My Philosophy on Education
My Philosophy of Education
This is an introduction of my philosophy of adult education. It focuses on four areas. These areas are reflection on lived experiences, philosophical perspectives, future implications for professional practice and creative expression of my philosophy. Reflections are based on experiential learning; philosophical orientation is arrived at through examination of philosophy of adult education inventory (Galbraith 2004)
Reflection on Lived Experience
I am a radical self motivated individual whose core belief and value is that education is the key to individual success and social change. It is important that one values who he or she is and live and work towards the best he or she can be. Experiential learning has an impact on my social development and well being. Lived experiences shape individuals’ character and involve experiencing, reflecting, generalizing, applying and experiencing (Smith 2001, 2010). An experience which may be Houles direct encounter (Smith 2001, 2010), active participation, or conceptualized ideas will be followed by reflection, which engages a process of critical thinking. This is then followed by application which involves problem-solving and then further reflection resulting in a new experience resulting in lifelong learning.
A key event that influenced development of my core belief and value is the loss of a loved one that resulted in a need to survive. I was motivated to believe in myself, to create my own values, and to be the best I could. Decision making was in my hands. After critically assessing situations problem-solving process was next. Education seemed to be the way out. The thought of knowing is a concept that everyone should strive towards. Knowledge, understanding and application are vital to progress.
My philosophical perspective has not changed much over the years at times it seem to stagger towards humanistic perspective. My thoughts and attitude at times revolve around the need to enhance personal growth and development and a distinct need for self actualization. I am intrinsically motivated, self directed and takes responsibility for my learning. Maslow’s motivational theory, Knowles’s theory of self directed learning and Freires theory of adult learning seems to be driving forces for my philosophical perspective, both the major radical and the minor humanistic. Over the years my philosophical perspectives have evolved from the stage of making radical bold decisions to meet basic physiological and social needs indentified by Maslow to embarking on the path of self actualization. A career in education seemed to have been a reasonable choice due to my conviction that education is the key to self actualization. Knowing is important to sustainable development.
Present Philosophy of Education
My philosophical orientation for adult education is radical and aligned to social change in education. Both teacher and learner should be actively involved in the teaching learning process. Emphasis is placed on social transformation. The critical-thinking, problem solving and reflection are basis for education (Galbraith 2004).
This philosophical orientation impacts my learning in the sense that I learn best through reflection, experimentation, and exploration which allows opportunity for critical thinking and problem solving. It is extended to my work environment. As a teacher as I use techniques that allow students to think critically, explore, and experiment in order to solve specific problems. When teaching design concepts, students are encouraged to manipulate design element and principles to produce designs for specific purposes. In social interaction I tend to believe that there is no one way or specific right or wrong way to solving-problems and therefore often times make drastic decisions taking chances as necessary and leading the change. (Smith 2001, 2010)
Of the theories that provide foundational framework for my current philosophy; Maslow’s motivational theory, Knowles theory of adult learning and Freire’s theory of self directed learning, Freire’s self directed learning theory is the main theory. The concept of freedom also applies to the radical adult education perspective.
The primary purpose of adult education is to facilitate students’ development, make them aware of the need for social change and to help them to make the change to acquire knowledge and skills needed to function effectively socially, and effect social change (Zinn 2004 in Galbraith 2004). Teacher or facilitator’s role is to guide learners to acquisition of knowledge and provide opportunities for skills development and application of knowledge to effect positive social change. Other roles of the teacher and facilitator are to provide leadership, support and guidance (Maslin-Ostrowski & Ackerman 2004 in Galbraith 2004), provide ethical and moral guide (Pratt 2004 in Galbraith2004).
In my current practice of teacher education radical philosophical perspective and humanistic philosophical perspective are observed. Learners are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning. They are provided with opportunities to do so by use of specific teaching styles and assessment techniques.
Future Implications for Professional Practice
Global trends in adult education and in visual art education include and inches on online teaching and learning and advance instructional, information and visual technology. This is a rapidly growing phenomenon and a radical and aggressive developmental change. The impact this has on my philosophical orientation is positive and easily accepted. In the online learning environment for example the learner needs to be self directed. The impact this will have on my current and future practice is that I will embrace the change naturally and make adjustment to my teaching strategies to incorporate the change.
My core value embraces the concept that education or knowledge is instrumental to survival and self actualization and I will normally navigate to effecting change in this direction. Reflecting on lived experience will facilitate change in the way I teach. I find that I am interested in online teaching and advance visual technology. These core value and belief that knowing is instrumental to effecting change aligns with my radical philosophical orientation and means that I will enforce or reinforce creating necessary change creatively.
Creative Expression of Philosophy
My philosophy of education can be compared to the brush in the following poem (Please see painting on home page).
My brush speaks.
My brush speaks, in red, blue, yellow, black and white, orange, green, and violet.
It tells you of the heart that bleeds, the smiling face, the rising star, the sunset sky?
It tells you of the unborn child and the blooming flower?
It is the story of a woman’s cry. (Swaby Edited 2018)
As the brush spreads the colours briskly and thoroughly to effect positive change on the canvas the outcome though unpredictable is a work of art. The unique function of the brush when compared to my philosophy of education and philosophical orientation promotes a radical approach to completing the task at hand, being a change agent, and efficiently effecting positive change.
To fully express my philosophy of education it should be safe to say that based on past and current experiences, I developed a concept on which to build a foundation of core values and beliefs. These beliefs and core values culminated into the philosophical view that education is the key to self actualization. Education provides the framework for strong and efficient leadership that will facilitate empowerment, and social change.
References
Galbraith, M. W (2004). Adult Learning Methods A Guide for Effective Instructions. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar Florida.
Smith, M. K. (2001, 2010). ‘David A. Kolb on experiential learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education. [http://infed.org/mobi/david-a-kolb-on-experiential-learning/. Retrieved: August 23, 2015]
Swaby, R. (2012) My Brush Speaks, Unpublished
-ruthlyn swaby january 2016-