The learning processes for both adults and children have similarities although adults are more focused at learning and absorbing information much faster than children. Adults come with responsibilities and experiences that help them learn faster. They are self-motivated, goal-oriented, and self-directed, thus, the approach to teaching adults should be a lot more different (QOTFC). This is where educational philosophy comes in which is composed of several ideologies that characterize what schools are expected to be and do. This paper will touch on the various educational philosophies and aspects relating the concepts to adult education.
Classifications of Educational Philosophy
Perennialism is the most traditional educational philosophy, which believes that the purpose of education is to teach ideas that are never-ending and constant considering that at the most basic level, the natural world does not change as well (“Educational Philosophies”). The challenge is on teaching humans these unchanging principles because humans are rational beings, thus the need to develop the human minds (“Perennialism”). What perennialists believe is that “reality is a world of reason” (“Five Educational Philisophies”). They believe that educational curriculums must focus on subjects that teach students about truths and rationality, where the teacher provides all the information and the student is a passive listener. Therefore, teachers must bring out the knowledge that is inherently in the minds of the students so that students move to new levels of awareness.
Idealism is one of the oldest schools of thought when it comes to educational philosophies. The concept about idealism is that idea is real. Despite occurring only on the minds of individuals, it is that what occurs in the conscious mind that is true and not only the physical objects that is associated with the idea that is real. For idealists, the physical manifestation of the idea does not completely represent reality, but rather it is an expression of a greater force or a spirit. Even if the physical materialization of the idea is destroyed or changed, the spirit or force behind it is not. In addition, for idealist, teachers must possess a model-like behavior that students can emulate, while students play a passive role as they collect information and memorize the what the teacher shares (“Five Educational Philosophies”).
Realism pertains to the physical manifestation of ideas and where truth is the equivalent of what is observable. Laws and order of nature are very important concepts in a realistic educational set up, where subjects are more focused on what is current, the now, or the present. There is less talk about what could be or ideas with no concrete, observable facts. The teacher imparts knowledge about an observable reality, the students are passive participants in the set up (“Five Educational Philosophies”).
Existentialism is the belief that there is a “core of knowledge that needs to be transmitted to students in a systematic, disciplined way” (“Five Educational Philosophies”), such as knowledge, skills, and rigid academic disciplines. Existentialism has similarities with perennialism, except that for existentialists, the core disciplines and curriculum may change. Existentialists believe that students must be trained to read, speak, write, and develop their minds to think logically. Apart from these basic disciplines, students must also be taught how discipline, respect for authority, and hardwork.
Experimentalism is the belief that anything can be learned as long as the individual experiences the situation. For existentialists, education must be a study of social issues and thus, people must be taught how to think, process, critically evaluate a situation, and solve problems. Believers of this doctrine believe that idealism and realism may have worked in the past, but may not necessarily apply to the present times, because existentialists are open to change and always finds ways on how to improve society. In this set up, students are not mere receivers of information but engage themselves in discussions with the teacher. As such, group dynamics is highly favored unlike in the other types of philosophies where learning is more an individual matter (Hlebowitsh).
Personal Adult Educational Philosophy
Knowledge is available everywhere and it is highly important for individuals to be able to distinguish which information is worth pursuing or not. Like children, adults’ quest for knowledge is unending, thus, the teacher’s role is to help keep the minds of learners active and processing new ideas (Russel).
A teacher’s role in the educative process is important as the teacher helps in determining the learning environment, whether it will be one that is conducive to learning or not. It is the teacher’s role to help bring out what is already in adult learners’ mind – all those information collected since the birth of the individual. Thus, the leaning process is a collaborative one where the teacher encourages the students to think and process information, as well as express their opinions. Adult education is a continuing process and as long as the adult is able to think well, the quest for knowledge will always be there. This is because humans, consciously or unconsciously, will always strive to attain a higher level of existence.
Development of My Personal Adult Educational Philosophy
My personal belief is that adults, like children, are always hungry for knowledge. Thus, I am a supporter of both existentialism and experimentalism philosophies. My belief is that adults learn faster when they experience a situation that further adds to the quality of their lives. Similar to existentialists, I agree that there is a need to teach about core knowledge in order to have a set standard in society that will help determine what is acceptable learning or not. However, I believe that aside from the core knowledge, it is also important that learners understand there are norms that society needs to follow, thus, this is where other competencies enter – responsibility, respect, discipline, organization, and coordination, among others. In addition, I am also a supporter of the experimentalism ideology because I believe that people can easily remember important situations when they have a first-hand experience of the event. This is crucial because through experiences, a person’s character is further developed, thus, the individual must learn to decipher what the situation is about and how to address it.
