Social Reconstruction: Summary
This system treats education as an instrument for addressing social problems. Education is seen as the means to creating a harmonious social order. It adopts an open ended syllabi intended to meet practical problems with socially conscious solutions. Progressive education is embraced as against conservative models. Some of the leading thinkers include Theodore Brameld, George Counts and Paulo Freire. One of the core beliefs of its pioneers is that systems must be changed to overcome social and individual oppression. The system encourages students to find creative solutions for problems such as violence, hunger, economic inflation, terrorism, etc. There is a strong belief in literacy as a vehicle for social change.
Social Reconstruction: Synthesis & Response
It should be lauded that social reconstruction attempts to create constructive dialogue and critical consciousness in students. Given that today’s world is full of conflict and disparity, the goal of resisting oppression and domination is a relevant one. I especially find appealing the system’s objective to create a peaceful world. The fact that the curriculum takes a community based learning approach is incompatible to modern employer demands. Moreover, the curriculum is loosely-based, which may appear to lack direction for concerned parents. The system’s suspicion of technology can be problematic in the age of instant connectivity and digital computing.