento não visa negar a importância de educar para a cidadania, mas convém saber como fazê-lo. -/- Posicionando-se sobre esse debate, vejamos o que diz o documento do MEC Orientações Curriculares para o Ensino Médio, elaborado em 2006: -/- Independentemente, neste momento, de qualquer avaliação acerca da concepção que se apresenta na legislação, cabe ressaltar, em primeiro lugar, que seria criticável tentar justificar a filosofia apenas por sua contribuição como um instrumental para a cidadania. Mesmo que pudesse fazê-lo, ela nunca deveria ser limitada a isso. Muito mais amplo é, por exemplo, seu papel no processo de formação geral dos jovens (BRASIL, 2006, p. 25-26). -/- Após ressaltar que preparar para a cidadania é "um papel do conjunto das disciplinas e da política pública voltada para essa etapa da formação", lemos na mesma página do referido documento: -/- A pergunta que se coloca é: qual a contribuição especifica da filosofia em relação ao exercício da cidadania para essa etapa da formação? A resposta a essa questão destaca o papel peculiar da filosofia no desenvolvimento da competência geral de fala, leitura e escrita — competência aqui compreendida de um modo bastante especial e ligada à natureza argumentativa da filosofia e à sua tradição histórica. [realce nosso] Cabe, então, especificamente à filosofia, a capacidade de análise, de reconstrução racional e de crítica a partir da compreensão de que tomar posições diante de textos propostos de qualquer tipo (tanto textos filosóficos quanto textos não filosóficos e formações discursivas não explicitadas em textos) e emitir opiniões acerca deles é um pressuposto indispensável para o exercício da cidadania (BRASIL, 2006, p. 25-26). -/- A educação para a cidadania, portanto, não se reduz necessariamente à leitura de textos específicos sobre cidadania, embora estes não sejam desconsiderados. O ensino de filosofia tem como objetivo desenvolver a competência discursivo-filosófica. Não há cidadania se não for alcançada a autonomia do pensar crítico, que, na filosofia, tem o seu diferencial pelo recurso à tradição filosófica. Ao levantar problemas, a filosofia estimula a indagação e fortalece a capacidade de conceituação e argumentação. -/- -/- REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS -/- ARANHA, M. L. de A.; MARTINS, H. P. Filosofando: Introdução à Filosofia. 6ª ed. São Paulo: Moderna, 2016. -/- BRASIL. Ministério de Educação e Cultura. Ciências humanas e suas tecnologias. In: Orientações Curriculares para o Ensino Médio. Brasília: Ministério da Educação; Secretaria de Educação Básica, 2006. -/- ______________________________________. Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais. Ensino Médio: Bases Legais. Brasília: MEC, 1999. -/- FOLSCHEID, D.; WUNENBURGER, J. J. Metodologia filosófica. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 1997. -/- GALLO, S. Metodologia do ensino de filosofia: uma didática para o ensino médio. Campinas: Papirus, 2012. -/- KOHAN, W. O. (Org.). Políticas do ensino de filosofia. Rio de Janeiro: DP6A, 2014. -/- SEVERINO, J. A. Educação, ideologia e contraideologia. 1ª ed. São Paulo: EPU, 1966. -/- Estimule a criatividade, respeite o direito autoral. -/- Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva © 2019. (shrink)

