Being a Teacher in Singapore A Designer & A Critical Thinker

Tutorial 2 The Professionals in Education Philosophical Refections – Key Ideas Herbert A Simon (Chp 9) Jurgen Habermas (Chp 8) Implications As Designers As Critical Thinkers

Philosophical Refections – Key Ideas

Herbert A Simon (Chp 9)

Jurgen Habermas (Chp 8)

Implications

As Designers

As Critical Thinkers

Herbert A Simon 2 Schools of Thought School of Natural Science – the teaching and learning about how natural things are and work School of Science of Design – how things should be

School of Natural Science – the teaching and learning about how natural things are and work

School of Science of Design – how things should be

Herbert A Simon Education as Science of Design Design is the core of all professional training Schools are all centrally concerned with the process of design Science of design hints at the discovery of how things should be

Design is the core of all professional training

Schools are all centrally concerned with the process of design

Science of design hints at the discovery of how things should be

Herbert A Simon Science of Design Educators as designers must be open to Satisfice – reach a solution that is generally acceptable but which may not be the theoretical best Style – consider differences in style, give freedom to design and allow designers to choose the way to go Self-constitution – give free choice to students; draw out the gift of himself; discover himself Communal-constitution – be a member of the collective group; collaborate freely

Educators as designers must be open to

Satisfice – reach a solution that is generally acceptable but which may not be the theoretical best

Style – consider differences in style, give freedom to design and allow designers to choose the way to go

Self-constitution – give free choice to students; draw out the gift of himself; discover himself

Communal-constitution – be a member of the collective group; collaborate freely

Herbert A Simon Science of Design Ethics to help them acknowledge the need, and also recognise the opportunity for finding and discovering themselves (nurture potential) to reason logically about factual truths and their relations and to judge suitable means to a given end (reasoning)

Ethics

to help them acknowledge the need, and also recognise the opportunity for finding and discovering themselves (nurture potential)

to reason logically about factual truths and their relations and to judge suitable means to a given end (reasoning)

Herbert A Simon Science of Design 3. to let intelligence’s direction lead towards choiceworthy ends (decision-making) 4. to alert students of reason’s direction to avoid bad-forms of self-constitution through choices that reason prohibit (moral values)

3. to let intelligence’s direction lead towards choiceworthy ends (decision-making)

4. to alert students of reason’s direction to avoid bad-forms of self-constitution through choices that reason prohibit (moral values)

Herbert A Simon Implications –Nurture Creativity Educators (designers) must communicate the rationale which guide the design process. They must be open to satisfice for a variety of possible & permissable design solutions instead of optimising for a best design solution. They are free to choose to craft their final design & discuss themselves in the process of design. They should support their students’ authentic self-constitution by supplying a context of freedom and alerting them against irrational thoughts. They guide communal constitution in a democratic way towards a collective decision

Educators (designers) must communicate the rationale which guide the design process.

They must be open to satisfice for a variety of possible & permissable design solutions instead of optimising for a best design solution.

They are free to choose to craft their final design & discuss themselves in the process of design.

They should support their students’ authentic self-constitution by supplying a context of freedom and alerting them against irrational thoughts.

They guide communal constitution in a democratic way towards a collective decision

Herbert A Simon As Designers How are you a “designer” in Education? What do you design?

How are you a “designer” in Education?

What do you design?

Herbert A Simon As Designers 3. Show examples of your “designs” as a A) Teacher B) Student C) Principal D) Minister Use the resources provided to express your designs: rationale (why), plans (what) & processes (How)

3. Show examples of your “designs” as a

A) Teacher

B) Student

C) Principal

D) Minister

Use the resources provided to express your designs: rationale (why), plans (what) & processes (How)

Jurgen Habermas Critical Theory The quest for human freedom and emancipation where human beings are free to participate in the democratic process & to transform their social conditions The primary goal is to enlighten and emancipate human persons from forces of ideological beliefs or consciousness that are false

The quest for human freedom and emancipation where human beings are free to participate in the democratic process & to transform their social conditions

