The Role Of The Teacher

Philosophy of Education Philosophy of Education Assessment Task 1Assessment Task 1

2727thth March 2006 March 2006

Evelyn, Joanna, Keith, Monique, Rachael & Samantha

Should The Teacher Be The Controller?

The Argument – The Argument –

Teacher as ControllerTeacher as Controller

V’s V’s

Teacher as FacilitatorTeacher as Facilitator

Should Behaviorism Shape Educational

Practices? YES – YES – B.F SkinnerB.F Skinner - - An influential proponent of behaviorism

and professor of psychology, critiques the concept of ‘inner freedom’ and links learning and motivation to the influence of external forces.

B.F Skinner, from Beyond Freedom and Dignity (Alfred A.Knopf, 1971)

NO – NO – Carl R. RogersCarl R. Rogers – – Professor of psychology and psychiatry offers the ‘humanistic’ alternative to behaviourism, insisting on the reality of subjective forces in human motivation.

Carl R.Rogers, from Freedom to Learn for the Eighties (Merrill, 1983)

(Noll,J. (1999). Issue 3: Should behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp.32-47 in J.Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill)

Facilitate or Control?

Facilitate

‘To make easier or less difficult’

(Macquarie Dictionary – 1985 - 3rd Edition (reprinted 2000)

Control

‘To exercise restraint or direction over; dominate, command’

(Macquarie Dictionary – 1985 - 3rd Edition (reprinted 2000)

Central Issues

ControlControl

FreedomFreedom

MotivationMotivation

Control

‘The power to influence people’s behavior or the course of events’

(Oxford Dictionary – www.askoxford.com)

Freedom

‘The power or right to act, speak or think freely’

(Oxford Dictionary – www.askoxford.com)

Motivation

An internal state which activates, directs and sustains behaviour towards

achieving a particular goal

Behaviorist Philosophy

“To promote skill development and behavioral change; Ensure compliance with standards and

societal expectations.”

Picture: (www.bfskinner.org)Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods:

a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

B.F Skinner

Behaviorist Teacher

“Manager; controller; predicts and directs learning outcomes”

Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed).. Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Behaviorism & Central Issues

Control

“Man is a machine, man is unfree, man cannot commit himself in any meaningful sense; he is

simply controlled by planned or unplanned forces outside of himself”

Carl R.Rogers, from Freedom to Learn for the Eighties (Merrill, 1983)

(Noll,J. (1999). Issue 3: Should behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp.42 in J.Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill)

Freedom

“The literature of freedom…has a simple objective…to induce people to act to free

themselves from various kinds of intentional control”

B.F Skinner, from Beyond Freedom and Dignity (Alfred A.Knopf, 1971)

(Noll,J. (1999). Issue 3: Should behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp.38 in J.Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-

Hill)

Motivation

“When a bit of behavior is followed by a certain kind of consequence, it is more likely to occur again, and

the consequence having this effect is called a reinforcer”

B.F Skinner, from Beyond Freedom and Dignity (Alfred A.Knopf, 1971)

(Noll,J. (1999). Issue 3: Should behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp. 34 in J.Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill)

Behaviorist Pros

• Outcomes are standardised

• Students are better behaved

• Assessment and feedback

• Productive aversive control (positive reinforcement)

Behaviorist Pros

• Focus on facts

• Textbook is followed for structure

• Classes are very structured and tend to finish on time

• Control for the benefit of the students

Behaviorist Cons

• Negative aversive control (negative reinforcement)

• Control for controller’s sake/power’s sake

• Students are not treated as individuals

• Indoctrination

Behaviorist Cons• Students are forced to work and may lose motivation

• May discourage students

• The students have no responsibility for their own learning

• Some students could be left behind

• Focus on facts. No questioning.

Humanist Philosophy

“To enhance personal growth and development; to facilitate self actualization.”

Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Picture: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-rogers.htm

Carl.R Rogers

Humanist Teacher

“Facilitator; helper; partner; promotes but does not direct learning”

Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Humanism & Central Issues

Control

“Even with a process based curricular focus; the humanistic teacher can only offer material and

opportunities to the student. They cannot require the student to do anything; they can only

suggest.”

www.http://home.okstate.edu/homepages.nsf/toc/EPSY5213Reading1

Freedom

“Man is subjectively free; his personal choice and responsibility account for the shape of his life; he is

in fact the architect of himself.”

