Pedagogy, Praxis and Purpose in Education [Paperback]

Recent years have shown the growth of federal legislation and programs having a profound impact on educational policy and practice, and a decline in reliance on broadly based educational justifications. Paralleling this development has been the emergence of well-endowed and influential private foundations, and an increase in corporate influence in shaping policy. In this volume the authors consider the discourse, rhetoric, and underlying values that sustain these developments alongside those that underlie more longstanding and competing educational theories and practices.

This volume highlights the importance of recognizing opposing conceptualizations of educationsome more educationally productive than others and their core values, approaches to student learning, strengths and weaknesses, and justification. The authors analyze and critique what Jane Roland Martin has referred to as the deep structure of educational thought, and seek improved educational policy and practice with particular reference to curriculum and pedagogy. It features a comparative analysis of competing discourses including autocratic control, limited personal development, and praxis.

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction Part I: Autocratic Control and Subjugation2. Evolving Aspirations from Local Community to Global Village 3. Centralization and Control in Chester Finn and the Fordham Institute Part Two: Knowledge and Understanding4. General Education As Education For Knowledge and Understanding 5. Literacy As Pathway to Education for Knowledge and Understanding Part Three: Praxis: Autonomy, Democracy, and Transformation6. Toward a Pedagogy of Praxis: Progressive Education and Critical Pedagogy 7. Implementing a Pedagogy of Praxis: Beyond Knowledge and Understanding Part Four: The Vocation to Become More Fully Human8. Pedagogy and Purpose

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