The
Educational Theory of Theodore Burghard Hurt Brameld
Analyst: Deborah B. McKay
Analyst: Deborah B. McKay
1. Theory of Value:
What knowledge and skills are worth
learning? What are the goals of education?
Theodore Brameld believed that the
goal of education was to employ schools as agents for social change. He is the
founder of the educational philosophy of Social Reconstructionism
whichemphasized addressing social questions and a quest to create a better
society and worldwidedemocracy (Haindel, page 1). The knowledge and skills that
are worth learning include science,economics, mathematics, human relations,
arts, religion and politics as these areas can teachpeople to reason. Education
As Power means education competent and strong enough to enableus, the majority
of people, to decide what kind of a world we want and how to achieve that kind
ofworld (Brameld, page 9). Only the power of education is capable of
controlling the other powersthat man has gained and will use either for his
annihilation or for his transformation (Brameld,page 1).
2.
Theory of Knowledge:
What is knowledge? How is it different
from belief. What is a mistake? What is a lie?
Knowledge is virtue and our
civilization will fail if power and virtue are not balanced. It is different
from belief since Brameld believed that people could be taught toreason. With
education as the core and creation of culture, the world can save itself
fromdestruction by choosing to reason accordingly. A mistake would be construed
as "man's inabilityto solve the crises in favor of a reconstructed and
higher equilibrium" (Brameld, page 20). A lie is man's inability to face
the consequences of his actions.
3.
Theory of Human Nature:
What is a human being? How does it
differ from other species?
What are the limits of human
potential?Human beings have become emotionally ill as the mores and values of
society have changed and aloss of equilibrium has occurred. Man has the ability
to build a better society, however, throughbringing this issue of values into a
clearer focus. Human beings have the ability to analyzecritically what is wrong
with the values that we have been holding and then to decide about the values
that we should be holding. It is ultimately man's decision whether the power
that isacquired be used for good or evil purposes since man does have the
capacity to destroy itself.
4.
Theory of Learning:
What is learning? How are skills and
knowledge acquired?
Learning is acquired through a
cultural context. Students learn through participation in a democraticprocess,
which includes a problem-based context and cooperative investigation. For example,
as students discover and learn history and the context of the past and present
cultural and societalenvironments and analyze the data, then students are able
to make better decisions to affect thegreater good of mankind. Skills and
knowledge are acquired as continual interaction betweencommunity and school
occurs.
5.
Theory of Transmission:
Who should teach? By what methods?
What will the curriculum be?
Teachers should help young people
learn how the scientific method applies, not just to physics,chemistry or
biology, but to the whole of life, including personal and social life (Brameld,
page 53).
In addition, teachers should help
students to understand themselves as well as their relationship toothers.
Teaching, however, should not be limited to teachers. In the Floodwood Project,
"students met two or three times each week with the instructor acting as
chairman to exchange information andquestions, listen to guest experts and plan
the schedule ahead" (Thompson, page 266).
The methods of instruction should
include: group research, reports, analysis of current issues, reading,
guestspeakers, small group discussion, field trips, essay writing, students
refonnulating ideas and providingstrategies for implementation. Curriculum
should be designed around contemporary social life ratherthan academic
disciplines and should be whatever is going to help a culture to evolve, change
and problem solve.
6.
Theory of Society:
What is society? What institutions
are involved in the education process?
Education as power means that we,
the teachers, the students and the parents, are the only ones whoshould control
education-control it for our own good ends and by our own good means
(Brameld,page 8). He believed in a commitment to building a new culture in
which the common people wouldemerge as the leaders of society (Haindel, page
1).
In addition to these stakeholders,
there are otherinstitutions that should be involved in the educational process.
In the Floodwood Project, this is clearly seen: A wide range of pamphlets and
books from more that 40 organizations were collectedfor classroom use. They
included publications issued by the National Association of Manufacturers,the
Cooperative League, the Congress of Industrial Organizations, and federal new
Deal Agencies(Thompson, page 270).
7.
Theory of Opportunity
Who is to be educated?
Education is the right and
responsibility of each person. The average student must be educated to
thelimits of his ability-above all, his ability both to understand and serve
the prevailing power struggleon his own level. We see our fundamental goals as
a world civilization and an educational system which in all ways support human
dignity for all races,castes, and classes; self-realization; and the fullest
vocational, civic, and social cooperative and service(Brameld, 1965).
8.
Theory of Consensus
Why do people disagree? How is
Consensus achieved? Whose opinion takes precedence?
American philosophers have disagreed
with one another a great deal in the area of consensus since different ideals
have different meaning for different people. The bottom line, though, is that
eachand every human being has the right to'have their basic needs satisfied and
to have the opportunityfor self-actualization. Brameld contended that social
consensus is the basis of meaningful socialaction (Thompson, page 277). The
individual must find ways to satisfy personal needs through social consensus
(Haindel, page 1). Ultimately, the good of mankind must take precedence.
CITATIONS
Brameld, T. (1965). Education As Power. New York/Chicago/San Francisco/Toronto/London: Holt,Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
John Dewey Project on Progressive
Education. (2001). Theodore Brameld Papers.
http://www.uvm.edu/-dewey/collections/bram.html
Haindel, B. (10/04/01). Theodore
Burghard Hurt Brameld: The Prophet Father of the Coming World.
http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/nadams/educ692/Brameld.html
Thomas, T. (1999). The Difficulties
and Successes of Reconstructionist Practice: Theodore Brameld and the Floodwood
Project. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision. Vol. 14, No. 3, 260 - 282.
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