Idealism: Summary
This model of education focuses on value education and student character development. One of the goals is to gear learning toward understanding objective truth. The teacher plays an important role in imparting knowledge. Conceptual methodology that uses logic and rationality is employed as an instructive tool. The education method is so designed to stimulate the student’s intellect. This school of education is based on the assumption that that which is ultimately real is spiritual or ideational.
Idealism: Synthesis & Response
Although Idealism is the preferred system of education in the 19th century, its relevance has continued to decline in the 20th century. This is due to its old-fashioned core goals such as value education and student character development. In other words, it is not very compatible with the labor market orientated structuring of curriculum and goals that is prevalent today. Perhaps, educators can integrate some elements of Idealism into the current system without foregoing the market focus. This chapter is useful reference for students and educators alike. Just as students are exposed a system of education quite different to theirs, it also helps educators to rethink the objectives of curriculum and methods employed to achieve the same.