Carl R.Rogers, from Freedom to Learn for the Eighties (Merrill, 1983)

(Noll,J. (1999). Issue 3: Should behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp.42 in J.Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill)

Motivation

“Learner is highly motivated and self-directed”

Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Humanism Pros

• Students are highly motivated.

• Allows children to be naturally inquisitive.

• Supports children's interests.

• Responsible for own learning.

• Students feel empowered.

Humanism Cons• Students could become easily distracted

• Outcomes are not standardised.

• Classes not structured.

• Outcomes can be left behind in pursuit of students own interests.

• Difficult for teacher to assess students and give feedback about performance in relation to other students.

Progressive Philosophy

John Dewey

“To promote societal well-being; enhance individual effectiveness in society; to give learners practical problem solving skills.”

Picture: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-dewey.htmZinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed).

Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Progressive Teacher

“Organiser; guides learning through experiences that are educative; stimulates; instigates and

evaluates learning process.”

Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 72-73 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

Progressivism & Central Issues

Control

“Constraint and regulation are almost entirely absent with the child in control of the learning

experience expressing their natural curiosity and having the teacher support that curiosity”

Symes.C & Preston.N (1997). Schools and classrooms. A cultural studies analysis of education. Ch 4 p70. 2nd Edition. Longman.

Freedom

“Liberty is not just an idea, and abstract principle. It is power, effective power to do specific

things”

Dewey, J., (1940) Education Today. P316. New York: G P Putnam’s Sons

Motivation

Comes from within but is encouraged and followed up by the teacher allowing the pursuit

of the inner curiosity.

Progressive Pros

• Learner needs, interests and experiences are key elements in learning

• Students do not compete against each other, the focus is on group work instead

• Enhances the students individual effectiveness within the society

• Provides students with practical knowledge and problem solving skills

Progressive Cons

• Unstandardised outcomes - hard to assess actual progress of students

• Does the student know what’s best for them?

• “To promote societal well-being" is a very subjective term

• Traditional academic disciplines are often overlooked because they are not "hands-on"

Scenario

• You are the teacher of about 25 children. Three of these children, when together, bounce off each other’s personalities and they create a

disturbance of the atmosphere you are trying to create in the classroom.

• One of these children has a mild case of autism and does not respond to discipline. Another responds to discipline. The last child thinks

discipline is humorous.

Task

Respond/discuss the situation and how you would alleviate it from a

behaviorist/humanist/progressive

approach

Discussion

1. According to your view, (behaviorist, humanist, progressivist), what is of value to you in this scenario?

2. Why do you have those values? What makes you choose them?

3. How does your action in this scenario provide evidence of the values you have chosen?

4. As a group did you agree with the particular philosophy that was given to you?

Is a Middle Position Possible?

“Each approach contains within it values and purposes that are useful & appropriate in

certain teaching situations, as well as being morally preferable in some instances”

(Fenstermacher, G. & Stolis, J (1992). Approaches to Teaching. 2nd Edition. New York: Teachers College Press - Chapter 1, Page 5)

References • Carpenter, F. (1974). The Skinner Primer: Behind Freedom and Dignity. New York: The

Free Press, A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

• Dewey, J., (1940) Education Today. New York: G P Putnam’s Sons

• Dewey, J., (1967). Democracy and Education. Canada: Collier-Macmillan

• Fernstermacher, G. & Soltis, J. (1992). Approaches to teaching. (2nd edition). New York: Teachers College Press. (Chapter 1: Approaches to teaching, pp1 – 5).

• Noll, J. (1999). Issue 3: Should Behaviorism shape educational practices? Pp32 – 47 in J. Noll (Ed). Taking sides. Clashing views on controversial educational issues. (10th edition). Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.

References • The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (2004). World Book, Inc.

• Worrel, J. & Nelson, C. M. (1974)., Managing Instructional Problems: A Case Study Workbook. McGraw-Hill Book Company.

• Zinn, L. (2004). Exploring your philosophical orientation. Pp 39 – 74 in M.Galbraith (Ed). Adult learning methods: a guide for effective instruction. Malabar (Florida): Krieger Publishing Company

• Symes.C & Preston.N (1997). Schools and classrooms. A cultural studies analysis of education. Ch 4 p70. 2nd Edition. Longman.

• Macquarie Dictionary. 1985.3rd Edition.Reprinted 2000. Macquarie Library.

• Oxford Dictionary – www.askoxford.com. Oxford University Press, 2006.

• www.http://home.okstate.edu/homepages.nsf/toc/EPSY5213Reading1