Social Reconstructionist Philosophy of Education and George S. Counts - observations on the ideology of indoctrination in socio-critical educational thinking

Year 2014, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 18 - 31, 01.04.2014

Ari Sutinen

Abstract

This article comprises three parts: The author first outlines the principles of the social reconstructionist philosophy of education related to educational activity and social philosophy. After this, he describes the educational philosophy of George S. Counts, the most important developer of the social reconstructionist philosophy of education, and his most essential texts connected with the social reconstructionist philosophy of education. The third part focuses on the systematic problems involving social reconstructionist philosophy of education and George S. Counts' educational thinking. The postscript at the end of the article introduces the reader to the common and differing educational philosophical principles of social reconstructionist philosophy of education in relation to critical pedagogy, especially the educational thinking of Henry A. Giroux, and John Dewey's educational philosophy

Keywords

Social Reconstructionism, George S. Counts, Critical Pedagogy, John Dewey

References

• Bowers, C.A. 1969. The Progressive Educator and the Depression. The Radical Years. New York: Random House.
• Counts, G.S. 1932a. Dare Progressive Education be Progressive. Progressive Education: volume IX (4), 257-263.
• Counts, G.S. 1932b. Education – For What?. I: The Ten Fallacies of the Educators. The New Republic: May 18, 12-16.
• Counts, G.S. 1932c. Education – For What?. Indoctrination and a Workable Democracy. The New Republic: May 25:38-41.
• Counts, G.S. 1932d. Dare The School Build a New Social Order? New York: The John Day Company.
• Dennis, L.J. & Eaton, W.E. 1980. George S. Counts: Educator For a New Age. Carbonale and Edwardsville: Southern University Press.
• Dewey, J. The Collected Works of John Dewey, 1882-1953. The Electronic Version. Edited Jo Ann Boydston.
• Graham, P.A. 1967. Progressive Education: From Arcady to Academe. A History of the Progressive Education Association 1919-1955. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Giroux, H.A.1988. Schooling and the Struggle for Public Life. Critical Pedagogy in the Modern Age. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
• Gutek, G.L. 1970. The Educational Theory of George S. Counts. Ohio: Ohio State University Press.
• Gutek, G.L. 1984. George S. Counts and American Civilization. Macon GA: Mercer University Press.
• Gutek, G.L. 1988. Philosophical and Ideological Perspectives on Education. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.
• Kliebard, H.M. 1987. The Struggle For The American Curriculum 1893-1958. New York and London: Routledge & Keegan.
• Snook, I.A. 1972. Indoctrination and Education. London and Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
• Stanley, W.B. 1992. Curriculum For Utopia. Social Reconstructionism and Critical Pedagogy in the Postmodern Era. New York: State University of New York.
• Tanner, D. & Tanner, L. 1990. History of The School Curriculum. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.