This document discusses the formulation of an educational philosophy. It begins by explaining the importance of having a clear philosophy of education to guide curriculum planning and teaching approaches. It then defines philosophy and outlines three main branches: metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology. The document proceeds to explain five major philosophical positions that influence education: perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, reconstructionism, idealism, realism, pragmatism, and existentialism. It provides the key features and implications of each position. Advantages of developing a teaching philosophy are also presented. The document concludes with sample multiple choice questions.

1. MRS. ARUNA MANO
MSC (N),MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
LECTURER
GANGA COLLEGE OF NURSING
COIMBATORE

2. FORMULATION OF
PHILOSOPHY

3. OBJECTIVES:
Introduction
Definition of philosophy
Branches of philosophy
Educational philosophy
Major philosophical positions
Advantages philosophy

4. INTRODUCTION
Before we proceed further, let us ask
ourselves a question.
What insights do we gain from the
discussion on the philosophical foundations of
curriculum?
As a curriculum development is heavily
influenced by philosophy, those involved in
such planning should be clear about
contemporize, dominant philosophy.

5. INTRODUCTION
If we are unclear about philosophy of
education, our curriculum plans and teaching
procedures will tend to be inconsistent and
confused.
Further, we need to be constantly open
to new ideas and insights that may lead to a
revision or refinement of our philosophies.

6. DEFINITION
Philosophy is a statement (or set of
statements) that identifies and clarifies the beliefs,
values and understandings of an individual or group
with respect to education.
Defined in this sense, it may be thought of
as a more-or-less organized body of knowledge and
opinion on education, both as it is conceptualized
and as it is practiced.

7. DEFINITION
A philosophy of education may
influence what subjects or topics are taught, how
they are taught, and perhaps more importantly,
the supporting beliefs and values that are
taught, both implicitly and explicitly, within and
around the core curriculum.
A philosophy of this sort is critical in
defining and directing the purposes, objectives
and focus of a school.

8. THREE BRANCHES OH PHILOSOPHY:
BRANCH DEALS WITH
Metaphysics Deals with reality
epistemology Deals with knowledge
axiology Deals with values

10. PERENNIALISM:
For Perennialists, the aim of education is
to ensure that students acquire understandings
about the great ideas of Western civilization. These
ideas have the potential for solving problems in any
era.
The focus is to teach ideas that are
everlasting, to seek enduring truths which are
constant, not changing, as the natural and human
worlds at their most essential level, do not change.
Teaching these unchanging principles is critical.

11. FEATURES:
• It advocates the permanency of knowledge.
• The underlying idea is that education is
constant, absolute and universal.
• Intellectual powers.
IMPLICATIONS:
• Want to teach subjects in their separate form.
• Emphasize ability to read the classics and other
difficult materials.
• The teacher viewed an authority in a particular
discipline.

12. ESSENTIALISM:
The “essence” of a thing is
conceived as the totality of its essential
properties. Theories of essentialism differ
with respect to their conception of what it
means to say that a property is essential
to an object.
The emphasis in this conservative
perspective is on intellectual and moral
standards that schools should teach. The
core of the curriculum is essential
knowledge and skills and academic rigor.

13. FEATURES:
• It tries to instill all students with the most basic
knowledge, skills, and character development.
• Essentialists believe that students should be
taught to be a model citizen.
• Essentialists believe that teachers should teach
traditional moral values and virtues.
IMPLICATIONS:
• Teachers play a highly directive role by
disseminating information to students. According
to this viewpoint, the main arms of the institution.

14. PROGRESSIVISM:
Progressivism believe that education
should focus on the whole child, rather than on
the content or the teacher.
This educational philosophy stresses
that students should test ideas by active
experimentation. Learning is rooted in the
questions of learners that arise through
experiencing the world. It is active, not passive.

15. FEATURES:
• The emerged as a protest against perennialist thinking in
education.
• It was considered a contempory reformist movement in
educational, social and political affairs.
IMPLICATIONS:
• The skills and tools of learning include problem solving
methods and scientific enquiry.
• Learning experiences should include cooperative
behavior and self discipline, both which are important for
democratic living.
• The curriculum, thus was interdisciplinary in nature and
the teacher was seen as a guide for students in their
problem solving and scientific projects.

16. RECONSTRUCTIONISM :
It is a philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions and a quest to create
a better society and worldwide democracy.
Reconstruction educators focus on a curriculum
that highlights social reform as the aim of education.
Reconstruction and critical theorists, curriculum
focuses on student experience and taking social
action on real problems, such as violence, hunger,
international terrorism, inflation, and inequality.
Strategies for dealing with controversial issues.