I do not see any conflicts in my views because in these modern times, humans experience all kinds of events and situations that did not occur in the past. Thus, it is crucial that we understand how to process the situation. Even if an individual does not experience a particular event, knowing someone who has undergone a similar situation and the actions that individual did to resolve the issue, is already a good learning experience for others.
For now, I do not think that I will change my point of view when it comes to educational philosophies and adult learning because among the philosophies mentioned earlier, I find experimentalism and existentialism the more realistic among the philosophies. Aside from that, I have been practicing them for years already and the philosophies have helped me a lot during times I needed to make crucial decisions.
How Educational Philosophies Change or Affect My Practice in Teaching Adults
The philosophies I adhere to, existentialism and experimentalism, will only make my interaction with adult learners easier and faster. At this point, adult learners already have in them the basic or core knowledge that will help them understand lessons easily. They are more concerned about learning more information at a faster pace in the hope that they can apply the theories in their everyday lives. They already have with them a wealth of experiences and vast responsibilities, thus, they are individually unique and are self-motivated, goal-oriented, and self-directed (Kenner & Weinerman, 2011, p.88).
Adults learn through various styles, including the use of images, body language, and facial expressions. Some adult learners respond well depending on how they “hear” the lesson, such as the tone and pitch of the speaker’s voice. It also helps them learn more when they take down notes during discussions (Rakap, 2010, p.109). Still, there are those who rely mainly on experience and movement in order to fully grasp the lesson, meaning, the more hands on experience they have, the better they are able to retain information ("Principles of Adult Learning & Instructional Systems Design", p. 2). These adults are more inclined to involve themselves in the learning process to help them define their goals openly and easily. These characteristics also help them use their education, personal and work experiences, responsibilities, and relationships to be able to relate their learning to their lives (“Learning Styles and Learning Theory”).
Personal Experience while Completing this Task
At first, it was quite difficult for me to begin the task because of the overwhelming amount of information available pertaining educational philosophies. During the course of my research, I gained a lot of additional knowledge about the various types of educational philosophies that I began to understand which among them applied to my personal style and beliefs. From that moment on, I began to have a deeper appreciation of what I am doing as a teacher as my teaching methods and styles were gradually being validated by the educational philosophies.
In addition, the exercise has made me realize that there are other ways I can help adult students learn faster and easier. By tapping on their innate sense of curiosity, I can give them activities that will further hone their creativity in finding information, experiencing new lessons through observation and actual hand on experiences, and more. I can provide them with in-house visits to companies that provide the product or service we are discussing or make use of additional materials that will keep them interested and stimulated in class. I will take advantage of group discussions and activities so that they learn from each others’ experiences.
Now, I am more excited and look forward to more discussions with my students because this activity not only opened my eyes about knowledge that adult learners need, but also my needs as an educator myself and how I can transfer my own knowledge to my students. Overall, the task served as a springboard to improve not only my students but myself as well.
References
“Educational Philosophies.” (1999). Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP3.html
“Five educational philosophies.” (n.d.). Philosophies. Retrieved from http://gradcourses.rio.edu/leaders/philosophies.htm
Helebowitsh, P. S. (2006). “John Dewey and the idea of experimentalism.” Education and Culture 22 (1). Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/eac/summary/v022/22.1hlebowitsh.html
Kenner, C., & Weinerman, J. (2011). Adult learning theory: Applications to non-traditional students. Journal of College Reading and Learning 41(2). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ926365.pdf
"Learning styles and learning theory." (n.d.). JCU Workplace Educators Resource Package. Retrieved from http://www.jcu.edu.au/wiledpack/modules/fsl/JCU_090463.html
“Perennialism”. (n.d.) Foundations of Education. Retrieved from http://www.siue.edu/~ptheodo/foundations/perennialism.html
"Principles of adult learning & instructional systems design." (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/downloads/freebies/172/PR%20Pre-course%20Reading%20Assignment.pdf
Queensland Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Collaborative[QOTFC]. (2007). “Adult learning theory and principles.” Retrieved from http://www.qotfc.edu.au/resource/?page=65375
Rakap, S. (2010). Impacts of learning styles and computer skills on adult students' learning online. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 9(2). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ898008.pdf
Russel, S. S., (n.d.). An overview of adult learning processes. Medscape Today News. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/547417
