Reconstructionism as an Educational Philosophy

The greatest good is the reformation of society for a better world.

Theodore Brameld (1904-1987) was the founder of social Reconstructionism, in reaction against
the realities of World War II. He recognized the potential for either human annihilation through
technology and human cruelty or the capacity to create a beneficent society using technology
and human compassion. George Counts (1889-1974) recognized that education was the means of
preparing people for creating this new social order.

Social-Reconstructionist education is based on the theory that society can be reconstructed

through the complete control of education. The objective is to change society to conform to the
basic ideals of the political party or government in power or to create a utopian society through
education.

Communist education is probably the most pervasive version of operational social-

reconstructionism in the world today. Originally based on the philosophy of Karl Marx and
institutionalized in the Soviet Union, it now reaches a large proportion of the world's youth.
From the 1950s onward, much attention has been paid to the ideal of "polytechnization." Man, so
the argument runs, is not simply Homo sapiens but rather Homo faber, the constructor and
builder. He attains full mental, moral, and spiritual development through entering into social
relations with others, particularly in cooperative efforts to produce material, artistic, and spiritual
goods and achievements. The school should prepare pupils for such productive activities--for
instance, by studying and, if possible, sharing in the work done in field, farm, or factory.

A different social-reconstructionist movement is that of the kibbutzim (collective farms) of

Israel. The most striking feature of kibbutz education is that the parents forgo rearing and
educating their offspring themselves and instead hand the children over to professional
educators, sometimes immediately after birth. The kibbutzim type of education developed for
both practical and economic reasons, but gradually educational considerations gained
prominence.

These were:

(1) that the kibbutz way of life makes for complete equality of the sexes,
(2) that the education of children in special children's houses is the best way of
perpetuating the kibbutz way of life,
(3) that collective education is more "scientific" than education within the family,
inasmuch as children are reared and trained by experts (i.e., qualified nurses, kindergarten
teachers, and other educators), in an atmosphere free of the tensions engendered by
family relationships, and
(4) that collective education is more democratic than traditional education and more in
keeping with the spirit of cooperative living.

Social Reconstructionism is also called Critical Theory. It is a philosophy that emphasizes the
addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy.
Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of
education.
Critical theorists, like social Reconstructionists, believe that systems must be changed to
overcome oppression and improve human conditions. Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian
whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion education and literacy as the vehicle
for social change. In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression and not become its
victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and critical consciousness, the development
of awareness to overcome domination and oppression. Rather than "teaching as banking," in
which the educator deposits information into students' heads, Freire saw teaching and learning as
a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world.

For social Reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and
taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation,
and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly in social studies and
literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning
and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies.

Reconstructionism is the radical branch of progressivism. Reconstructionists see society as in

serious disrepair. Much of the basis of their thought is found in the Great Depression of the
1930's, although some modern exponents also find a basis for it in what they consider to the
"exploitation of the Third World" by the powerful industrial nations. At any rate, the
Reconstructionists see education as the means by which a new social order is to be devised, with
the schools serving as the means by which the coming generation is to be "educated" to function
in this order. Despite its seeming authoritarianism, Reconstructionists insist that the development
of this new order must come about democratically.

The idea of social-reconstructionist education rests on a 19th-century belief in the power of

education to change society. In the last quarter of the 20th century there has been considerable
pessimism, but the idea that schooling can influence either society or the individual is widely
held, affecting the growth of tertiary-level alternatives, management strategies, and education of
disadvantaged people, both in industrialized and in developing countries.

The international concern with assistance to people in the non-Western world has been paralleled
by the inclusiveness that has characterized education in the 20th century. Education has been
seen as a primary instrument in recognizing and providing equality for those suffering
disadvantage because of sex, race, ethnic origin, age, or physical disability. This has required
revisions of textbooks, new consciousness about language, and change in criteria for admission
to higher levels. It has led to more demanding definitions of equality involving, for example,
equality of outcome rather than of opportunity.

The inclusion of all children and youth is part of a general integrative trend that has accelerated
since World War II. It relates to some newer developments as well. Concern for the earth's
endangered environment has become central, emphasizing in both intellectual and social life the
need for cooperation rather than competition, the importance of understanding interrelationships
of the ecosystem, and the idea that ecology can be used as an organizing concept. In a different
vein, the rapid development of microelectronics, particularly the use of computers for multiple
functions in education, goes far beyond possibilities of earlier technological advances. Although
technology is thought of by some as antagonistic to humanistic concerns, others argue that it
makes communication and comprehension available to a wider population and encourages
"system thinking," both ultimately integrative effects.

The polarization of opinion on technology's effects and most other important issues is a problem
in educational policy determination. In addition to the difficulties of governing increasingly large
and diverse education systems, as well as those of meeting the never-ending demands of
expanding education, the chronic lack of consensus makes the system unable to respond
satisfactorily to public criticism and unable to plan for substantive long-range development. The
political and administrative responses so far have been (1) to attend to short-run efficiency by
improving management techniques and (2) to adopt polar responses to accommodate polar
criticisms. Thus, community and community schools have been emphasized along with central
control and standardization, and institutional alternatives have been opened, while the structure
of main institutions has become more articulated. For example, the focus of attention has been
placed on the transition stages, which earlier were virtually ignored: from home to school, from
primary to secondary to upper secondary, from school to work. Tertiary institutions have been
reconceived as part of a unified level; testing has become more sophisticated and credentials
have become more differentiated either by certificate or by transcript. Alternative teaching
strategies have been encouraged in theory, but basic curriculum uniformity has effectively
restricted the practice of new methods. General education is still mainly abstract, and subject
matter, though internally more dynamic, still rests on language, mathematics, and science. There
has been an increasing reliance on the construction of subject matter to guide the method of
teaching. Teachers are entrusted with a greater variety of tasks, but they are less trusted with
knowledge, leading political authorities to call for upgrading of teacher training, teacher in-
service training, and regular assessment of teacher performance.

Recent reform efforts have been focused on integrating general and vocational education and on
encouraging lifelong or recurrent education to meet changing individual and social needs. Thus,
not only has the number of students and institutions increased, as a result of inclusion policies,
but the scope of education has also expanded. This tremendous growth, however, has raised new
questions about the proper functions of the school and the effectiveness for life, work, or
intellectual advancement of present programs and means of instruction

Think about It:

1) All educational philosophies have a place for the learner, the content and the culture. What is the
correct sequence of importance for these ideas in this philosophy?
2) What is the ultimate end or aim of education?
3) What excellences are to be cultivated? What is the (most important) content of the curriculum?
4) How does one teach this material in order to develop these excellences? What is/are the best
method(s) of instruction?
5) What is the teacher’s role in education?
6) What is the nature of the student?
7) Is this philosophy a good fit for your own views of reality? Why/why not?
8) It is said that an image is worth a thousand words. What might be your image metaphor for this
philosophy?