FILOSOFIA COMO PRODUTO OU COMO PROCESSO? -/- PHILOSOPHY AS A PRODUCT OR AS A PROCESS? -/- Por: Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva – IFPE-BJ, CAP-UFPE e UFRPE. E-mails: eisaque335@gmail.com e eics@discente.ifpe.edu.br WhatsApp: (82)9.8143-8399. -/- -/- PREMISSA -/- Nos trabalhos anteriores, na área filosófica, trabalhei a importância da filosofia no ensino médio e a responsabilidade pedagógica do professor. Doravante, compartilho agora da experiência daqueles que já se debruçaram sobre aquelas questões, acrescentando outras indagações: "Que fins pretendo alcançar com meu curso de (...) filosofia?"; "Que conteúdos são importantes para o aluno iniciante?", "Como ensinar filosofia?". -/- As respostas a essas indagações variam conforme os pressupostos epistemológicos que servem de base ao trabalho do professor. -/- Na escola tradicional prevaleceu a tendência empirista, que privilegia a transmissão de conhecimentos acumulados. Geralmente, os adeptos dessa tendência propõem programas enciclopédicos, com amplo conteúdo. Trata-se da ênfase no produto, na transmissão da herança deixada pelos filósofos, mas o risco dessa metodologia é a passividade do estudante. -/- A pedagogia do século XX, ao criticar a excessiva centralização na figura do mestre, deslocou o foco para o estudante, reservando ao professor o papel de facilitador da aprendizagem. A ênfase foi posta no processo, e não no produto, com a vantagem de permitir a atuação mais participativa do estudante, embora exista o risco de se descuidar do conteúdo (o produto) nos casos em que debates infindáveis não se apoiam na rica herança filosófica. -/- Postas essas premissas, destaco que o ensino de filosofia se sustenta pela referência à história da filosofia e, por isso, o produto é indispensável, caso contrário a intervenção dos estudantes permaneceria espontaneísta, girando em torno do que eles já sabem. Por sua vez, o educando tem o direito de expressar sua experiência, inicialmente fragmentada e difusa e em seguida reexaminada à luz de textos relevantes, para se apropriar do processo reflexivo. Portanto, os dois aspectos -a filosofia como produto e como processo - são indispensáveis e encontram-se intimamente relacionados. -/- 1. DEFININDO O FOCO PRINCIPAL -/- Diante da importância da história da filosofia, a questão que se coloca é a de definir o foco para abordá-la, ou seja, se escolhemos tomar a história da filosofia como centro ou como referencial. -/- a) História da filosofia como centro -/- Definir o foco da didática de filosofia tendo como centro a história da filosofia não significa privilegiar a simples cronologia, mas descobrir o pensamento do filósofo pulsando nas relações com o mundo em que vivia. Pois o filósofo problematiza a realidade e cria conceitos para tentar compreendê-la. A sequência cronológica nos mostra como aquelas soluções foram retomadas pelos seguidores e contraditadas pelos que a elas se opuseram. E ainda é possível estabelecer ligações fecundas daquelas ideias com os problemas atuais. É bem verdade que não posso concluir haver uma "evolução", um "'progresso", como ocorre com o conhecimento científico, mas sim uma constante e atualizada problematização. -/- b) Foco temático como centro -/- A opção por privilegiar temas ou áreas de investigação filosófica oferece mais liberdade ao professor por se desprender da estrita cronologia. Isso não significa, porém, desprezar a história da filosofia, que permanece como referencial constante dos temas escolhidos. -/- Em ambas as perspectivas - história da filosofia ou filosofia temática -, é indispensável o contato com textos filosóficos ou, quando de outra natureza, lidos de maneira filosófica. O professor Franklin Leopoldo e Silva adverte sobre a importância dessas leituras: -/- Aqui, trata-se da difícil tarefa da leitura dos próprios textos filosóficos. Ninguém ignora as imensas dificuldades envolvidas nessas leituras, o mais das vezes áridas e de difícil compreensão, exigindo em muitas ocasiões um domínio razoável de terminologia específica. Apesar de tudo isso, não há como fugir à necessidade dessas leituras, se se quiser proporcionar ao aluno uma visão razoavelmente precisa do pensamento dos autores tratados e dos diferentes estilos de reflexão, coisas que só de forma um tanto abstrata são apreendidas através da leitura de manuais de história da filosofia. Cabe ao professor recortar textos de maneira a proporcionar uma compreensão mínima do assunto tratado, balanceando este recorte com os critérios da viabilidade didática e da importância estratégica dos textos (1986, p. 161-162). -/- c) Problemas filosóficos -/- Inspiradas no pensamento do alemão Friedrich Nietzsche e do contemporâneo Gilles Deleuze, existem propostas de uma didática do ensino de filosofia com base na concepção de que a filosofia é a atividade de criação de conceitos. Como os conceitos resultam de problemas, conclui-se que o foco das aulas estaria em criar condições para diversas etapas de trabalho visando problemáticas filosóficas que tenham significação existencial para os estudantes. Desse modo, os educandos aprenderiam por si mesmos a exercitar a criação de conceitos. -/- Essa é a proposta defendida pelo professor Silvio Gallo. Embora as orientações anteriores possam levantar a questão da problematização filosófica e da busca do conceito, ele enfatiza procedimentos para valorizar a postura ativa do próprio estudante como condição para evitar o enciclopedismo do ensino tradicional. -/- Em muitos livros didáticos de filosofia para o ensino médio, os autores optam pela abordagem temática. É notório que eles observam que, coerentes com o que já foi dito, a história da filosofia permeia todos os capítulos de suas respectivas obras. A participação ativa do estudante acompanha o processo de ensino-aprendizagem o tempo todo, e não apenas no processo final de avaliação. De fato, ao longo dos capítulos encontram-se diversas propostas, seja nos boxes "Para refletir" e "Para saber mais", seja nas várias imagens comentadas, muitas delas levando a indagações. Quatro infográficos que trazem para a atualidade a discussão de conceitos filosóficos. -/- As sugestões não dispensam a criatividade do professor, que certamente saberá encontrar outros procedimentos para dinamizar sua aula e incentivar a participação dos estudantes. -/- 2. A DISCIPLINA INTELECTUAL -/- O termo disciplina tem vários significados. No entanto, o sentido que nos interessa é o de disciplina intelectual, como caminho para ler ou pensar melhor, o que pressupõe a descoberta pessoal de regras a serem seguidas para atingir os fins propostos. -/- Disciplina intelectual significa o esforço do espírito treinado para a atenção continuada, a concentração na leitura, a capacidade de ouvir o professor, o colega, o autor que "fala" por meio do texto que está sendo lido. Ter disciplina intelectual consiste em desenvolver a capacidade de compreensão do que ouvimos ou lemos antes de nos aventurarmos numa crítica. E, ao discordarmos, fazê-lo de maneira organizada e com base nos critérios adotados. Ser capaz de disciplina é também selecionar leituras, concatenando-as com experiências pessoais, a fim de expor suas reflexões oralmente ou por escrito. -/- Sabemos das dificuldades desse aprendizado. Muitos jovens não conseguem se deter por algum tempo na leitura, porque, pelo menos em um primeiro momento, a leitura consiste em uma atividade solitária em que o desafio do autocontrole depende do esforço de cada um para internalizar procedimentos livremente assumidos, sobretudo quando o interesse pela reflexão for criativamente estimulado. -/- -/- -/- REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS -/- ARANHA, M. L. de A.; MARTINS, H. P. Filosofando: Introdução à Filosofia. 6ª ed. São Paulo: Moderna, 2016. -/- ASPIS, R. L.; GALLO, S. Ensinar filosofia: um livro para professores. São Paulo: Atta Mídia e Educação, 2009. -/- BECKER, F. A epistemologia do professor: o cotidiano na escola. 10. ed. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2002. -/- GALLO, S.; KOHAN, W. O. (Orgs.). Filosofia no ensino médio. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2000. -/- GALLO, S . Deleuze e a educação. 2. ed. Belo Horizonte: Autêntica, 2008. -/- _________. Metodologia do ensino de filosofia: uma didática para o ensino médio. Campinas: Papirus, 2012. -/- KOHAN, W. O. (Org.). Políticas do ensino de filosofia. Rio de Janeiro: DP6A, 2014. -/- SILVA, F. L. e. História da filosofia: centro ou referencial? In: NETO, H. N. (Org.) O ensino da filosofia no 2° grau. São Paulo: SEAP, Sofia, 1986. -/- NOVAES, J. L. C.; AZEVEDO, M. A. O. de (Orgs.). A filosofia e seu ensino: desafios emergentes. Porto Alegre: Sulina, 2010. -/- PIOVESAN, A. et al. (Orgs.). Filosofia e ensino em debate. Ijuí: Unijuí, 2002. -/- PORTA, M. A. G. A filosofia a partir de seus problemas: didática e metodologia do estudo filosófico. 3. ed. São Paulo: Loyola, 2007. -/- RODRIGO, L. M.. Filosofia em sala de aula: teoria e prática para o ensino médio. Campinas: Autores Associados, 2009. -/- Estimule a criatividade, respeite o direito autoral. -/- Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva © 2019. (shrink)

