Introduction
In the attempt to describe the melange of reforms we have come to lump together as progressive education has itself developed something of a history; that is to say, apart from the history of the reforms themselves, the way historians have defined progressive education has acquired a kind of story of its own.
Whig history
Whig history demonstrates past occurrence as an unavoidable development headed for increased autonomy and clarification, climaxing in contemporary methods of tolerant social equality and legitimate dominion. Ordinarily, Whig historiographers emphasise the increase of inherent government, individual liberty and technological gradual improvement. The term is frequently applied (and dyslogistic) to accounts that shows history as the unchangeable march of development in the direction of the movement in Europe that recommended the use of motive and distinctiveness as a substitute of custom and well-known policy. It also relates to a detailed group of British historiographers. Its exact opposite can be found in some kinds of educational cynicism.
The difference in Whig’s history approach of education in the 19th century Canada is that the agricultural populace viewed the United States as a culture born of upheaval and had to be scrutinised guardedly. Alternately, they introduced the syllabus of the Irish education system, particularly the Irish scripts that had been printed to reach a Protestant and Catholic populace. This scheme was also favourable, since the Irish’s were the mainstream settlers in Mid-19th’century, Ontario. Revolts in Quebec were even far more significant than in Ontario, resulting in larger political apprehension in the psyche of the instructive leaders. It is specifically in Montreal that instructors debated practically on the need for schools to get rid of the concept of having to work for small wages, due to lack of education, this is reflected on the Whig’s history of education, and as a consequence, new improvement by expansion, and enlargement in education were by and large considered as proof of development. Nonetheless, the account of education was interpreted as a demonstration of development. In connection to this, progressive schooling was a natural event that disputed lack of enlightenment, knowledge or values of educational patterns that had prevailed education in the nineteenth century.
Social history
Social history gives emphasis to social arrangements and the mutual or reciprocal action of various groups in the public instead of the political affairs. The natural consequence of development in economic history, stretched as a branch of knowledge in the 1960s. As a subject, it frequently limits on economic record and on the study and classification of human societies and anthropology. Social history adapts to technological change. That change, of course, is part of our disturbing late twentieth century experience; the idea of progress is at its lowest ebb for fifty years. Yet growth of social history does not depend on progress; on the contrary, need and demand for it may become greater as a depressed and confused world turns towards its past (Sutcliffe & Thane, 1986, p.viii).
The difference in the social history of education in the 19th century Canada
Nineteenth century Canada was a society in motion. However, Historians have approached the history of education in two distinct, though often complementary, ways. Some focus on the process of education itself, while others explore the relationships among schools, students, and larger social and economic forces. The latter approach has been employed primarily by historians of primary and secondary education interested in the role of school as an instrument of social reproduction. Though their studies of students populations in the late nineteenth century these scholars have examined the extent to which dominate ideologies and class, gender, and ethnic divisions have shaped emerging school systems.
As Canada was being transformed from a predominantly rural, small town society to an urban, industrial nation, education reflected patterns of both social continuity and change (Reid & Axelrod, 1989, p. 3).
Historical revisionism
Historical revisionism is the review of the acknowledged truth and understandings of past events, with focus in the direction of updating it with recently found, more precise, and less slanted knowledge acquired through study, experience or instruction. Without regard to specific details or exceptions, it is a questioning approach that past events as it has been usually narrated may not be completely correct, and maybe an exact history is as exclusive as a prejudice life history.
The difference in the revisionism approach in relation to the 19th century Canada is the most important changes to education in the country. However, in spite of the disinclination of Catholic Church authorities, the Canadian government depicted educational gradual improvement, growth or development as a fundamental approach for becoming self reliance. As regards this, Additional purposeful academically education was recommended as a national plan; this improved schooling was directed towards educational and economical rehabilitation. Nevertheless, Canadian leaders stressed that a bequest of elevated illiteracy had to be discarded for the achievement of suitable public level in the quality of being current. Furthermore, schooling was encouraged as an essential priceless possession necessary in modern society.
Ethnographic History of education
The term ethnography is a discipline of cultural anthropology, which is the gathering of data techniques intended to give different types of perspectives toward educational history (Whig, Social history, Revisionism, and post-modernism) and contributes to the authentic portrayal of a complex, multifaceted human society (Lecompte & Preissle, 1993, p.28). Ethnography approach towards education in the 19th century Canada is the combination of research and designed field-work, and various methods of inquiry to produce historically, politically and personally situated accounts, descriptions, interpretations, and representations of human lives. As an inscription practice which is another approach, ethnography is a continuation of fieldwork rather than a transparent record of past experiences in the field (Lincoln & Denzin, 2003, p.165).
Postmodernism interpretation is a trend in modern-day civilization regarded as by the refusal of objective truth and universal cultural narration of events. It stresses the role of systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols, and motivations (Hutcheon, 2002, p.1).
The different approach of postmodernism (which is an individualised understanding of history), in the education of 19th century Canada, is that historians began to dominate the production of history. However, in the 19th century Canadians motivated interest in history, as historiographers hurried to plan the foundations and features of up-and-coming states in the province of Canada.
They emphasised on archival research and careful documentary analysis and deviated from orthodox to more contemporary methods. In the 19th century Canada universities rarely taught history, but combined it with theology classics and literature. Until in the 1890s new directions where now chatting towards public Achieves of Canadian education. This intensified growing interest in the collection of historical documents while forming the royal society of Canada. These gave historians a forum in which to disseminate their scholarly research, thus laying a foundation for professional direction (New, 2002, p.510).
Conclusion
Ethnographic history approach is universally preferred because it is both a process and a product of investigating and publishing reports on the physical characters, languages, and industrial and social condition. Furthermore, Ethnographic history is the adding of value to already progressing educational history. It advocates a situation where education history is not dormant, and it also addresses all other forms of modern educational history.
Reference List
Hutcheon, L. (2002). The politics of postmodernism. New York, NY: Routledge.
Le Compte, M. and Preissle, J. (1993): Ethnography and Qualitative Design in Educational Research. London: Academic Press Inc.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Denzin, N. K. (2003). Strategies of qualitative inquiry. California. Sage.
New, W. H. (2002). Encyclopedia of literature in Canada. Toronto, University of Toronto Press.
Reid, J., G. & Axelrod, P. (1989).Youth, university and Canadian society: essays in the social history of higher education. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s Press – MQUP.
Sutcliffe, A. & Thane, P. (1986). Essays in Social History, Volume 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press.