17. FEATURES:
• It views education as a means of reconstructing
society.
• Before that as a school/college is attended by
virtually all youth, it must be used as a means to
shape the attitudes and values of each
generation.
IMPLICATIONS:
• As for the curriculum, it must promote new
social, economic and political education.

18. MAJOR PHILOSOPHICAL POSITIONS
IDEALISM PREGMATISM
REALISM
EXISTENTIALISM

19. IDEALISM:
In idealism, the aim of education is to
discover and develop each individual's abilities
and full moral excellence in order to better serve
society.
The curricular emphasis is subject
matter of mind: literature, history, philosophy, and
religion. 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).

20. IMPLICATIONS:
 Teachers are expected to act as a role models of
enduring values.
 Since it based on broad ideas and
 concepts, idealism is not in line with the beliefs
of those who equate learning with acquisition of
specific facts.
 Curriculum should aim as inculcation of three
spiritual values: truth, beauty and goodness.

21. REALISM:
Realists believe that reality exists
independent of the human mind.
The Realist curriculum emphasizes
the subject matter of the physical world,
particularly science and mathematics.
The teacher organizes and presents
content systematically within a discipline,
demonstrating use of criteria in making
decisions. Teaching methods focus on mastery
of facts and basic skills through demonstration
and recitation.

22. IMPLICATIONS:
• Teaching methods focus on mastery of facts and
basic skills through demonstration and
recitation.
• Students must also demonstrate the ability to
think critically and scientifically, using
observation and experimentation.
• Curriculum should be scientifically approached,
standardized, and distinct-discipline based.
Character is developed through training in the
rules of conduct.

23. PREGMATISM:
Pragmatists believe that reality is
constantly changing and that we learn best
through applying our experiences and thoughts
to problems, as they arise. The universe is
dynamic and evolving, a "becoming" view of the
world.
Different cultural and ethnic groups
learn to work cooperatively and contribute to a
democratic society. The ultimate purpose is the
creation of a new social order. Character
development is based on making group
decisions in light of consequences.

24. IMPLICATIONS:
• Curriculum should bring the disciplines together
to focus on solving problems in an
interdisciplinary way. Rather than passing down
organized bodies of knowledge to new learners,
it believe that learners should apply their
knowledge to real situations through
experimental inquiry.
• This prepares students for citizenship, daily
living, and future careers.
• teaching methods focus on hands-on problem
solving, experimenting, and projects, often
having students work in groups.

25. EXISTENTIALISM:
The nature of reality for Existentialists
is subjective, and lies within the individual. The
physical world has no inherent meaning outside
of human existence. Individual choice and
individual standards rather than external
standards are central.
Existence comes before any definition
of what we are. We define ourselves in
relationship to that existence by the choices we
make.

26. IMPLICATIONS:
• Examining life through authentic thinking
involves students in genuine learning.
• Curriculum opposed to thinking about students
as objects to be measured, tracked, or
standardized. Such educators want the
educational experience to focus on creating
opportunities for self-direction and self
actualization.
• They start with the student, rather than on
curriculum content.

27. ADVANTAGES
• Teaching philosophy has been defined as the
map, which provides directions to move ahead.
• Philosophy of education also teaches a teacher
the concept of not prejudicing the personality of
each student.
• As educators, you are required to teach
creativity, autonomy, and curiosity to all students
without compromising their intellectual levels.

28. ADVANTAGES
• The ability to think logically.
• The ability to analyze and solve problems.
• The ability to assess proposed solutions.
• The ability to write and speak clearly, attending
to details.

29. REFERENCE
• Neelam kumari (2014) “TEXT BOOK OF
COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY”
• Mukesh Chandra Sharma (2015) “TEXT BOOK
OF NURSING EDUCATION”
• k.p neeraja (2011) “TEXT BOOK OF EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY FOR NURSES”

30. QUESTIONS
multiple choice questions:
1.Which is not the nature of philosophy?
(a) It is a science of knowledge
(b) It is a collective ensemble of various viewpoints
(c) It is a planned attempt on search for the truth
(d) It is the totality of man’s creative ideas.
2.Which branch of philosophy deals with knowledge, its structure, method and
validity?
(a) Logic
(b) Aesthetics
(c) Epistemology
(d) Metaphysics.
3.Which branch of philosophy examines issues pertaining to the nature of
reality?”
(a) Ontology
(b) Metaphysics
(c) Axiology
(d) Epistemology.

31. Contd..
4.Which philosophy of education considers psychology as an incomplete study of
and an inadequate basis of educational theory?
(a) Realism
(b) Pragmatism
(c) Idealism
(d) Naturalism.
5.Who raised the slogan “Back to Nature”?
(a) Realism
(b) Pragmatism
(c) Naturalism
(d) Existentialism.