Research Paper on Ethics and Philosophy of Education Essay Example
Research Paper on Ethics and Philosophy of Education Essay Example

Research Paper on Ethics and Philosophy of Education Essay Example

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  • Pages: 8 (2185 words)
  • Published: January 25, 2022
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the philosophical perspectives that affect the education sector. The study analyses how education would look like if it were to fulfill the highest and noblest ideals.

In addition to this, the underlying connection between philosophical, historical and cultural foundations of education through this study can hence be outlined. hid study is also important in establishing the link of the above aspects of education to the curriculum and the art of teaching. The study targeted a specific school which research was conducted in relation to. This study was guided by the works and ideas from Hansen’s Ethical Visions of Education and Hooks Bell Belonging, a Culture of Place. This study was also guided by the theories of past scholars like Plato and Socrates who were so interested in educatio

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n and its overall influence in the whole being of individuals who have undergone through the education system. The objectives of the study were to adequately address the current education policies in relation to the schools mission and vision statements and how they were to be effectively achieved.

Relevant to the study was also the ‘big ideas’ about education and how these ideas should be used to bridge the gap. Analysis of the success stories resulting from the same including sharing of these success stories. The research targeted a school in the US which had a total population of 400 students and 20 teachers. It used stratified random sampling whereby 10 students from each class or grade were selected for an interview. In addition, a total of 5 teachers were randomly selected for the purpose of the study.

Questionnaires for each studen

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and teachers were respectively prepared and distributed accordingly. Reliability tests were done through the test-retest method and measured through Pearson’s Co-efficient. The findings of the study were discussed and analyzed by a panel of experts. In addition, data collected was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The findings were that there is a huge relation between the value of education and the philosophical nature of the same combined with the sense of belonging for the students at large.

Introduction

An education system in any country is a complex matter whose success depends on various factors.

It is a conglomerate of efforts from the various stakeholders, the environment of learning, teacher’s competence and the students feeling of belonging to that learning institution. The success of education solely depends on the completion rate of the school system in addition to the moral aspect of teaching. The involved teachers should also ensure that the students are responsive in behavior and have a feeling of belonging to that learning institution (Hansen, 2008).The learning process and its success also heavily relies upon the schools vision and mission statements which usually act as guidelines to the education standards in that particular school. The learning and teaching process can also be attributed to the history of the school and its previous achievements.

Problem Statement

Despite the increase of learning activities across the world, graduates, may it be from high school, college or universities are not just a product of studying or “books” alone.

They are rather a product of various factors that shape education thus life of such a student (Snauwaert, 2007).This mainly includes ensuring that this education helps the said students in

generating ideas about life. Thus, there should be efforts by all education stakeholders including the government, learning institutions and the teaching fraternity to ensure that the teaching process meets its moral standards including ensuring that students of race and those with special needs are assisted. Students of color and those with particular disabilities should be made comfortable and have a feeling of belonging to the learning process.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to ascertain how the education system contributes to the overall personality of students who have undergone through the system.

It was further to determine the process of development of generative educational ideas. These ideas should be ethical in vision. Thus, educators should, in particular, be involved in the dialogical aspect of education as the study shows.

Research Objectives

  1. To establish the underlying theoretical perspectives of this school’s practices
  2. To understand the underlying philosophical perspectives of the school’s mission and vision statement. The study was to further measure the consistency of this perspective with the actual school practices and in regard to the laid educational philosophy.
  3. To understand how the underlying theoretical perspectives of the current policies and the consistency of these perspectives in relation to the school’s mission and vision statements.
  4. To analyze and understand the difficulty of integrating of ‘big ideas' about education into daily practice and how this gap can be bridged by the help of teacher leaders.
  5. To analyze the success resulting from the integration of these ‘big ideas’ into daily practice putting into consideration the help of teachers.
  6. To analyze how the success stories of the integration process and strategies can be shared by

the teachers together with other stakeholders.

Delimitations of the Study

The study was only conducted in one school which may relatively result into a universal conclusion that can apply overboard.

Literature Review

This part of the study presents an overall review and analysis of both the theoretical and philosophical perspectives of this school in regard to the education quality. It further analyses all objectives of the study presenting reliable information on how the school's perspective are aligned towards achieving philosophical ideas generating a population of students.

The Assumed Underlying Perspectives of the School

The school had its own laid out perspectives which dated back into the history of the school. One of the perspectives was ensuring that educators were adequately equipped with the relevant skills necessary for the transfer of knowledge to the students. In addition to this, the competence of the teachers was a mandatory requirement in the hiring of teachers. This was ensured through hiring the top notch teachers with adequate experience in the teaching career but more so with a passion in the field.

