Schools for Humanity and Freedom in Education: Argument for Education for Understanding or ‘Cognition’ and the Cognitive Paradigm.

The paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ has larger scope which is more appropriate for adaptability to the 21^st century information age than the traditional paradigm of the 20th century industrial age. Since it is the individual who must process information then education which accomodates the learning needs of the individual will be more effective in accomodating the needs of the society. Accomodation of individual learning needs necessitates an education which is humanistic because it is true to the social nature of the human personality or ‘human nature'. Education for humanity is education for self-empowerment or ‘freedom’... freedom to contemplate... freedom to think... freedom to learn... freedom to work... freedom to grow... freedom to develop... i.e. ‘freedom in education’.

Freedom in education (‘natural education’) involves the individual’s instinctive responsibility for their own growth… development of the inherent spirituality and morality of their human personality or ‘human nature’… their ‘humaness’. The paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is based on the principle of individual freedom as the ‘moral freedom’ of social responsibility which is foundational to a culture of true democracy, peace, sustainability and ecological literacy.

Conclusion of argument which follows:

The generic competences set out in the European Framework of Key Competences include the traditional competences such as mother tongue, foreign languages, basic competences in math and science, digital competences and in addition more transversal competences such as learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative taking and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression.

It is possible to set educational aims and formulate educational policy which provides each individual with the opportunity to develop the transversal as well as the traditional competences if this is done within the paradigm of ‘freedom in education’.

(Freedom in education implies the freedom to choose the conditions in which to engage in meaningful learning or ‘work’. This includes the freedom to choose between traditional education as ‘schooling’ and non-traditional education as non-schooling or ‘homeschooling’.)

Key points:

Introduction

Now is the time to consider the theoretical aspects of education i.e. ‘educational theory’. Moral educational theory results in moral practice or ‘praxis’. Educational praxis is based on the natural laws of human growth and development i.e ‘freedom in education’. Paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is concerned with individual freedom as the basis for social responsibility which is foundational to true democracy

A Summary of Rational Argument for Freedom in Education or‘Natural Education’

The natural function of education is to provide the right conditions required to free the human spirit in order to cultivate natural creative intelligence required for adaptability to a changing environment.

Part I New Paradigm* for 21^st Century Schools:

Freedom in Education as ‘Natural Education’

Theme: The real problem is to clarify the features of the new paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ as natural education… humanistic because it is true to the social nature of the human personality or ‘human nature'... true to the natural function of the human brain... emphasis is on intrinsic motives for learning and the intrinsic rewards of knowledge and understanding which manifest as creative decision-making for effective adaptabilty i.e ‘intrinsic motivation’…requires teacher’s role as guide or ‘facilitator of learning’... and so forth.

*What is a paradigm? The word ‘paradigm’ derives from the Latin ‘paradigma’ for model. In science, a paradigm is a theoretical framework or worldview based on given assumptions. A paradigm is a worldview provides a working model or ‘theory’ for the direction of scientific activity. The workng scientist designs experiments and analyses experimental results within the framework of the given paradigm. Data which cannot be explained n the context of the paradigm initiate a ‘paradigm crisis’ followed by a ‘paradigm debate’ which eventually leads to a ‘paradigm shift’. During a paradigm shift the old paradigm is replaced by a new one. Examples of paradigm shifts in science include the replacement of Newtonian mechanics by quantum mechanics and the replacement of creationism by evolutionary theory. Just as in the history of science, there are paradigm crises, paradigm debates and paradigm shifts in the history of education as well.

1. In the discussion of social needs and demands of the 21^st century, it is important to clarify the meaning of the word ‘modernisation’.

2. In order to meet the criteria required for effective adaptation to the complexities of 21^st century society school communities and schools must WIDEN THE CONTEXT… change the philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’ within which they formulate education policies.

3. The aim of education in the paradigm ‘freedom in education’ is the cultivation of human intelligence as ‘creative intelligence’ as the basis for life long learning required for effective adaptation to rapidly changing social conditions.

The real problem is to clarify the features of the new paradigm of ‘freedom in education’.

