FED Philosophical Foundations of Education 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which philosophy of education holds that truth is eternal and unchanging, emphasizing the great works of Western civilization?
- Perennialism (Correct answer)
- Progressivism
- Essentialism
- Reconstructionism
Correct answer: Perennialism
Perennialism, associated with thinkers like Robert Hutchins and Mortimer Adler, holds that education should focus on enduring truths found in great classical works.
Question 2: John Dewey's philosophy of education is best classified as which of the following?
- Perennialism
- Progressivism (Correct answer)
- Essentialism
- Behaviorism
Correct answer: Progressivism
John Dewey championed progressivism, arguing that education should be rooted in experience, problem-solving, and democratic participation.
Question 3: Which philosophical school emphasizes that schools should transmit a core body of knowledge and skills essential for functioning in society?
- Reconstructionism
- Existentialism
- Essentialism (Correct answer)
- Idealism
Correct answer: Essentialism
Essentialism argues there is an essential core of knowledge and skills that schools must transmit to prepare students for productive participation in society.
Question 4: Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' is most closely associated with which educational philosophy?
- Perennialism
- Social Reconstructionism (Correct answer)
- Idealism
- Behaviorism
Correct answer: Social Reconstructionism
Paulo Freire's work is a cornerstone of social reconstructionism, advocating that education should be used to challenge and change oppressive social structures.
Question 5: In existentialist education, which element is considered most important?
- Mastery of standardized content
- Individual choice and personal responsibility (Correct answer)
- Efficient skills training
- Conformity to social norms
Correct answer: Individual choice and personal responsibility
Existentialist education centers on the individual's freedom to make choices and the personal responsibility that accompanies authentic self-definition.
Question 6: Which philosopher is most closely associated with the idea that education should develop rational thinking based on innate ideas?
- John Dewey
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Plato (Correct answer)
- B.F. Skinner
Correct answer: Plato
Plato believed that education should help individuals recall innate, universal truths through rational inquiry, as expressed in his Allegory of the Cave.
FED Philosophical Foundations of Education 1
Which philosophy of education holds that truth is eternal and unchanging, emphasizing the great works of Western civilization?