In many universities and related knowledge transmission organisations, professional focus on empirical data shows as in vocational education that preparation for real life technical work is important, as one would expect from “career education”. University is as the name shows on the contrary focusing on the universality of some sort of education, which is neither a technical one, nor much concerned by preparing oneself for a career. The scope of this chapter is to propose an analysis of inclusion as the (...) very essence of an ethics of reformation of education, which in our opinion cannot come from the institution of education as much as from a common basis between everyday learning capacities and curriculum based learning methods. Inclusive vision and values should be theoretically explained by philosophers in order to be refined and adapted into our current experience of values, pointing out issues about method and knowledge parameters. In particular a focus on epistemic values should bring good indications on how to empower others, and leave a more inclusive life, assuming the somehow paradoxical and surprising idea that knowledge is as important in real life outside the university as it is in the classroom, being the real universal value and currency across disciplines, times and contexts. University learns from being inclusive, i. e. by bringing not only a higher point of view on technical education but also a wider view on the human being. (shrink)

Entendemos a Educação Infantil em amplo sentido, isto é, há um leque de conceitos em que pode-se gozar dentro da Pedagogia e as Ciências da Educação, é nessa modalidade de ensino que podem-se englobar todas as esferas educativas vivenciadas pelas crianças de, conforme Lei, 0 à 5 anos de idade, pela família e, também, pelo próprio corpo social, antes mesmo de atingir a idade educativa obrigatória que é, vide Lei, aproximadamente a partir dos 7 anos de idade. A EI também (...) pode ser considerada como uma das mais complexas fazes do desenvolvimento humano, em diversas esferas, seja ela a intelectual, emocional, social, motora, psicomotora, etc. uma vez que tratam-se de crianças que, muitas vezes, têm o primeiro contato com um novo ambiente, que é o ambiente escolar. Diante disso, torna-se primordial a inserção das crianças em berçários, creches e Educação Maternal, também denominado de pré-escola, para que as mesmas interajam entre seus semelhantes e comecem a aproximar-se da vida social e educacional, estando preparadas para uma nova etapa educacional. Mediante essa perspectiva da vida psicopedagógica das crianças, Kuhlmann Júnior ressalta que: Pode-se falar de “Educação Infantil” em um sentido bastante amplo, envolvendo toda e qualquer forma de educação da criança na família, na comunidade, na sociedade e na cultura em que viva (2003. p. 469). -/- Mediante a análise de Kuhlmann, logo, a EI designa a periodicidade regular a uma entidade educativa exterior ao domicílio, isto é, trata-se do lapso da vida escolar em que se volta-se, pedagogicamente, ao público entre 0 e 5 anos de idade no Brasil; vale salientar que nessa idade entre 0 e 5 anos, as crianças não estão submetidas a obrigatoriedade do ingresso na vida escolar. A Constituição brasileira de 1988 define no Título VIII (Da Ordem Social), Capítulo III (Da Educação, da Cultura e do Desporto), Seção I (Da Educação), Artigo 208 que: O dever do Estado com a educação será efetivado mediante a garantia de: Inciso IV – educação infantil, em creche e pré-escola, às crianças até 5 (cinco) anos de idade. (Constituição Federal, 2016. p. 63). -/- A Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional, especificamente a Lei 9394/96, denomina a Creche como sendo a entidade responsável por promover o primeiro contato das crianças com o ambiente escolar, a idade é determinada como sendo de 0 a 3 anos de idade (Artigo 30. Inciso I). Também denomina de pré-escola a instituição responsável pelo ensino de crianças entre 4 e 6 anos de idade (Artigo 30. Inciso II). Não obstante, mediante Lei 11274/06 que reedita o Artigo 32 da Lei 9394/96, o ensino fundamental passou a ser de 9 (nove) anos de idade e não mais de 8 (oito), logo, as crianças que com 6 (seis) anos de idade não eram submetidas a obrigatoriedade do estudo, passaram a fazer parte da conformação obrigatória, isto é, elas já não fazem mais parte do ensino eletivo ou optativo da pré-escola e sim do ensino fundamental obrigatório. -/- Dito isto, a LDB diz na Seção II (Da Educação Infantil) e no Artigo 29 que a Educação Infantil é tida como a primeira etapa da Educação Básica, e tem por objetivo, a promoção e o favorecimento do desenvolvimento integral da criança de 0 à 5 anos de idade, nos mais variados aspectos possíveis, sendo eles o físico, psicológico, intelectual e social, sendo mais que uma complementação da instrução familiar e da sociedade (BRASIL, 2005. p. 17). Seguindo a linha teórica acerca das crianças, o Artigo 30, da mesma, ressalta que a EI será promovida por meio de creches para crianças de 0 a 3 anos e em pré-escolas para o público entre 4 e 5 anos de idade, como enaltecido supracitadamente. No que se refere a avaliação, no Artigo 31 esse processo será feito porventura do acompanhamento e registro do desenvolvimento das crianças, sem que haja quaisquer tipos de promoção, mesmo que vise o acesso ao Ensino Fundamental. -/- Vale enfatizar que essa modalidade de ensino tem uma finalidade pedagógica, um trabalho que se apropria da realidade e dos conhecimentos infantis como estopim e os amplia mediante atividades que tem uma certa significação concreta para a vida dos infantes e, isocronicamente asseguram a aquisição de novos conhecimentos. Doravante e por meio dessa perspectiva, é imprescindível que o educador da EI preocupe-se com o arranjo e aplicação dos trabalhos fazendo, assim, uma contribuição para a ascensão do infante de 0 a 5 anos. -/- O Referencial Curricular Nacional para a Educação Infantil de 1998 ressalta que deve-se levam em conta que os infantes são distintos entre si, isto é, que cada um possui um ritmo peculiar de aprendizagem. Dito isto, o educador deverá preparar-se para promover aos educandos uma educação alicerçada na condição de aprendizagem peculiar de cada um deles, considerando-se bastante singulares e com particularidades. Para isso, o governo deverá fornecer um alicerce na formação dos educadores, preparando-os para enfrentar esse mundo repleto de dificuldades mas, no fim, de uma extensa realização pessoal e profissional. Ante as características peculiares dos ritmos das crianças, o grande desafio que ora implica na EI é com que os profissionais consigam compreender, conhecer e reconhecer o jeito peculiar dos infantes serem e estarem inseridos no mundo. O RCN da modalidade EI ainda explicita que a entidade promovente da EI deve tornar acessível a todos os infantes que ora frequentam-no, indiscriminadamente, elementos culturais que enriquecem a ascensão e a inserção social dos mesmos. -/- A EI é caracterizada, historicamente, pelo assistencialismo reduzido e a um recinto que vise, primordialmente, os cuidados com os infantes. Ao passo dos anos, e diversas metamorfoses ocorridas nas tendências educacionais, passou a ser teorizada como um simples processo educativo. -/- Paulo Freire (1921-1997) já alertava que: Quando se tira da criança a possibilidade este ou aquele espaço da realidade, na verdade se está alienando-a da sua capacidade de construir seus conhecimentos. Porque o ato de conhecer é tão vital quanto comer ou dormir; e eu não posso comer por alguém (FREIRE, 1983. p. 36). Logo, nesse contexto é sumamente impossível desassociar os termos cuidar e o educar, eixos cêntricos que dão características peculiares na constituição do espaço e do ambiente escolar nesse lapso da educação. Doravante, contradizendo ao que muitos ainda pensam o cuidar e o educar não remetem à perspectiva assistencialista e ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem dos mesmos, uma vez que ambos complementam-se, além de integrarem-se para uma melhor promoção do desenvolvimento do infante, no que se refere à edificação de sua autonomia e totalidade. -/- O infante carece de cuidados básicos no que se refere à saúde, os quais pode ser obtido mediante uma alimentação saudável e balanceada, assepsia, educação física, momentos de ópio, entre outras inúmeras situações peculiares à crianças e que exigem do educador uma atenção especial em relação aos cuidados com a criança. Todavia, é primordial que o profissional da EI desenvolva um trabalho educacional voltado ao favorecimento e a condução para a descoberta e edificação de sua identidade, apropriando-se de saberes necessários à constituição da autonomia tanto do infante, que ora se torna imprescindível quanto do próprio educador. -/- No que tange a afetividade na EI, falamos de uma constituição do cenário contemporâneo dos ambientes escolares e que, no futuro, tornara-se sumamente imprescindível algum marco ou lapsos que persistem e poderão persistir na educação futura do fundamental e até mesmo do médio ou ensino universitário, principalmente questões de vivência com os outros. Compreensão do outro, desenvolvimento de projetos, percepção da interdependência, de não à quaisquer tipos de violência, administração de possíveis conflitos, descoberta do outro, participação em projetos comuns, prazer no esforço alheio, cooperativada são essenciais nesses primeiros anos escolares e, para que isso torne-se realidade, é necessário que se abra um leque de possibilidades para o futuro mediante a formação atual dos educadores, logo com um alicerce maior em suas formações, o educador(a) estará preparado para atuar frente ao infante, unindo esse lapso fundamental de sua vida dos primeiros anos escolares. -/- REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS -/- BRASIL. [Constituição (1988)]. Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil de 1988. Brasília, DF: Presidência da República, 2016. -/- _______. Leis de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional. Lei 9394/1996. Brasília, 2005. -/- _______. Ministério da Educação e do Desporto. Secretaria de Educação Fundamental. Referencial Curricular Nacional para a Educação Infantil. Brasília: MEC/SEF, 1998. -/- FREIRE, P. Pedagogia do oprimido. 17ª ed. São Paulo: Paz e Terra, 1983. -/- KUHLMANN JR., M.. Educando a infância brasileira. In: LOPES, E. M. T.; FILHO, L. M. F.; VEIGA, C. G. (Org.). 500 anos de educação no Brasil. 4ªed. Belo Horizonte: Autêntica, 2008. -/- LEÃO, J. L. de S. Educação Infantil no Brasil: Algumas Considerações. In: LEÃO, J. L. de S. O processo de inclusão escolar na educação infantil sob a ótica de assessoras pedagógicas da Secretaria Municipal de Educação do Natal/RN. 2008. Trabalho de conclusão de curso (Licenciatura em Pedagogia) – Centro de Educação, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2018. p. 18. (shrink)