Part 2

Freedom in Education: Education for

Responsible Freedom or 'Self-Empowerment'

All children have the right to natural education or ‘freedom in education’. Freedom in education involves learning experiences which are meaningful because they engage natural curiosity, natural cognition and the wisdom of compassion i.e. ‘creative intelligence’. Meaningful work has psychological value because it builds self-confidence and self-respect, cultivates intuition and development of moral consciousness or 'conscience'. Developed conscience is the source of guiding human values… the moral courage required to master respect for one's own life and the lives of others… social responsibility… social cooperation or 'peace'. So-called ‘peace education’ is based on appreciation for human social values and allows for the creation of humane societies.

1.Critical to educational policy is the following question: “Which paradigm is shaping the goals of education?”

2. The traditional paradigm of education is based on the assumption that educational policy should be formulated in terms of what 'society' needs most.

3. The traditional paradigm is inappropriate as an approach for solving current problems of education and there is a need for a shift to a new paradigm from traditional education to a new paradigm for meeting the complex needs of post industrial society of the 21^st century information age in terms of what is good for the individual being good for the society

4. A more intelligent approach to the problems of education is to deal with them through implementation of policies which enable individuals to improve themselves through their own inner development as the basis for their success and well being or ‘happiness’. Happiness is a function of the recognition of the human potential for self-actualisation… recognition of the nature of the human personality or ‘human nature’.

Human nature is a social nature characterised in terms of the intrinsic motives for learning or 'human needs'.

5. There is a need for a shift to a new paradigm… one which has larger scope than the traditional paradigm… one which accommodates the needs of the society by accomodating to the needs of the individuals who make it up… one which emphasizes the individual’s inherent capacity for adaptability through the natural process of learning which is meaningful because it engages their instinctive sense of responsibility to their own growth and development… one which engages construction of moral consciousness or ‘conscience’ which is the basis for self empowerment or ‘freedom’.

What is ‘freedom’? The word ‘freedom’ tends to be used without much thought to its real meaning. True freedom is moral freedom or responsible freedom.

The aim of freedom in education is education as ‘true democracy’ democracy based on moral individual freedom.

Features of the paradigm ‘freedom in education:

(Freedom in education implies the freedom to choose the conditions in which to engage in meaningful learning or ‘work’. This includes the freedom to choose between traditional education as ‘schooling’ and non-traditional education as non-schooling or ‘homeschooling’.)

1. The paradigm of freedom in education has larger scope than the traditional paradigm because it accommodates to the learning needs of the individuals making up the society thereby accomodating to the needs of the society itself.

2. Freedom in education is true to the social nature of the human personality i.e. 'human nature'.

Human nature is a social nature which can be characterised in terms of human motives for learning or 'human needs'

3. Key to the new paradigm of freedom in education is emphasis on intrinsic motivation for holistic learning.

4. Freedom in education is freedom to engage in meaningful work.

5. Brain research provides the evidence for a rational basis… scientific rationale of so-called ‘brain-based learning’.

6. Brain-based learning is fostered by a quality of teaching which accomodates individual needs for complete intellectual and emotional development or… teaching which accomodates ‘freedom in education’. .

7. Facilitative teaching methods are effective because they comply with the natural holistic functioning of the brain. Teaching for effective learning is teaching to the brain's natural functioning while engaging the learner's personal development.

Antagonism between 'traditional' teaching methods and the natural learning function of the brain. "Recent findings in brain research suggest that it is possible to understand the functioning of the brain once there is sufficient explanation for the specific functions of individual nerve cells and their connections. The resulting patterns of nerve impulses, neural circuits and networks form the basis of the brain's functions. The knowledge gained from findings in brain research forms the basis for theories of brain-based learning and can be applied to educational philosophies and pedagogies. The findings confirm the antagonism between 'traditional' teaching methods and the natural learning function of the brain". (Conner, James Cutting Edge: Mind & Molecules, Journal of Developmental Education vol 16, number 3, 1993: 34)

Conclusion

The generic competences set out in the European Framework of Key Competences include the traditional competences such as mother tongue, foreign languages, basic competences in math and science, digital competences and in addition more transversal competences such as learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative taking and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression.

It is possible to set educational aims and formulate educational policy which provides each individual with the opportunity to develop the transversal as well as the traditional competences if this is done within the paradigm of freedom in education.

Features of the paradigm ‘freedom in education:

1. humanistic because it is true to the social nature of the human personality or ‘human nature'...

2. brain-based because it is true to the natural function of the human brain...

3. emphasis on intrinsic motives for learning or ‘intrinsic motivation’…

4. teacher’s role defined as ‘facilitator of learning’...