The primary goal is to enlighten and emancipate human persons from forces of ideological beliefs or consciousness that are false

Jurgen Habermas Reconstruct of the Critical Theory Replace the paradigm of consciousness (knowing) with the paradigm of communication Shift from struggles with classes (of people) to struggles with crisis (situations)

Replace the paradigm of consciousness (knowing) with the paradigm of communication

Shift from struggles with classes (of people) to struggles with crisis (situations)

Jurgen Habermas Theory of Communicative Action Habermas conceptualises society as constituted at two levels The life world (people & their perceptions) preconscious and taken-for-granted presuppositions, understandings and perceptual filters that determine how people experience reality (prejudices) impenetrable, inaccessible & unknowable because it is essentially pre-reflective and vast with an incalculable web of background assumptions employed by human agents in moments of communication (pre-conceived)

Habermas conceptualises society as constituted at two levels

The life world (people & their perceptions)

preconscious and taken-for-granted presuppositions, understandings and perceptual filters that determine how people experience reality (prejudices)

impenetrable, inaccessible & unknowable because it is essentially pre-reflective and vast with an incalculable web of background assumptions employed by human agents in moments of communication (pre-conceived)

Jurgen Habermas Theory of Communicative Action Intersubjective – that is, representing a set of shared meanings which make it possible for people to communicate with each other (opportunities & possibilities)

Intersubjective – that is, representing a set of shared meanings which make it possible for people to communicate with each other (opportunities & possibilities)

Jurgen Habermas Theory of Communicative Action The system (operations) regulates social relations “only via money and power” employs self-interested strategic action outcomes are reached by influencing opponents’ definition of the situation through external means such as weapons or goods, threats or sentiments

The system (operations)

regulates social relations “only via money and power”

employs self-interested strategic action

outcomes are reached by influencing opponents’ definition of the situation through external means such as weapons or goods, threats or sentiments

Jurgen Habermas Theory of Communicative Action In modern capitalist and bureaucratic societies, the lifeworld has become “colonised” by the system where the system imperatives of money and power have invaded or penetrated the lifeworld and thus become the predominant influence on people’s behaviour, morality, ethics and rationality.

In modern capitalist and bureaucratic societies, the lifeworld has become “colonised” by the system where the system imperatives of money and power have invaded or penetrated the lifeworld and thus become the predominant influence on people’s behaviour, morality, ethics and rationality.

Jurgen Habermas Case of lifeworld “colonised” by system When school teachers’ and leaders’ individual and collective actions are primarily motivated and determined by the key performance indicators set up by the education ministry along with the benefits or reprisals of the appraisal system, the lifeworld can be said to be “colonised” by the system. In this case the school teachers and leaders no longer seek to enter into a dialogue or debate and consensual agreement on matters and issues pertaining to the purposes of education and the means of achieving them.

When school teachers’ and leaders’ individual and collective actions are primarily motivated and determined by the key performance indicators set up by the education ministry along with the benefits or reprisals of the appraisal system, the lifeworld can be said to be “colonised” by the system.

In this case the school teachers and leaders no longer seek to enter into a dialogue or debate and consensual agreement on matters and issues pertaining to the purposes of education and the means of achieving them.

Jurgen Habermas Need for Communicative Action The colonisation of the lifeworld leads to crises in the system in the form of pathologies (illnesses), alienation and loss of meaning, which will inadvertently disrupt the successful functioning of the system. Preserving the lifeworld would therefore mean the need for communicative action where human agents enter into a rationally mutual understanding to reach consensual action.

The colonisation of the lifeworld leads to crises in the system in the form of pathologies (illnesses), alienation and loss of meaning, which will inadvertently disrupt the successful functioning of the system.

Preserving the lifeworld would therefore mean the need for communicative action where human agents enter into a rationally mutual understanding to reach consensual action.

Jurgen Habermas Communicative Action In communicative-oriented action or universal pragmatics, human agents are constantly and inevitably engaged in the assessment or evaluation of validity claims made by participants.

In communicative-oriented action or universal pragmatics, human agents are constantly and inevitably engaged in the assessment or evaluation of validity claims made by participants.