In its origins educational neuroscience has started as an endeavor to discuss implications of neuroscience studies for education. However, it is now on its way to become a transdisciplinary field, incorporating findings, theoretical frameworks and methodologies from education, and cognitive and brain sciences. Given the differences and diversity in the originating disciplines, it has been a challenge for educational neuroscience to integrate both theoretical and methodological perspective in education and neuroscience in a coherent way. We present a multi-level framework for (...) educational neuroscience, which argues for integration of multiple levels of analysis, some originating in brain and cognitive sciences, others in education, as a roadmap for the future of educational neuroscience with concrete examples in moral education. (shrink)

This book aims at six important conceptual tools developed by philosophers. The author develops each particular view in a chapter, hoping to constitute at the end a concise, interesting and easily readable whole. These concepts are: 1. Ethics and realism: elucidation of the distinction between understanding and explanation – the lighthouse type of normativity. 2. Leadership, antirealism and moral psychology – the lightning rod type of normativity. 3. Bright light on self-identity and positive reciprocity – the reciprocity type of normativity. (...) 4. The virtue of generosity and its importance for inclusive education – the divine will type of normativity. 5. Ethical education as normative philosophical perspective. The normativity of self-transformation in education. 6. Aesthetics as expression of human freedom and concern for the whole world in which we live. (shrink)

Education is one of the unique ways for reaching the level of contemporary civilizations. With this understanding, the new education system was put into practice after the promulgation of the Republic. The manner of giving religious education and whether this education should be given or not has been controversial in this system and the effects of such discussions have continued until today. The revolutionary staff, who believe that one of the most important spheres that revives and unites a society is (...) religion and that such an important and valuable aspect should be under the state control, shut down madrasahs and wanted to transform Imam-Hatip schools into theological schools. The source of debates that have reached the present day has been shaped in this process. In this study, the approach of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the new education system to religious education was evaluated. Archival documents, newspapers, journals and copyright works were reviewed during the research process. (shrink)

