PDU STUDY NOTES
What can Scientific Rationalism not help us achieve in education
• It cannot teach people what to do when faced with any crisis
• It tends to encourage anxiety in learners and teachers
• It can encourage learners to over analyze a problem
• Like empiricism, it ignores emotions
• Also like empiricism, it gives art and artistic expression a lesser place in the
curriculum
• It tends to ignore ethics
Concluding Remarks
• The philosophy of Scientific Rationalism focuses on Falsity
• In other words, the scientific rationalist claims that the only way any of us can establish the
truth through trial and error
• Scientific rationalism is also a very open minded philosophy. In other words it is anti-
dogmatic and anti-authoritarian
• Scientific rationalism is completely opposed to societies where people can’s speak their
minds freely and discuss things openly.
What is systems theory?
• The method of theory that is concerned with the nature of systems and their effects is
referred to as systems theory
• The systems theory focuses on the following questions:
• What is the system’s environment or context?
• How do the different parts of systems fit together?
• How does the system work?
• What is the goal of the system?
The object of the study of Systems Theory is any complex phenomenon. Systems theory insists
that we can best understand a complex entity (such as global and capitalism) by examining how
it is organised and what its goals are?
Systems theory works as follows:
• It focuses on the principles on which all complex entities are based
• It uses mathematical models to analyse and describe how these principles interact to drive
these complex phenomena.
, • It is imperative to note that systems theory is holistic
• Systems theory started with the work of Ludwig von Bertalanfy (1901-1972) who was a
biologist.
• Bertalanffy believed that the 19th and 20th century had made the mistake by studying
organism by breaking them down into their separate parts in order to understand how they
worked.
• It was a futile exercise as parts of a system do not work in isolation; they work as a system
within the environments(which are themselves systems)
• Bertalanffy attempted to develop a new approach to understanding by looking at everything
as a system
• General systems theory was published in 1968 by Beratalanffy.
What can Phenomenology help us to achieve in
education?
• Phenomenology can help us to examine our lives closely
• It can help us to reject false value systems (e.g. Materialism)
• It can help us to slow down and lead less stressful life
• It can help us to resist other people’s demands and expectations
Where does phenomenology fail in education?
• It can accept social evil
• It can lead to mental confusion
• It can be very morally demanding
• It tends to be uncritical of authority
Activity 18
1. Why do you think Shaun Gallagher mentions that schools are the prison are the prison?
Discuss your views?
2. What are student’s feelings when they enter the classroom in the morning?
3. What is the difference between the formal and informal schooling system?
4. Briefly explain how a teacher can experience greater freedom in formal schooling system?
5. Explain in your own words how phenomenology can be morally demanding.
, Concluding Remarks
• Modern Phenomenology started at the very end of the last century with the study of
the mind and mental illness?
• Phenomenology focusses on people (rather than abstract ideas)
• Phenomenology tries to focus on what is actually happening on the experience
of human life itself
• Phenomenology realizes we can also put our views aside at times
• Avoiding the above, we will find ourselves trapped in situations.
What are indigenous African knowledge systems?
• Indigenous African knowledge systems are said to unique to a particular African
culture and society
• Indigenous African knowledge systems are said to have the following characteristics,
such as the following:
• They are situated in particular context which embodies life experience, interactions
and natural settings of the indigenous people
• They represent holistic knowledge, because they address all dimensions of being
human- that is, physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectuals
• They are derived from multiple sources of individual knowledge, such as:
• Old knowledge that has existed for generations in a specific community
• Empirical knowledge that has been learnt through careful daily observations
• Revealed knowledge acquired through dreams, visions and spiritual institutions
Indigenous African knowledge systems and the South African education system
Activity 5
Fill in the missing words (Read page 27 of the prescribed book ‘Philosophy of Education’)
• In 1998, the portfolio committee of Parliament in South Africa instructed
the (a)………………….and technology to embark on the formation of a policy
and subsequent bill on the recognition, formation and protection of indigenous
knowledge systems in South Africa
• On an(b) ………..level, this indigenous knowledge systems initiative primarily aimed
to foster an understanding of the interface culture and technology
• The (IKS) Indigenous African Knowledge systems was
subsequently (c)…………… by the Department of Arts and Culture
• The programme was intended as critical component in the restructuring
and (d)……………of South Africa’s science and technology system
What can Scientific Rationalism not help us achieve in education
• It cannot teach people what to do when faced with any crisis
• It tends to encourage anxiety in learners and teachers
• It can encourage learners to over analyze a problem
• Like empiricism, it ignores emotions
• Also like empiricism, it gives art and artistic expression a lesser place in the
curriculum
• It tends to ignore ethics
Concluding Remarks
• The philosophy of Scientific Rationalism focuses on Falsity
• In other words, the scientific rationalist claims that the only way any of us can establish the
truth through trial and error
• Scientific rationalism is also a very open minded philosophy. In other words it is anti-
dogmatic and anti-authoritarian
• Scientific rationalism is completely opposed to societies where people can’s speak their
minds freely and discuss things openly.
