What are the 7 philosophies of education? & Comparison Chart

7 Philosophies of education

There are several philosophical approaches or paradigms in the field of education. While there isn’t a universally agreed-upon list of “7 philosophies of education,” the following seven are often discussed as prominent educational philosophies:

Details

1. Idealism: Idealism is a philosophical approach that places a strong emphasis on the role of ideas and the mind in education. Idealists believe that knowledge is primarily acquired through rational thought and contemplation. They view education as a means to discover and develop one’s intellectual and moral capacities.
2. Realism: Realism in education emphasizes the importance of objective reality and empirical knowledge. Realists believe that education should focus on the acquisition of facts and the exploration of the physical world. Scientific methods and observation play a central role in this philosophy.
3. Pragmatism: Pragmatism is a philosophy that emphasizes the practical and experiential aspects of education. Pragmatists believe that education should be relevant to the needs and interests of students and society. They advocate for hands-on learning, problem-solving, and the application of knowledge.
4. Existentialism: Existentialism in education is concerned with individual freedom, choice, and personal responsibility. Existentialists believe that education should help individuals confront the fundamental questions of existence and develop their authentic selves. It encourages critical thinking and self-exploration.
5. Progressivism: Progressivism is an educational philosophy that aligns with the ideas of John Dewey. It emphasizes active, student-centered learning, where students engage in inquiry, experimentation, and problem-solving. Progressivists view education as a means to promote social reform and democratic values.
6. Constructivism: Constructivism is a modern educational philosophy that emphasizes the active construction of knowledge by the learner. It posits that learners build their understanding through experiences, interactions, and reflection. Constructivist approaches often advocate for inquiry-based and student-led learning.
7. Critical Theory: Critical theory in education is rooted in the ideas of critical theorists like Paulo Freire. It focuses on issues of power, oppression, and social justice in education. Critical theorists argue that education should empower individuals to critically examine and challenge oppressive social structures.

Note:

It’s important to note that these educational philosophies are not mutually exclusive. Many educators and institutions may incorporate elements from multiple philosophies into their educational approaches. Additionally, there are other educational philosophies and paradigms beyond these seven. Educators often adapt and integrate different philosophies to meet the needs of their students and educational contexts.

Comparison Chart philosophy of education

Creating a comprehensive comparison chart of different philosophies of education can be a helpful tool for understanding their key principles and differences. Here’s a simplified comparison chart of five prominent educational philosophies: Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, and Progressivism. Please note that this is a general overview, and each philosophy can have variations and nuances:

Comparison Chart

Aspect	Idealism	Realism	Pragmatism	Existentialism	Progressivism
Nature of Reality	Reality is primarily	Reality exists	Reality is a matter of	Reality is subjective,	Reality is ever-changing
	a product of the mind	independently of the	practical experience and	based on individual	and evolving, shaped by
	and ideas; it’s	human mind; it’s	utility; it’s grounded in	perceptions and	social interactions and
	ideal and perfect.	objective and concrete.	usefulness.	personal experiences.	experiences.
Role of Knowledge	Knowledge is discovered	Knowledge is acquired	Knowledge is practical,	Knowledge is subjective,	Knowledge is constructed
	through rational	through sensory	applicable, and	and individuals must	through active
	contemplation and	perception and	adaptable to real-life	confront the uncertainties	exploration, inquiry, and
	intellectual pursuits.	empirical evidence.	situations.	and anxieties of life.	problem-solving.
Purpose of Education	To cultivate the intellect,	To transmit factual	To prepare students for	To help individuals find	To promote social reform
	develop moral values,	knowledge and skills.	practical success in	meaning and personal	and democratic values.
	and pursue truth and		everyday life.	identity.
Teaching Methods	Emphasis on lecture,	Traditional teaching	Hands-on, experiential	Encourages questioning,	Student-centered,
	discussion, and	methods, including	learning, problem-solving,	critical reflection, and	active learning through
	Socratic dialogue.	lectures and textbooks.	and critical thinking.	and exploration.	inquiry-based approaches.
Role of the Teacher	Teachers are seen as	Teachers are the	Teachers serve as	Teachers guide and	Teachers facilitate,
	authoritative guides and	primary sources of	facilitators, helping	mentors, creating a	mentor, and empower
	moral exemplars.	knowledge and authority.	students discover	supportive environments	students to take charge
			knowledge for themselves.	for self-exploration.	of their learning.
View on Curriculum	Emphasis on classical and	Emphasis on core	Curriculum should be	Emphasis on diverse,	Emphasis on a flexible,
	foundational subjects,	academic subjects.	practical and adaptable,	relevant, and	relevant, and
	including philosophy		reflecting real-life	interdisciplinary	interdisciplinary
	and the humanities.		skills.	subjects, including	subjects based on
				the arts and sciences.	student interests.
View on Individual	Emphasizes intellectual	Individuals are shaped	Individuals should be	Celebrates individuality,	Emphasizes individual
	and moral development.	by their environment	prepared to adapt and	freedom, and personal	agency and creativity.
	Encourages conformity	and experiences.	thrive in a changing	responsibility.	Respects individual
	to moral and intellectual		world.		differences and
	ideals.				diversity.

Last Words

Please keep in mind that 7 philosophies of education & this chart provides a simplified overview of these philosophies, in practice, there can be variations and combinations of these educational approaches. Additionally, other philosophies and perspectives exist in the field of education. So this chart represents only a subset of the broader landscape of educational philosophy.