Postmodernism has established a significant hold in educational thought and some of the most important ideas are to be found in the writings of Michael Peters. This paper examines his postmodern stance and use of Lyotard's account of knowledge, and from a naturalist point of view raises a number of objections centred on science as a metanarrative,…

This paper offers an introduction to the philosophy and science of embodied learning, conceived as both the stabilizing and expansionary process that sustains order and novelty within learners' worlds enacted through observing and describing. Embodied learning acknowledges stability and change as the purposeful conjoined characteristics that…

The Dreyfus (2001) account of seven stages of learning is considered in the context of the Dreyfus (1980s) account of five stages of skill development. The two new stages, Mastery and Practical Wisdom, make more explicit certain themes implicit in the five-stage account. In this way Dreyfus (2001) encourages a more reflexive approach. The themes…

Although the idea of nature has all but disappeared from recent discussion of education, it remains highly relevant to the philosophy and practice of education, since tacit notions of human nature and what constitutes underlying reality--the "natural" order of things--necessarily orientates education in fundamental ways. It is argued that…

Shortly after the publication of "The Reflective Practitioner" (1983) and the sequel "Educating the Reflective Practitioner" (1987) "reflection-in-action" became a major concept in teacher education. The concept has, however, been criticised on ontological/epistemological as well as practice oriented accounts (Van Manen, 1995; Newman, 1999;…

In "What's Within? Nativism Reconsidered" (1999) Fiona Cowie addresses three questions: (1) What is nativism? (2) What is meant by calling some trait "innate"? and (3) What types of evidence should be offered when claiming innateness? This review concentrates on these questions as they pertain to Chomsky's faculties-based account of language…

This selection from John Henry Newman is from a series of discourses he delivered in Dublin in 1852, later appearing in the first part if his classic work, "The Idea of a University." John Henry Newman's university has done its work when its charges can reach outward and grasp the truth. The process goes beyond communication of knowledge to…

This article examines the theological perspective known as Body Theology in order to reflect on its implications for how we do religious education. Part one provides a summary of the viewpoint s basic arguments and part two both suggests broad pedagogical implications and offers examples of specific instructional practices directly generated from…

We have worked, learned, and lived in Indonesia. These experiences prompted Roger's PhD dissertation entitled: "Expatriate Managers' Immersion in Another Culture: A Phenomenological Study of Lived Experiences." The findings of this research uncovered eight paradoxical experiences that were lived by persons who were immersed in another…

Teacher and author Vivian Paley is highly regarded by parents, educators, and other professionals for her original insights into such seemingly everyday issues as play, story, gender, and how young children think. In "The Classrooms All Young Children Need", Patricia M. Cooper takes a synoptic view of Paley's many books and articles,…

One of the major priorities that should guide teacher education programs in preparing teachers for their work in a democratic society is to develop a commitment to knowledge that embraces complexity and to place this knowledge into competition with the mainstream vision, which results from a deep reliance on standardized testing and controls much…

Ever since eighth grade the author was deeply interested in his own education at a self-conscious level, wondering how he could find out educationally what human life was all about and how he should live his life. In this article, the author provides a self-portrait of his intellectual life. He contends that philosophy of education, as educational…

This paper argues that a new patriotism has emerged in New Zealand over recent years. This has been promoted in tandem with the notion of advancing New Zealand as a knowledge economy and society. The new patriotism encourages New Zealanders to accept, indeed embrace, a single, shared vision of the future: one structured by a neoliberal ontology…

This paper reveals how the provision of teacher professional development is conceptualised within the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme (AGQTP) policy text and its predecessors, and uses these texts to infer the nature of the production practices associated with the development of these policies. The paper argues that multiple…

Background and Context: The context for this study is the American legislative landscape covering the past 35 years, which witnessed a shift in political philosophies concerning the role of government in ensuring the social welfare of its citizens--from a focus on a "safety net" to a focus on "individual responsibility." We frame these contrasting…