Challenges Faced by Schools As Critical Thinkers What do you understand by the following issues? Give an example to illustrate each controversy. Diversity versus Uniformity Autonomy versus Control Innovation versus Conservatism Equity versus Elitism

What do you understand by the following issues? Give an example to illustrate each controversy.

Diversity versus Uniformity

Autonomy versus Control

Innovation versus Conservatism

Equity versus Elitism

Challenges Faced by Schools Diversity versus Uniformity Vision of TSLN is economy driven Although students are given the choice over the type of school, programme and subjects to take, the syllabi must be approved by MOE

Diversity versus Uniformity

Vision of TSLN is economy driven

Although students are given the choice over the type of school, programme and subjects to take, the syllabi must be approved by MOE

Challenges Faced by Schools Autonomy versus Control Autonomy does not mean that they are free from central control School Excellence Model (SEM) and School Achievement Tables are means to exert control over education outcomes

Autonomy versus Control

Autonomy does not mean that they are free from central control

School Excellence Model (SEM) and School Achievement Tables are means to exert control over education outcomes

Challenges Faced by Schools Innovation versus Conservatism Singapore brand of leadership is seen as too “risk-averse” (Long, 2004) Innovative programs will remain fairly superficial if schools still rely on academic performance

Innovation versus Conservatism

Singapore brand of leadership is seen as too “risk-averse” (Long, 2004)

Innovative programs will remain fairly superficial if schools still rely on academic performance

Challenges Faced by Schools Equity versus Elitism Students possess different socio-economic and cultural capital Students from higher-income and English-speaking families tend to cluster in elite schools (Kuek, 2007)

Equity versus Elitism

Students possess different socio-economic and cultural capital

Students from higher-income and English-speaking families tend to cluster in elite schools (Kuek, 2007)

Jurgen Habermas Implications Policy makers’ primary concern is the efficient and effective implementation of educational reforms Teachers perceive the tool of implementation is useless, yet they are still constrained to carry out the implementation because of control mechanism.

Policy makers’ primary concern is the efficient and effective implementation of educational reforms

Teachers perceive the tool of implementation is useless, yet they are still constrained to carry out the implementation because of control mechanism.

Give your perspectives on these Initiatives Launch of Thinking Schools Learning Nation (TSLN) in 1997 Thinking Schools: Teach Less Learn More (TLLM) Learning Nation: Lifelong Learning More autonomy given to schools to innovate Strengthening of National Education (NE) Ability-Driven Education (ADE) MOE Initiatives – Teachers’ Views

Give your perspectives on these Initiatives

Launch of Thinking Schools Learning Nation (TSLN) in 1997

Thinking Schools: Teach Less Learn More (TLLM)

Learning Nation: Lifelong Learning

More autonomy given to schools to innovate

Strengthening of National Education (NE)

Ability-Driven Education (ADE)

Jurgen Habermas Discourse Ethics for an “ideal” speech situation Every speaker can state what he believes Anyone who disagrees must give a reason for it Everyone with the competence is allowed to take part Everyone is allowed to question any assertion Everyone is allowed to introduce any assertion No one will be prevented from excercising his rights

Every speaker can state what he believes

Anyone who disagrees must give a reason for it

Everyone with the competence is allowed to take part

Everyone is allowed to question any assertion

Everyone is allowed to introduce any assertion

No one will be prevented from excercising his rights

Give your perspectives on these Initiatives Launch of Thinking Schools Learning Nation (TSLN) in 1997 Thinking Schools: Teach Less Learn More (TLLM) Learning Nation: Lifelong Learning More autonomy given to schools to innovate Strengthening of National Education (NE) Ability-Driven Education (ADE) MOE Initiatives – Teachers’ Views

Give your perspectives on these Initiatives

Launch of Thinking Schools Learning Nation (TSLN) in 1997

Thinking Schools: Teach Less Learn More (TLLM)

Learning Nation: Lifelong Learning

More autonomy given to schools to innovate

Strengthening of National Education (NE)

Ability-Driven Education (ADE)

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