Educational theories and their applications

Educational Theories

Historically, there have been identified three educational theories at the basis of the social community as well as at the basis of the educational system: the functionalist theory, the conflict theory and the interactionist theory. The first of the theories relates to the basic and common knowledge, which is not necessarily thought in schools. It is more of the school of live, which teaches the norms of behavior and morals. The functionalist theories stand at the basis on human interactions, survival and social development. Among the primary ideas promoted by the advocates of this theory are individualism, liberty of rights, self and social esteem. The conflict theory promotes similar concepts as the previous one, but from a different perspective. The advocates of conflict learning militate for social inequality and the preservation of the social ladder. They see education as a means of dividing the lower from the upper social classes. The interactionist theoreticians promote different ideas and do not relate to the social status, ethnicity or any other elements in the surrounding environment. They focus directly on the classroom activities and on the way the teacher-student relationship is being manifested. The primary interest manifested by the advocates of the interactionist theory is the identification of how does the teacher-student interaction influence the child to continue his education, drop out, increase or decrease his learning efforts (Cliff Notes, 2008).

The perspectives offered by each of the three educational theories are quite varied and have been discussed with numerous occasions. The functionalist theoreticians emphasize that their teaching method is useful as it generates more liberal and open-minded individuals. "Functionalists point to the ironic dual role of education in both preserving and changing culture. Studies show that, as students progress through college and beyond, they usually become increasingly liberal as they encounter a variety of perspectives. Thus, more educated individuals are generally more liberal, while less educated people tend toward conservatism" (Cliff Notes, 2008).

Just as the perspectives with the three theories vary, so do the expectations for the individuals becoming educated with the usage of one or the other theory. For instance, the functionalist theory is expected to generate fully developed individuals who are able to get by and successfully interact and become integrated within the society. They are expected to be free and open-minded, without prejudices and without restraints on following their dreams; they rarely care about the criteria for social division and feel that all individuals are equal. The followers of the conflict theory on the other hand have opposite expectations. The main purpose of their educational activities is to separate the lower from the upper social classes. They hope that the education received in schools will make the poorer population fully comprehend and recognize their inferior status. "Conflict theory sees the purpose of education as maintaining social inequality and preserving the power of those who dominate society. [...] Conflict theorists see the educational system as perpetuating the status quo by dulling the lower classes into being obedient workers" (Cliff Notes, 2008). Finally, the third of the theories expects the student to develop in accordance with the interaction he had previously developed with the teacher. If the interaction was based on mutual respect and true feelings of cherishing and honesty, with also hard work, the individual is expected to further succeed. If on the other hand the interaction had been based on less fortunate feelings, beliefs and actions, the individual is likely to develop in a manner frowned on by society.

Having to choose a philosophy I would most agree with, I would select realism. The philosophy, promoted by Aristotle, amongst other great thinkers of all times, is a mixture of social influences and personal characteristics. It states that each individual is formed based on the events that occurred in his vicinity, but also by how his personal features made him relate and comprehend those particular events. In other words, realism promotes the idea that the individual is the result of "the world of nature or physical things and our experiences and perceptions of those things" (Webb, Metha, and Jordan, 2007). The realist theory is quite similar to the functionalist theory, as both aim to prepare the individual for his future integration and successful survival within the society. Greek philosopher Aristotle was a promoter of this theory and he believed that the person's knowledge and skills are acquired through a series of interactions with the surrounding communities. In other words, he found it vital for the individual to first know the physical world before he was any expectations of succeeding in it.