There is a lack of writing on the issue of the education rights of people with disabilities by authors of any theoretical persuasion. While the deficiency of theory may be explained by a variety of historical, philosophical and practical considerations, it is a deficiency which must be addressed. Otherwise, any statement of rights rings out as hollow rhetoric unsupported by sound reason and moral rectitude. This paper attempts to address this deficiency in education rights theory by postulating a communitarian theory (...) of the education rights of people with disabilities. The theory is developed from communitarian writings on the role of education in democratic society. The communitarian school, like the community within which it nests, is inclusive. Schools both reflect and model the shape of communitarian society and have primary responsibility for teaching the knowledge and virtues which will allow citizens to belong to and function within society. Communitarians emphasise responsibilities, however, as the corollary of rights and may require the individual good to yield to the community good when the hard cases arise. The article not only explains the basis of the right to an inclusive education, therefore, but also engages with the difficult issue of when such a right may not be enforceable. (shrink)

This article focuses on Daisaku Ikeda's philosophy and practice of intercultural dialogue—what I call ‘value‐creative dialogue’—as a new current in interculturalism and educational philosophy and theory. I use excerpts from Ikeda's writings to consider two aspects of his approach to dialogue. First, I locate his approach philosophically in Buddhism; in the examples of dialogue modeled by Ikeda's mentor, Josei Toda, and by Toda's mentor, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi ; and in Makiguchi's theory of value creation and value‐creating pedagogy. Second, I consider the (...) multiple and value‐creative levels Ikeda's dialogues play. I conclude with implications of value‐creative dialogue in education in general and bilingual‐bicultural education in particular. (shrink)

Students enter the classroom with a variety of perspectives and beliefs, adhering strongly to such beliefs that are most likely acquired from the teachings of certain authorities. Educators seeking to promote critical thinking often encounter resistance from those students who are primarily interested only in dismantling the arguments of others, as opposed to students’ being skeptical of their own beliefs as well. This paper suggests that educators can promote strong-sense critical thinking through the use of joint inquiry, striving to create (...) an environment of greater communal learning, where students are taught how to ask the right questions and not just how to look for the right answers. (shrink)

Peer learning partnerships are voluntary, reciprocal helping relationships between individuals of comparable status, who share a common or closely related learning / development objective. These dyadic or small group partnerships often occur incidentally or are confused with mentoring; hence they are easily overlooked and / or misunderstood. Yet they warrant the attention of professional developers,classroom teachers, and others as an intentionallearning strategy because of their potential to foster bi-directional learning through joint reflection.Using her qualitative case study of peer learning partnerships (...) in an innovative statewide community college faculty development initiative - the “Teaching Partners Program” - the author draws on participants’ first-hand perceptions of this alternative modality to demonstrate how it fosters reflective practice, leading to enhanced discovery and professional development. The study’s findings highlight the benefits of using peer learning partnerships to promote reflective practice, as well as barriers to utilization. Recommendations for applying this approach and for future research are provided. (shrink)

This article presents a detailed methodological outline for teaching culture through project work. It is argued that because project work makes it possible to gain transferrable and applicable knowledge and insight, it is the ideal tool for teaching culture with the aim of achieving real intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Preceding the pedagogical presentation, the term culture is conceptualized as small-c culture/deep culture, that is, as the sociopsychological programming of a given community. This concept is developed with practical examples and conceptualizations (...) for pedagogical implementability. Finally, a project course with American undergraduate students conducted in Germany is briefly presented. This presentation includes project sheets, the methodological rationale of each project, and the observations the participants made during the course. These observations include many aspects of the way German and U.S. American deep culture differ and also shed light on the “truth” behind some German cultural clichés. (shrink)

Neuroeducation as an amalgamation of neuroscience, cognitive science and educational psychology has the explicit aim of improving classroom teaching and learning and has repeatedly stressed the role of the teacher in student motivation and learning. This article briefly reviews the nature of human learning from the perspective of neuroeducation and presents four factors of successful learning as a consequence of this line of research. These four factors relate to the credibility of the teacher, individual differences, the role of a positive (...) classroom climate and the activation of previous knowledge. (shrink)

The manner in which individuals hold various nonevidentiary beliefs is critical to making any evaluative claim regarding an individual's autonomy. In this essay, I argue that one may be both justified in holding nonrational beliefs of a nonevidentiary sort while also being capable of leading an autonomous life. I defend the idea that moral instruction, including that which concerns explicitly religious content, may justifiably constitute a set of commitments upon which rationality and autonomy are dependent. I situate this discussion against (...) the backdrop of a minimalist notion of autonomy. I then consider the case for nonrational beliefs, examining the difference between those whose content is objectionable on evidentiary grounds and those that are immune to verification. Next, I consider the indoctrination/moral instruction distinction through examining the various ways in which indoctrination is defined. I also consider the role that value coherence plays in shaping our identities, paying particular attention to fundamental commitments as defined by our respective families, cultures, and communities. Finally, I argue that individual psychology is central to our ability to assess the outcome of an upbringing purported to be indoctrinatory, and I emphasize the important role that experience and agency play in enabling us to evaluate our beliefs. (shrink)

In higher education, interdisciplinarity involves the design of subjects that offer the opportunity to experience ‘different ways of knowing’ from students’ core or preferred disciplines. Such an education is increasingly important in a global knowledge economy. Many universities have begun to introduce interdisciplinary studies or subjects to meet this perceived need. This chapter explores some of the issues inherent in moves towards interdisciplinary higher education. Definitional issues associated with the term ‘academic discipline’, as well as other terms, including ‘multidisciplinary’, ‘cross-disciplinary’, (...) ‘pluridisciplinarity’, ‘transdisciplinarity’ and ‘interdisciplinary’ are examined. A new nomenclature is introduced to assist in clarifying the subtle distinctions between the various positions. The chapter also outlines some of the pedagogical and epistemological considerations which are involved in any move from a conventional form of educational delivery to an interdisciplinary higher education, and recommends caution in any implementation of an interdisciplinary curriculum. (shrink)

The book offers condensed summaries of twenty-three major models of skill acquisition and expertise development presented by leading researchers during the last half a century of classic and new research. This book presents new researchers in learning, training, cognitive sciences or education disciplines with a big picture starting point for their literature review journey. The book presents an easy to understand taxonomy of twenty-three models which can give new researchers a good bird’s eye view of existing models and theories, based (...) on which they can decide which direction to dig further. The reviews in this book are complemented with over 200 authentic sources which a researcher read for detailed and deeper dive and set the direction for further exploration. This book would also act as an essential reference for training & learning professionals and instructional designers to design research-based training curriculum to develop skills of their staff. (shrink)