Extensive interviews are conducted in the process of hiring of these teachers at the same time conducting background investigations into the past life of the teachers. This was to ensure that the teachers being had no previous criminal records which would otherwise affect the influence they would have on the students. The school also ensures that students of color including Hispanic, Latino, and black students are not discriminated against through racial segregation. This, in turn, ensures that effects of stigma do not affect the learning process of the students and most importantly the long-term effect on the future of

these students (Weedon, 2004). .It is the tradition of the school to ensure students that against others are properly disciplined including expulsion. A more relaxed and appropriate method of preventing this is educating the students about how primitive it is to racially discriminate.

Another perspective of the school is catering to students with special needs. This reduces stigma effects on such students who may have learning disabilities or any physical form of disability. This, in turn, helps in improving the completion rates of the graduates together with equipping all students with the ability to generate positive educational ideas.

Underlying Philosophical Perspectives and Their Consistency in Regard to Mission and Vision Statement

The philosophical nature of the school’s perspectives was such that they were in line with the school’s mission and vision statement. The statement was that the school is dedicated to producing responsible citizens with a high level of competence and advance skills in the profession. The philosophical perspectives were that the school was concerned with the entire personality and individual development hence producing responsible citizens at the end of their school life.

This was ensured through impacting positive generative ideas into the students thus transforming even the worst students into positive individuals who were responsible in the future.

The Current Theoretical Perspectives of Current Education Policies and Consistency With Mission and Mission Statement

The school ensured this by aligning the education policies in line with the need to create a quality education. The education policy was such that it not only ensured academic excellence but also creativity in the students. This was done through setting up policies that also ensured value creation.

In addition to this, the policies

and rules were set to bring out a sense of caring for others in the students. Peace and democracy around the institution and the community at large were also an important aspect of the school's policies. The school’s policies were such that they related the normal curriculum to art and nature.

Difficulties in Integrating ‘Big Ideas’ Into Daily Practice and Ideas of Teachers

These big ideas are the perspectives and policies of the school that is set to apply to all students. These include the equality in terms of color in addition to the special care for the students with disabilities.

The implementation of these ideas, however, did not come easily especially in the case of the racial issue (Osguthorpe, 2008). No matter how the school tried as much as possible to reduce the idea of whiteness in the minds of black students ,it came with a lot of challenges as there were still cases of discrimination among the students. In addition, students with special needs seemed to be stigmatized by other students. The sense of belonging does not hit them fully as they seem to not accept themselves as normal. The communities from which the students come from do not seem to entirely support the black people and those of disabilities (Hooks, 2009).

(.This through the socialization process tends to hinder the implementation of the big ideas. The teacher’s ideas were, however, important in the process of implementation as they are in direct physical contact with the student fraternity.

The Success of Integrating ‘Big Ideas’ About Education and Sharing of the Same

However, there were more positive results from the process of implementing of ideas about

the need for education and the policies relating to the same. The teachers who are in direct contact with the students helped in the process of imparting knowledge and the overall importance of education which exceeds grades and papers.

The teachers provided a platform through which the students would be educated about life at large and effects of their actions on the community at large. The success of the process was seen from the number of students graduating from the school. The Alumni who had gone through the school are evidence of the success of these perspectives as they constitute of very important individuals who contribute so much to the community.

Research Methodology

Information and data relevant to the study were collected through questionnaires that were properly distributed throughout sampled population.

The questionnaires included such questions like is there equality in the school, is the learning environment conducive, are the teachers competent enough, are there important personalities who have graduated from this school? The data was analyzed both statistically and qualitatively where it was established that the student’s questionnaires had a co-efficient of 0.72 while those of the teachers had a co-efficient of 0.80. Information on how the school follows its mission and vision was collected from the schools administration.

Discussion and Conclusion

The study showed that the learning process does not single-handedly depend on the educator's or teacher's competence or expertise but should more particularly put into consideration capacity of imparting critical thinking, reflection and positive generation of education ideas. The study also established that the community from which the students reside or come from should also be assisting in implementing the positive ideas of a

sense of belonging for the students.

The study also found that there is more to competence for the teachers as they should also be morally acceptable in addition upholding ethical standards and codes pertaining to the field. The study found that the learning process has an enormous effect on the personality of any individual going through an education system.

Recommendation

The study recommends that all education stakeholders should be involved in the process of streamlining and improving the learning process beyond the curriculum setting into a more philosophical aspect of education. This is because education is the main determinant of what one becomes outside career and academic fields.

References

  1. Hansen, D. T. (2008). Ethical visions of education, philosophies in practice
  2. Hooks, Bell. (2009). Belonging, a Culture of Place, New York
  3. Snauwaert, D. T. (2007). Ethical Visions of Education: Philosophies in Practice (review). Education and Culture, 23(2), 86-88.
  4. Osguthorpe, R.

    D. (2008). Ethical visions in education: philosophies in practice.

  5. Weedon, C. (2004). Identity And Culture: Narratives Of Difference And Belonging: Narratives of Difference and Belonging. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
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