idealism and education

1. Jayanti Sharma
MN 1st year
PNC

2. Objectives
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At the end of this session participants will be able to:
 explain idealism
 state fundamental principle
 state principle of education
 identify aim of education
 list different method of teaching
 describe role of teacher, student, school, discipline
 critique the philosophy.
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3. What is Idealism ?
 Old system of philosophy.
 It was given by Plato.
 Its origin goes back to ancient India
in the East, and to Plato in the West.
 Derived from two distinct sources-the ideas and
the ideal
 Ideas are the only reality. The only thing worth
knowing.
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4. Continue…
 Material world do not really exist. For the idealist,
there is no external reality and the word is consist
of ideas.
 Gives most importance to mind and self then the
matter and body.
 Give importance to spiritual values-truth, goodness
and beauty ‘’Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram’’
 Attainment of perfection of human being, search for
truth (spirit).
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5. Exponents of Idealism
Indian
 Vedic Rishis
 Rabindranath Tagore
 M.K. Gandhi
 Swami Vivekananda
 Swami Dayananda
Saraswati
 Aurobindo Ghosh
 Radhakrishnan
Western
 Socrates
 Plato
 Augustine
 René Descartes
 George Berkeley Froebel
 David Hume
 Immanuel Kant
 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Hegel
 Josiah Royce
 Descartes
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6. Exponents
Socrates
 Born: 470 B.C.E.
 Death: 399 B.C.E. (aged approximately 71)
 Cause of death: suicide by poisoning
Plato
 Born:427 B.C.E.
 Death: 347 B.C.E.
 Student of Socrates
 Plato, father of Idealism,
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7. Definitions of Idealism
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 ‘‘Idealistic philosophy takes many varied forms but the
postulates underlying all is that mind or spirit is the
essential world stuff that is true reality is of a mental
character.’’
- J.S.
Ross
 ‘‘An idealistic philosophy of education is an account of
man finding himself as an integral part of universe
of mind.’’
- Horne
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8. Fundamental Principles of
Idealism
 This universe is created by God.
 Spiritual world is superior to material world.
 Man is the best creation of the world.
 Ultimate aim of human life is self-realization.
 Truth, goodness and beauty is essential for self
realization.
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9. Idealism as a Philosophy of
Education
 Plato made education the core of his best state in
his famous book, The Republic.
 Augustine gave extensive attention to the need for
Christians to become aware of the importance of
education.
 Kant and Hegel wrote about education or referred
to it a great deal in their writings.
 More recent idealists have tried systematically to
apply idealist principles to the theory and practice of
education.
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10. Principles of Education
 Education is based on spiritualism
 It emphasizes mental capacities
 Teachers and curriculum are the center of
education
 Emphasizes book learning
 Both individual and society are valued
 It is a definite and specific ideology
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11. Aims of Education
In idealism, the ultimate aim of education is to
discover and develop each individual's abilities.
 Develop natural self with physical and mental
development Individual growth through processes,
experience and problem solving
 Develop social self with culture, moral and
character development and apply practical
knowledge and skills for life in a progressive
democratic society.
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12. Aim continue…
 Intellectual self development with reasoning
power
 Spiritual development
 Self realization or exaltation of personality
 Realization of truth, goodness and beauty
 Conservation promotion and transmission of
cultural heritage.
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13. Curriculum
Intellectual
activities
Moral activities Aesthetic
activities
Mathematics Theology Art
Language Ethics Music
Literature Spiritual topics
History
Science
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14. Methods of Teaching
1. Idealistic have not adopted any specific and definite
method of teaching
2. They advocate many methods. Thus, they think
themselves as creators of methods.
3. Teaching methods focus on handling ideas through
lecture, discussion, and Socratic dialogue (a method of
teaching that uses questioning to help students
discover and clarify knowledge).
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15. Continue…
Idealists prescribe the following methods of teaching
 Question answers - Socrates
 Conversation- Plato
 Logical – Hegal
 Practice and repetition method- Pestalozzi
 Inductive and deductive methods – Aristotle
 Kindergarten (play-way method) – Froebel
 Instruction - Herbart
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16. Continue…
 Lecture method is considered the most important
one in which a delivers lecture.
 Students listen to the teacher (teacher-centered
approach).
 The Socratic Method in which the teacher involves
the students in learning activities (student-centered
approach)
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17. Role of Teacher
 Supreme and important place of teacher
 Spiritual guide, role model
 Teacher helps in moral and spiritual development
 Teacher is center of education process
 In Hindu idealism, teacher has been considered
equal to 3 Gods, Tri-Dev.
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18. ‘‘The teacher is just like a
gardener who works in a
garden in order to bring about
the growth of plants’’
- Froebel
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19. Role of Student
 Passive
 Receiving and memorizing the lecture of the
teacher
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20. Discipline
 Idealism advocates discipline at all costs
 Idealism believes in inner discipline.
 Freedom of child should be restricted.
 Human behavior should have internal control
rather than external one like praise and punishment
 Emphasizes impressionistic (self discipline)
discipline
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21. “FREEDOM IS CRY OF
NATRURLISTS, WHILE
DISCIPLINE IS THAT OF
IDEALIST”
-Thomas & Lang
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22. School
 According to idealism, students come into contact
with ideal teachers in school and get the education of
high ideals.
 School is a miniature society
 Gives the child balance and genuine experience in
preparation for life democratic living
 Place where ideas are tested, implemented and
restructured
 School is the only place for regular and effective
education
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23. limitations of Idealism in
Education.
 The spiritualist theory of spiritual universe is not
considered to be in consonance with the scientific
research today.
 Idealistic concepts like ‘spirit’, ‘mind’, ‘soul’, the
‘cosmos’ have little relevance in classroom
teaching.
 The idealistic education stresses on imitation of
models but younger generation prefers invention
and originally rather than imitation.
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24. Continue…
 Too much emphasis on good manners and modesty
may be mistaken for diffidence.
 Emphasis in gaining knowledge is likely to turn
educational institutions. School curricula becomes
overloaded with obsolete knowledge sometimes.
 Idealistic scheme of education pays less attention
to physical, industrial, social and electronic
environment of today.
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25. Summary
1. Moral education
2. Integrated curriculum
3. Believe in enteral values
4. Emphasis on self discipline
5. Proper place given to teacher
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27. 27
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28. References
 Singh,I.(2011),essential of education,ISBN 99946-
993-1-8
 https://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html#:~:te
xt=In
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338829212_
IDEALISM_AND_ITS_IMPLICATION_TO_EDUCATI
ON
 https://optimistminds.com/idealism-in-education/
 https://www.academia.edu/34558188/Idealism_Realis
m_and_Pragmatism_in_Education?email_work_card
=view-paper
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