Our educational philosophy underpins everything that we do as instructors in the teaching-learning transaction. Our philosophy is based on our assumptions about our definition of learning and our views on the nature of mankind, the purpose of education, the nature of the curriculum, the role of the teacher and the learner, and the nature of the instructional process.

There is no right or wrong philosophy. Each philosophy simply represents a different belief system about the nature of the learning process. In Western thought, there are five major philosophies that have endured over time. They are Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Existentialism or Humanism, and Reconstructionism.

The starting point for being a professional in education is to understand why you think and act the way you do in the classroom. While a philosophy indicates what you believe about the teaching-learning transaction, not all of the tenants of each philosophy are congruent with adult learning principles. Therefore, your task as a professional is to identify your philosophy and then critically reflect on how to make your classroom actions consistent with established principles related to adult learning. The following instrument can help you identify your overall educational philosophy in less than two minutes.

Directions: For each statement, select the one answer that best fits you and your beliefs. Continue this process until you learn your group name and the description of your group.

Controlled with careful analysis by me of the material to be covered and concepts to be taught so that learners can systematically move toward the learning objectives.

Considerate of the learner's needs so that each learner can explore and make educational decisions in consultation with me.

Start with the educator planning activities by identifying problems that can be solved by the instruction.

Involve the learner in making key decisions in consultation with the instructor about what to include in the educational activity.

Capitalizes on the learners' feelings during the learning process to accomplish the learning objectives.

Helps learners increase their awareness of significant social and political issues so that they can have an impact on these situations.

From expert instructors who know what they are talking about.

From instructors who emphasize practice and continually provide feedback to the learners.

Idealism holds that ideas are the only true reality. This philosophy goes back to ancient Greece and claims greats such as Socrates and Plato. This school seeks to discover true knowledge rather than create it. The aims of the philosophy are to search for truth and further the character development of learners. The role of the teacher is to serve as a guide for immature learners, judge important material, and model appropriate behavior. The instructional process is holistic, seeks to develop critical thinkers, and deals with broad concepts rather than specific skills. This is a content-centered approach to education with a heavy emphasis on seeking universal truths and values and with a strong and defined role for the teacher.

Realism holds that reality exists independent of the human mind; matter in the universe is real and independent of man's ideas. This philosophy grew out of the Age of Enlightenment and strongly supports the use of the scientific method. Its aims are to understand the world through inquiry, verify ideas in the world of experience, teach things that are essential and practical, and develop the learner's rational powers. The instructional process seeks to teach fundamentals, encourage specialization, and teach the scientific method. The role of teacher is to present material systematically, encourage the use of objective criteria, and be effective and accountable. Behaviorism is congruent with this broader teacher-centered philosophy.

Pragmatism or Progressivism is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life. Its aims are to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy. The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

Existentialism or Humanism draws heavily from the ideas of Carl Rogers. This philosophy focuses on the individual and believes that individuals are always in transition. People interpret the world from their own perceptions and construct their own realities. Its aims are to promote self-understanding, involvement in life, an awareness of alternatives, and the development of a commitment to choices. Learning is viewed as a process of personal development which seeks to provide learners with options. The role of the instructor in this learner-centered philosophy is to be a facilitator. The cornerstone of this philosophy is trust between the teacher and learner.

Reconstructionism strongly believes that education can be used in reconstructing society. In order to achieve social justice and true democracy, change rather than adjustment is needed. This philosophy is futuristic and takes a holistic view of problems. Its aims are to encourage social activism and the development of change agents. It seeks to empower people to think critically about their world, develop decision-making abilities, get involved in social issues, and to take action. The role of the teacher in this learner-centered philosophy is help learners develop problem-posing skills and lifelong-learning skills. This school of thought has been greatly influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and Myles Horton.

Realism holds that reality exists independent of the human mind; matter in the universe is real and independent of man's ideas. This philosophy grew out of the Age of Enlightenment and strongly supports the use of the scientific method. Its aims are to understand the world through inquiry, verify ideas in the world of experience, teach things that are essential and practical, and develop the learner's rational powers. The instructional process seeks to teach fundamentals, encourage specialization, and teach the scientific method. The role of teacher is to present material systematically, encourage the use of objective criteria, and be effective and accountable. Behaviorism is congruent with this broader teacher-centered philosophy.

