Philosophy of education

Educational theory describing the scientific or systematic study of education and the concept of education. Classical problems of educational theory are concerned with the individual, economic and social relevance of education. Central but is also the question of the content of education, and finally, reaching the vicinity of the didactics, problems for employability of education.

Historical development

The historical origin of the concept of education

The term education has been introduced through the teaching of Meister Eckhart in the German-speaking world and is difficult to translate into other languages.

Neohumanism

After considerable preliminary work at Comenius in the 17th century was first thinking systematically about a theory of education in the output of the Enlightenment humanism in 1800. Decisive founded by Wilhelm von Humboldt, influenced by German idealism and the work of poets led by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The neo-humanist educational theory, the higher education system of Germany dominated throughout the 19th and much of the 20th century.

Educational theory in the 19th century

During the 19th century solidified the new humanistic approach, partly against Humboldt's intentions to a conservative ideology. Tangible practical consequence was that many of his contemporaries, over-emphasis on the view of the classical languages ​​courses ( Latin, Greek) over the modern foreign languages ​​and the so-called " realities " of mathematics and natural sciences; they could establish itself only gradually, by also they emphasized their formal education content ( Georg Kerschensteinerschule, ...).

Educational theory in the 20th century

Important representatives of the liberal arts education of the 20th century, Eduard Spranger, Herman Nohl, Wilhelm Flitner, Erich Weniger, Theodor Litt. A sharp critique of liberal arts education published Siegfried Bernfeld already in the twenties, but they dominated the education in West Germany until the 60s. The discussion went up to one of their last representatives and overcomers Wolfgang Klafki especially between substantive and formal theories of education. He both mediated initially by the categorical form (see Klafki 1959).

The critical theory of the Frankfurt School dealt with the content of ideology formation theories (see also the critique of ideology ). Theodor W. Adorno was the ideal of a well-balanced personality skeptical, including In his "Theory of semi-education ". As a goal of education after the relapse into barbarism, he formulated the "Education for debarbarization ".

Theory of education after the Second World War

Due to the certifiable conservative tendencies of the neo-humanistic education, the concept of education in the train the student movement and critical social theories, inspired by the Frankfurt School called the criticism came. The most radical demand was completely abolishing the term and replace it with empiricism suitable term such as learning or socialization.

Wolfgang Klafki took up this critique of educational theory fundamental stance, in his " critical and constructive educational science " on, as Heinz -Joachim Heydorn in his " critical theory of education ".

Rainer Kokemohr, Winfried Marotzki and Hans -Christoph Koller have tried to link educational theory considerations with biographical narratives. (see: Hans -Christoph Koller and Rainer Kokemohr: life history as a text to biographical articulation problematic educational processes Weinheim, Basel.. )

Gesa Henry describes in her analysis of gender education education as a discursive practice, in which it is taking the form of the subject. The interplay between self and other attributions therefore it is a matter of enabling an education that the normalization constraint of gender roles is beyond as far as possible.