This book deals with solving a pressing organizational challenge of bringing employees up to speed faster. In the fast-paced business world, organizations need faster readiness of employees to handle the complex responsibilities of their jobs. The author conducted an extensive doctoral research study with 85 global experts across 66 project cases to explore the practices and strategies that were proven to reduce time to proficiency of employees in a range of organizations worldwide. This book provides the readers with a first-hand (...) account of findings exclusively related to training and learning strategies, instructional methods, and curriculum design. This book delivers over 21 training and learning strategies across online learning, classroom instructions, and on-the-job learning. These strategies will allow training designers and learning specialists to design workplace training programs that hold the potential to shorten time to proficiency of employees. The book not only describes findings of the study and theoretical underpinnings, but it also provides practical guidance for implementation to equip corporate learning specialists, HR professionals, training leaders, performance consultants, and direct managers. (shrink)

This study aimed to explore practices and strategies that have successfully reduced time-to-proficiency of the workforce in large multinational organisations and develop a model based on them. The central research question of this study was: How can organisations accelerate time-to-proficiency of employees in the workplace? The study addressed three aspects: the meaning of accelerated proficiency, as seen by business leaders; the business factors driving the need for shorter time-to-proficiency and benefits accrued from it; and practices and strategies to shorten time-to-proficiency (...) of the workforce. 85 participants (n=85) from 7 countries who represented 10 economic sectors, 20 business sectors and 28 industry groups contributed 66 successful bounded project cases. A qualitative research approach was used. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with project leaders and by collecting additional project case documents. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify the themes in the data. Matrix analysis was then used to perform within-case and cross-case analysis to compare the project cases. 11 overarching themes were developed from the data analysis, out of which two overarching themes explained the characteristics of job-role proficiency and accelerated proficiency, while three overarching themes described the magnituide and scale of time-to-proficiency business problem, business drivers for accelerating proficiency and business benefits of reduced time-to-proficiency. Six overarching themes revealed the business practices employed by organisations to reduce time-to-proficiency: (1) Defining business-driven proficiency measures in terms of expected business outcomes from a job role; (2) Developing a proficiency reference map of all the inputs, conditions and roadblocks that determine or influence how required business outcomes are being produced in a job role; (3) Sequencing an efficient proficiency path of activities and experiences ordered to produce the desired business outcomes in the shortest possible time; (4) Manufacturing accelerated contextual experiences by leveraging on-the-job opportunities or training interventions in a compressed time-frame; (5) Promoting an active emotional immersion through engagements, consequences, stakes, feedback and proficiency assessments; and (6) Setting up a proficiency eco-system, providing timely support to performers while doing the job such as enabling job environment, highly involved manager, structured mentoring from experts, purposeful social connectivity with peers, leveraging subject matter experts and on-demand performance support systems. Organisations orchestrated these six business practices as an input-output-feedback system to reduce time-to-proficiency of the workforce. A conceptual model (Accelerated Proficiency Model) was developed representing interactions among six business-level practices/processes as a closed-loop system to explain the concept and process of accelerated proficiency in the workplace. These practices were implemented through a set of twenty-four strategies proven successful in various contexts. The strategies employed were much beyond the boundaries of conventional training interventions. The job itself acted as the primary mechanism to accelerate proficiency. A two-level hierarchical framework (6/24 framework of strategies) was also constructed in the form of a checklist consisting of six practices and twenty-four strategies for practitioners. Overall, the findings of this research study contribute significantly to the body of knowledge on accelerated proficiency. In particular, the conceptual model and the framework developed in this study can be implemented across a range of contexts, business sectors, job types and settings to reduce time-to-proficiency of the workforce. (shrink)

Two great problems of learning confront humanity: learning about the nature of the universe and about ourselves and other living things as a part of the universe, and learning how to become civilized or enlightened. The first problem was solved, in essence, in the 17th century, with the creation of modern science. But the second problem has not yet been solved. Solving the first problem without also solving the second puts us in a situation of great danger. All our current (...) global problems have arisen as a result. What we need to do, in response to this unprecedented crisis, is learn from our solution to the first problem how to solve the second one. This was the basic idea of the 18th century Enlightenment. Unfortunately, in carrying out this programme, the Enlightenment made three blunders, and it is this defective version of the Enlightenment programme, inherited from the past, that is still built into the institutional/intellectual structure of academic inquiry in the 21st century. In order to solve the second great problem of learning we need to correct the three blunders of the traditional Enlightenment. This involves changing the nature of social inquiry, so that social science becomes social methodology or social philosophy, concerned to help us build into social life the progress-achieving methods of aim-oriented rationality, arrived at by generalizing the progress-achieving methods of science. It also involves, more generally, bringing about a revolution in the nature of academic inquiry as a whole, so that it takes up its proper task of helping humanity learn how to become wiser by increasingly cooperatively rational means. The scientific task of improving knowledge and understanding of nature becomes a part of the broader task of improving global wisdom. The outcome would be what we so urgently need: a kind of inquiry rationally designed and devoted to helping us make progress towards a genuinely civilized world. We would succeed in doing what the Enlightenment tried but failed to do: learn from scientific progress how to go about making social progress towards as good a world as possible. (shrink)

When Wittgenstein was young, he wrote a small book intended to solve all of philosophy’s problems with language, called Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1922). As an intellectual piece, the Tractatus is a strange beast, written by a student with the voice of a professor. Its process of creation resembles that of a fictional piece: the author is struck by inspiration, labours in solitude, and then translates the vision onto paper. Yet the Tractatus was not meant to be a work of fiction, rather (...) to have the final say in a conceptual debate about the relation between language and world. This little book was meant to be the end of all philosophical conversation, the final nail in its coffin. Written outside the university, the Tractatus had the ambition of ending the academic conversation in philosophy, while it refused to engage with that conversation. This was not fair-play on any account. The Tractatus was never intended to be an academic text; it had no footnotes, no references to other authors. It was a vision of language that Wittgenstein had shared with the world. (shrink)