What is systems theory?
• The method of theory that is concerned with the nature of systems and their effects is
referred to as systems theory
• The systems theory focuses on the following questions:
• What is the system’s environment or context?
• How do the different parts of systems fit together?
• How does the system work?
• What is the goal of the system?
The object of the study of Systems Theory is any complex phenomenon. Systems theory insists
that we can best understand a complex entity (such as global and capitalism) by examining how
it is organised and what its goals are?
Systems theory works as follows:
• It focuses on the principles on which all complex entities are based
• It uses mathematical models to analyse and describe how these principles interact to drive
these complex phenomena.
, • It is imperative to note that systems theory is holistic
• Systems theory started with the work of Ludwig von Bertalanfy (1901-1972) who was a
biologist.
• Bertalanffy believed that the 19th and 20th century had made the mistake by studying
organism by breaking them down into their separate parts in order to understand how they
worked.
• It was a futile exercise as parts of a system do not work in isolation; they work as a system
within the environments(which are themselves systems)
• Bertalanffy attempted to develop a new approach to understanding by looking at everything
as a system
• General systems theory was published in 1968 by Beratalanffy.
What can Phenomenology help us to achieve in
education?
• Phenomenology can help us to examine our lives closely
• It can help us to reject false value systems (e.g. Materialism)
• It can help us to slow down and lead less stressful life
• It can help us to resist other people’s demands and expectations
Where does phenomenology fail in education?
• It can accept social evil
• It can lead to mental confusion
• It can be very morally demanding
• It tends to be uncritical of authority
Activity 18
1. Why do you think Shaun Gallagher mentions that schools are the prison are the prison?
Discuss your views?
2. What are student’s feelings when they enter the classroom in the morning?
3. What is the difference between the formal and informal schooling system?
4. Briefly explain how a teacher can experience greater freedom in formal schooling system?
5. Explain in your own words how phenomenology can be morally demanding.
, Concluding Remarks
• Modern Phenomenology started at the very end of the last century with the study of
the mind and mental illness?
• Phenomenology focusses on people (rather than abstract ideas)
• Phenomenology tries to focus on what is actually happening on the experience
of human life itself
• Phenomenology realizes we can also put our views aside at times
• Avoiding the above, we will find ourselves trapped in situations.
What are indigenous African knowledge systems?
• Indigenous African knowledge systems are said to unique to a particular African
culture and society
• Indigenous African knowledge systems are said to have the following characteristics,
such as the following:
• They are situated in particular context which embodies life experience, interactions
and natural settings of the indigenous people
• They represent holistic knowledge, because they address all dimensions of being
human- that is, physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectuals
• They are derived from multiple sources of individual knowledge, such as:
• Old knowledge that has existed for generations in a specific community
• Empirical knowledge that has been learnt through careful daily observations
• Revealed knowledge acquired through dreams, visions and spiritual institutions
Indigenous African knowledge systems and the South African education system
Activity 5
Fill in the missing words (Read page 27 of the prescribed book ‘Philosophy of Education’)
• In 1998, the portfolio committee of Parliament in South Africa instructed
the (a)………………….and technology to embark on the formation of a policy
and subsequent bill on the recognition, formation and protection of indigenous
knowledge systems in South Africa
• On an(b) ………..level, this indigenous knowledge systems initiative primarily aimed
to foster an understanding of the interface culture and technology
• The (IKS) Indigenous African Knowledge systems was
subsequently (c)…………… by the Department of Arts and Culture
• The programme was intended as critical component in the restructuring
and (d)……………of South Africa’s science and technology system