Idealism holds that ideas are the only true reality. This philosophy goes back to ancient Greece and claims greats such as Socrates and Plato. This school seeks to discover true knowledge rather than create it. The aims of the philosophy are to search for truth and further the character development of learners. The role of the teacher is to serve as a guide for immature learners, judge important material, and model appropriate behavior. The instructional process is holistic, seeks to develop critical thinkers, and deals with broad concepts rather than specific skills. This is a content-centered approach to education with a heavy emphasis on seeking universal truths and values and with a strong and defined role for the teacher.

Pragmatism or Progressivism is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life. Its aims are to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy. The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

Existentialism or Humanism draws heavily from the ideas of Carl Rogers. This philosophy focuses on the individual and believes that individuals are always in transition. People interpret the world from their own perceptions and construct their own realities. Its aims are to promote self-understanding, involvement in life, an awareness of alternatives, and the development of a commitment to choices. Learning is viewed as a process of personal development which seeks to provide learners with options. The role of the instructor in this learner-centered philosophy is to be a facilitator. The cornerstone of this philosophy is trust between the teacher and learner.

Reconstructionism strongly believes that education can be used in reconstructing society. In order to achieve social justice and true democracy, change rather than adjustment is needed. This philosophy is futuristic and takes a holistic view of problems. Its aims are to encourage social activism and the development of change agents. It seeks to empower people to think critically about their world, develop decision-making abilities, get involved in social issues, and to take action. The role of the teacher in this learner-centered philosophy is help learners develop problem-posing skills and lifelong-learning skills. This school of thought has been greatly influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and Myles Horton.

Pragmatism or Progressivism is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life. Its aims are to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy. The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

Idealism holds that ideas are the only true reality. This philosophy goes back to ancient Greece and claims greats such as Socrates and Plato. This school seeks to discover true knowledge rather than create it. The aims of the philosophy are to search for truth and further the character development of learners. The role of the teacher is to serve as a guide for immature learners, judge important material, and model appropriate behavior. The instructional process is holistic, seeks to develop critical thinkers, and deals with broad concepts rather than specific skills. This is a content-centered approach to education with a heavy emphasis on seeking universal truths and values and with a strong and defined role for the teacher.

Realism holds that reality exists independent of the human mind; matter in the universe is real and independent of man's ideas. This philosophy grew out of the Age of Enlightenment and strongly supports the use of the scientific method. Its aims are to understand the world through inquiry, verify ideas in the world of experience, teach things that are essential and practical, and develop the learner's rational powers. The instructional process seeks to teach fundamentals, encourage specialization, and teach the scientific method. The role of teacher is to present material systematically, encourage the use of objective criteria, and be effective and accountable. Behaviorism is congruent with this broader teacher-centered philosophy.

Existentialism or Humanism draws heavily from the ideas of Carl Rogers. This philosophy focuses on the individual and believes that individuals are always in transition. People interpret the world from their own perceptions and construct their own realities. Its aims are to promote self-understanding, involvement in life, an awareness of alternatives, and the development of a commitment to choices. Learning is viewed as a process of personal development which seeks to provide learners with options. The role of the instructor in this learner-centered philosophy is to be a facilitator. The cornerstone of this philosophy is trust between the teacher and learner.

Reconstructionism strongly believes that education can be used in reconstructing society. In order to achieve social justice and true democracy, change rather than adjustment is needed. This philosophy is futuristic and takes a holistic view of problems. Its aims are to encourage social activism and the development of change agents. It seeks to empower people to think critically about their world, develop decision-making abilities, get involved in social issues, and to take action. The role of the teacher in this learner-centered philosophy is help learners develop problem-posing skills and lifelong-learning skills. This school of thought has been greatly influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and Myles Horton.