This paper explores the benefits of video feedback for teaching philosophy. Our analysis, based on results from a self-report student survey along with our own experience, indicates that video feedback possesses a number of advantages over traditional written comments. In particular we argue that video feedback is conducive to providing high-quality formative feedback, increases detail and clarity, and promotes student engagement. In addition, we argue that the advantages of video feedback make the method an especially apt tool for addressing challenges (...) germane to teaching philosophy. Video feedback allows markers to more easily explain and illustrate philosophical goals and methods. It allows markers to model the doing of philosophy and thereby helps students to see philosophy’s value. Video feedback is a promising tool for addressing both cognitive and affective barriers to learning philosophy. Such advantages are especially valuable in the context of a student-centered, intentional learning framework. In light of these advantages, we find that video feedback is underappreciated and underutilized. (shrink)

Empirical educational research enjoys a methodological and theoretical debate that is characterized by a number of unresolved and lively debated controversies. This compilation thesis is an attempt to contribute to this debate using the toolbox of philosophy of science. -/- The thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four essays. In the introductory chapter I identify three methodological and theoretical controversies that are discussed within the field of educational research. These are: 1) the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational (...) research; 2) the controversy between cognitive and sociocultural theories of learning; and, 3) the controversy between realist and constructionist interpretations of theories of learning. -/- I provide in the essays a critical assessment of the claims behind each of these controversies, and argue for an alternative reconstruction of these issues. -/- In Essay I, I criticize a view about the interpretation of human action, labeled in the text as interpretivism. This view posits a sharp separation between the natural and social sciences, to the effect that the methods of the latter cannot be applied to the former. The first controversy seems to rest on this position. As I argue, the arguments in support of interpretivism are contradicted by actual research practice. I conclude that the interpretivistic claims lack support and that the general separation claim appears as problematic. -/- A further debate has fueled the first controversy, that is, the supposed distinction between qualitative and quantitative methods. In Essay II, I argue against this distinction. More specifically, I discuss the concept of empirical support in the context of qualitative methods (for short, qualitative support). I provide arguments that although there are two specific and non-trivial properties of qualitative support, there is no methodological separation between quantitative and qualitative methods concerning empirical support. -/- Considered together, the first two essays indicate two points of methodological continuity between educational research and other scientific practices (such as the natural sciences). I therefore conclude that the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational research rests in large part on unjustified claims. -/- Essay III focuses on the second controversy. In this article I argue that Suárez’ inferential approach to the concept of scientific representation can be used as an account of scientific representation in learning, regardless of whether learning is understood as a cognitive or social phenomenon. -/- The third controversy is discussed in Essay IV. Here, I discuss some ontological aspects of the framework of the actor-network theory. Reflecting on the use of this framework in the research field of Networked Learning, I argue that the assumption of an ontology of relations provides the solution for two puzzles about the ontology of networks. The relevance of my argument for the third controversy is that it suggests a point of connection between constructionist and realist interpretations of the ontology of learning. -/- The last two essays suggest two points of continuities between theoretical frameworks that have been and still are argued to be incompatible. (shrink)

We undertook a short-term longitudinal study to test whether a set of methods common to current theories of wisdom transmission can foster wisdom in students in a measurable way. The three-dimensional wisdom scale (3D-WS) was administered to 131 students in five wisdom-promoting introductory philosophy courses and 176 students in seven introductory philosophy and psychology control courses at the beginning and end of the semester. The experimental group was divided in two (“Wisdom 1” and “Wisdom 2”), and each was taught a (...) distinct curriculum consistent with theories of wisdom education. Results of repeated measures MANOVA showed that over the course of the semester average 3D-WS scores decreased in the control classes, stayed the same in the Wisdom 1 classes, and increased in the Wisdom 2 classes. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a wisdom curriculum has been demonstrated to increase wisdom in a traditional higher education setting. (shrink)

This article reviews the literature on theories of wisdom pedagogy and abstracts out a single theory of how to foster wisdom in formal education. The fundamental methods of wisdom education are found to be: challenge beliefs; prompt the articulation of values; encourage self-development; encourage self-reflection; and groom the moral emotions. These five methods of wisdom pedagogy rest on two facilitating methods: read narrative or didactic texts and foster a community of inquiry. This article is companion to two further articles, one (...) on a practical wisdom curriculum and the other on a study of wisdom growth in college students. -/- . (shrink)

Extended and distributed cognition theories argue that human cognitive systems sometimes include non-biological objects. On these views, the physical supervenience base of cognitive systems is thus not the biological brain or even the embodied organism, but an organism-plus-artifacts. In this paper, we provide a novel account of the implications of these views for learning, education, and assessment. We start by conceptualising how we learn to assemble extended cognitive systems by internalising cultural norms and practices. Having a better grip on how (...) extended cognitive systems are assembled, we focus on the question: If our cognition extends, how should we educate and assess such extended cognitive systems? We suggest various ways to minimize possible negative effects of extending one’s cognition and to efficiently find and organise (online) information by adopting a virtue epistemology approach. Educational and assessment implications are foregrounded, particularly in the case of Danish students’ use of the Internet during exams. (shrink)

O livro reúne textos apresentados no II Workshop de Filosofia e Ensino, realizado na UFRGS em 2015, com a temática "Epistemologia e Currículo" -/- .

We provide a Camusian/Peircean notion of inquiry that emphasises an attitude of fallibilism and sustained epistemic dissonance as a conceptual framework for a theory of classroom practice founded on Deep Reflective Thinking (DTR), in which the cultivation of collective doubt, reflective evaluation and how these relate to the phenomenological aspects of inquiry are central to communities of inquiry. In a study by Fynes-Clinton, preliminary evidence demonstrates that if students engage in DRT, they more frequently experience cognitive dissonance and as a (...) result improve their ability to engage in further and more frequent DRT. Sustained intellectual progress occurs when the inquiry reaches a point whereby students can thoughtfully move between the position of disequilibrium (doubt) and equilibrium (belief) whilst understanding the impermanency of any fixed belief, which, in turn, enables reconstruction of thinking and appropriation of learning in the context of collaborative philosophical inquiry. (shrink)

