Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education: A Biographical Introduction

by Gerald L. Gutek

For Historical Foundations of Education and Philosophical Foundations of Education courses. Structured around major movements in world history, the lives of leading educators, and the philosophies and ideologies that resulted from their ideas, this unique text provides a clear interdisciplinary exploration of the development of educational ideas. The author takes a global perspective on the history and philosophy of education, capturing the essence of educational evolution through the biographies of 23 theorists, philosophers, and educators. This biographical focus, combined with an introductory presentation of the inherent connections between education's major movements and its primary movers helps students better understand the social and historical conditions that have informed today's educational arena.

Genres: Education, Philosophy, Teaching

451 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Meg Richey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hefty, dry read required for one of my Master's courses. While this book is often bogged down with too many details describing the social and historical context of each educational philosopher's life, the concepts provide a framework for understanding contemporary American education. Like my experience with The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, I found myself skipping the social/historical explanations and getting right to the educational implications. I learned a lot from this book, and it helped me think through my philosophy of education paper, but I would not recommend it unless you're incredibly passionate about education or a masochist.

[Spacek Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Education is not all about learning how to read, write, and do math in order to move forward society with basic literacy and communication skills. Many educational philosophers saw education as a political and social way to influence and manage people. For me, being an educator has always been about getting students the tools they need for their future. As individuals, they can make up their own political and social minds based on what they hear from their parents, media, and learn in school. Education is not about programming students for the society we believe we should impose on others.

[Rachel Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a textbook on educational philosophy, this one was solid. I really appreciate how Gutek thoughtfully organized and crafted each chapter. It was written in more of a narrative form, which made it easy to understand and the organization of each chapter was the same throughout the book, which made it easier to comprehend and find information. It's not exactly a thrill-a-minute subject, so I was impressed at the craftsmanship of the writing. I learned a lot about many incredible people:)

[Camille Sylvester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great textbook!

[Oce]

i want to read that book

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good
Gutek gives 25 short biographies of key historical educators.

The Bad
The book lacked deep analysis of the figures and lacked engagement with primary sources.

[Amber]

1 copy available