Existentialism or Humanism draws heavily from the ideas of Carl Rogers. This philosophy focuses on the individual and believes that individuals are always in transition. People interpret the world from their own perceptions and construct their own realities. Its aims are to promote self-understanding, involvement in life, an awareness of alternatives, and the development of a commitment to choices. Learning is viewed as a process of personal development which seeks to provide learners with options. The role of the instructor in this learner-centered philosophy is to be a facilitator. The cornerstone of this philosophy is trust between the teacher and learner.

Idealism holds that ideas are the only true reality. This philosophy goes back to ancient Greece and claims greats such as Socrates and Plato. This school seeks to discover true knowledge rather than create it. The aims of the philosophy are to search for truth and further the character development of learners. The role of the teacher is to serve as a guide for immature learners, judge important material, and model appropriate behavior. The instructional process is holistic, seeks to develop critical thinkers, and deals with broad concepts rather than specific skills. This is a content-centered approach to education with a heavy emphasis on seeking universal truths and values and with a strong and defined role for the teacher.

Realism holds that reality exists independent of the human mind; matter in the universe is real and independent of man's ideas. This philosophy grew out of the Age of Enlightenment and strongly supports the use of the scientific method. Its aims are to understand the world through inquiry, verify ideas in the world of experience, teach things that are essential and practical, and develop the learner's rational powers. The instructional process seeks to teach fundamentals, encourage specialization, and teach the scientific method. The role of teacher is to present material systematically, encourage the use of objective criteria, and be effective and accountable. Behaviorism is congruent with this broader teacher-centered philosophy.

Pragmatism or Progressivism is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life. Its aims are to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy. The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

Reconstructionism strongly believes that education can be used in reconstructing society. In order to achieve social justice and true democracy, change rather than adjustment is needed. This philosophy is futuristic and takes a holistic view of problems. Its aims are to encourage social activism and the development of change agents. It seeks to empower people to think critically about their world, develop decision-making abilities, get involved in social issues, and to take action. The role of the teacher in this learner-centered philosophy is help learners develop problem-posing skills and lifelong-learning skills. This school of thought has been greatly influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and Myles Horton.

Reconstructionism strongly believes that education can be used in reconstructing society. In order to achieve social justice and true democracy, change rather than adjustment is needed. This philosophy is futuristic and takes a holistic view of problems. Its aims are to encourage social activism and the development of change agents. It seeks to empower people to think critically about their world, develop decision-making abilities, get involved in social issues, and to take action. The role of the teacher in this learner-centered philosophy is help learners develop problem-posing skills and lifelong-learning skills. This school of thought has been greatly influenced by the work of Paulo Freire and Myles Horton.

Idealism holds that ideas are the only true reality. This philosophy goes back to ancient Greece and claims greats such as Socrates and Plato. This school seeks to discover true knowledge rather than create it. The aims of the philosophy are to search for truth and further the character development of learners. The role of the teacher is to serve as a guide for immature learners, judge important material, and model appropriate behavior. The instructional process is holistic, seeks to develop critical thinkers, and deals with broad concepts rather than specific skills. This is a content-centered approach to education with a heavy emphasis on seeking universal truths and values and with a strong and defined role for the teacher.

Realism holds that reality exists independent of the human mind; matter in the universe is real and independent of man's ideas. This philosophy grew out of the Age of Enlightenment and strongly supports the use of the scientific method. Its aims are to understand the world through inquiry, verify ideas in the world of experience, teach things that are essential and practical, and develop the learner's rational powers. The instructional process seeks to teach fundamentals, encourage specialization, and teach the scientific method. The role of teacher is to present material systematically, encourage the use of objective criteria, and be effective and accountable. Behaviorism is congruent with this broader teacher-centered philosophy.

Pragmatism or Progressivism is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life. Its aims are to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy. The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

Existentialism or Humanism draws heavily from the ideas of Carl Rogers. This philosophy focuses on the individual and believes that individuals are always in transition. People interpret the world from their own perceptions and construct their own realities. Its aims are to promote self-understanding, involvement in life, an awareness of alternatives, and the development of a commitment to choices. Learning is viewed as a process of personal development which seeks to provide learners with options. The role of the instructor in this learner-centered philosophy is to be a facilitator. The cornerstone of this philosophy is trust between the teacher and learner.