La educación en el periodo digital en el que vivimos está alcanzando retos nunca antes vistos, precedidos por fenómenos que involucran no solamente a unidades sociales tradicionales, sino también a las nuevas comunidades virtuales; innovar es difícil, es un reto, no obstante, hay que pensar en nuevos métodos de enseñanza que impacten a la actual generación de estudiantes, los mismos que llegan con nuevas necesidades y expectativas. La construcción del conocimiento desde el sujeto y el mundo virtual que lo rodea, (...) establece la base para el desarrollo de un nuevo modelo de enseñanza, donde el salón de clase es la representación particular de un nuevo ecosistema físico-cibernético compuesto por las tres grandes dimensiones que forman parte de esta nueva convergencia tecno-social (humano – información – maquina); permitiendo una interrelación entre el estudiante, la información, la máquina y el profesor; usando métodos Biocibernéticos de influencia, control y replica, mediante el vector masivo de impacto (i); además, el desarrollo de nuevas estrategias asistidas por la cibernética y la actualización del contenido académico acorde al nuevo ambiente de enseñanza. De ahí la importancia de este estudio, el cual nos lleva a la necesidad de un nuevo modelo transformador de instrucción académica, el cual no se base en un conglomerado de herramientas tecnológicas, más establezca un nuevo modelo educativo y transformador, basado en el “pensamiento colaborativo” y la ubicuidad de la información, estableciendo así la relación entre el sujeto y objeto de estudio, permitiéndonos de esta manera establecer el nuevo paradigma educativo Biocibernético en el periodo digital. (shrink)

Education has recently been shaped by the cognitive science of memory. In turn, the science of memory has been infused by revolutionary ideas found in Wittgenstein’s works. However, the memory science presently applied to education draws mainly on traditional models that are quickly becoming outmoded; Wittgenstein’s insights have yet to be fruitfully applied, though they have helped to develop the science of memory. In this chapter, I examine three Wittgensteinian reforms in memory science as they pertain to education . First, (...) Wittgenstein has inspired a particular strain of enactive models of memory and cognition, with important implications for theories of situated learning in education. Second, researchers have begun modeling memory as public practice , which deeply informs, inter alia, fraught theoretical discussions of assessment. Third, a number of memory researchers have rejected models based on a stored trace, a fundamental, Wittgensteinian revision with broad implications for characterizations of learning. (shrink)

This paper provides insights into the pedagogy in practice of non-mainstream education through a qualitative case study of an alternative school in the context of the Israeli school system. The school’s alternative agenda is based on being isolated from mainstream education. We explore the negotiations between the school’s pedagogy and mainstream educational standards. We point to the tensions stemming from the intersections between the school’s ideals and the external context. This issue is significant for understanding the voices that affect alternative (...) education, in relation to its aspiration for autonomous practices, and the ways in which secluded practices are permeated by mainstream influences. Our findings reveal that these negotiations centre on issues relating to learning, knowledge, and assessment. Mainstream standards pass into the alternative educational schemes, creating challenges leading not to a rejection of mainstream demands but to a need to balance between the different educational approaches. The act of balancing does not negate the significance of the alternative school. On the contrary, the ability to suspend educational isolation by interacting with the surrounding educational context enables this type of alternative education to stay in touch with its radical educational agenda. (shrink)

These essays are about education, learning, rational inquiry, philosophy, science studies, problem solving, academic inquiry, global problems, wisdom and, above all, the urgent need for an academic revolution. Despite this range and diversity of topics, there is a common underlying theme. Education ought to be devoted, much more than it is, to the exploration real-life, open problems; it ought not to be restricted to learning up solutions to already solved problems - especially if nothing is said about the problems that (...) provoked the solutions in the first place. There should be much more emphasis on learning how to engage in cooperatively rational exploration of problems: even five year olds could begin to learn how to do this. A central task of philosophy ought to be to keep alive awareness of our unsolved fundamental problems - especially our most fundamental problem of all, encompassing all others: How can our human world - and the world of sentient life more generally - imbued with the experiential, consciousness, free will, meaning and value, exist and best flourish embedded as it is in the physical universe? This is both our fundamental intellectual problem and our fundamental problem of living. As far as the latter is concerned, we are at present heading towards disaster - as our immense, unsolved global problems tell us: population growth, destruction of natural habitats and rapid extinction of species, vast inequalities of wealth and power around the world, pollution of earth, sea and air, our proclivity for war, and above all global warming. If we are to resolve our conflicts and global problems more intelligently, effectively and humanely than we have managed to do so far, then we have to learn how to do it. That, in turn, requires that our institutions of learning, our universities and schools, are rationally designed and devoted to the task. At present they are not. That is the crisis behind all the others. From the past we have inherited the idea that the basic intellectual aim of inquiry ought to be to acquire knowledge. First, knowledge is to be acquired; then, secondarily, it can be applied to help solve social problems. But this is dangerously and damagingly irrational, and it is this irrationality that is, in part, responsible for the genesis of our current global problems, and our current incapacity to solve them. As a matter of supreme urgency, we need to transform academia so that it becomes rationally devoted to helping humanity learn how to make progress towards as good and wise a world as possible. This would involve putting problems of living - including global problems - at the heart of academia, problems of knowledge and technological know-how emerging out of, and feeding back into, the central task to help people tackle problems of living in increasingly cooperatively rational ways. Almost every department and aspect of academia needs to change. We need a new kind of academic inquiry devoted, not just to knowledge, but rather to wisdom - wisdom being the capacity to realize what is of value in life for oneself and others, wisdom including knowledge and technological know-how, but much else besides. So, this is what these essays seek to provoke: a concerted effort to transform our institutions of learning so that they become rationally and effectively devoted to helping us learn how to create a wiser world. With these essays before me, I can see that there is one crucial element of learning about which they say nothing - or nothing explicit. The vital role of play in learning. All mammals - or at any rate almost all mammals - learn by means of play. Cats, tigers, foxes and other predators learn to hunt by means of endless mock fights when kittens and cubs. Deer, sheep and antelope learn to escape by means of playful leaps and bounds when young. We are mammals too. Almost certainly, we learnt how to be adult human beings by means of play during the millions of years we evolved into homo sapiens living in hunting and gathering tribes. Children today, out of school, learn by means of play. Learning by means of play is almost certainly fundamental to our makeup. Education needs to exploit it. Schools and universities need to become places of play. Successful problem solving is often likely to be playful in character. The youthful Einstein called doing physics "getting up to mischief". But our most serious problems of living are so grim, so imbued with suffering, wasted lives and unnecessary death that the idea of approaching them in a playful spirit seems sacrilegious. We need to keep alive tackling of intellectual problems so that playful capacities can be exercised - if for no other reason (and other reasons there are, of course, aplenty). There are two really worthy impulses behind all rational inquiry: delight and compassion. (shrink)