Introduction
Postmodernism is the word used by sociologists and other scholars to refer to a the intelligence that has developed in the western world. It is a perception that incorporates a varied range of ideas, practices and critical methods that can be regarded as “postmodern”. Postmodernism is the historical period which is seen to follow modernism.
Modernity is the development accompanied by a counter practice which is idealistic rather than materialist, and treats the world, including nature, realistically rather than in the materialistic way. Modernization is understanding of the technological dominant of the world. This reflects the current globalization and the technological revolution taking place.
Postmodernism is the tradition apparent in displeasure to modernism’s usual custom of beliefs, developing a different method for people trying to find themselves in the world (Barrow & Robin, 1994).
What is unique about the postmodern world view in regards to education?
Postmodernism is the theory which states that the truth does not exist. Postmodernism asserts that the truth is defined by individual culture and that the truth is relative, not universal. If the truth is defined by culture, then it is not absolute truth because of the changing cultural diversity and faith worldwide. The truth is universal and is not relative truth.
The postmodernism is based primarily on the theory of Darwin’s evolution. Postmodernism education is based on the notion that what people believe to be learning, consists of ways of looking at the world by people. Awareness, thoughts and language made by people, are useful to people’s wellbeing not because they are true (Barrow & Robin, 1994).
The focus of the classroom in postmodern education consists in the fact that there has occurred a shift from the teacher centered learning being common and widely spread in the system of education, to student centered learning. In postmodernism education students learn and interact in a social setting.
Why is postmodernism sometimes claimed to be the negative philosophy?
Human nature does not offer any new clue to understanding the world and do not play any role of forming alternative foundation of knowledge. Americas have been the victim of an intellectual and educational oppression that characterizes the culture.
The philosophy is negative because if we cannot make judgments as to what is true, then, consequently, it is difficult to improve humanity. Truth cannot be strange (Burbules & Nicholas, 2000).
What might postmodern offer to the educational theory?
According to postmodern thinking, the purpose of education shifts from teaching theoretical understanding and skills to providing education atmosphere where students construct their own knowledge. A teacher is simply the guide; students get their knowledge on their own. In other words, eacher guides the student “on the side” (Burbules & Nicholas, 2000).
The principal of “guide on the side” which emphasizes a group project and individual thought, is the additional setting of postmodernism. Postmodernism has an enormous impact in the field of mathematics. Postmodernism is used to designate new practice of art. The validity of people may be attributed to the objective by a “specific” appeal of the people (Burbules & Nicholas, 2000).
Conclusion
Living in a discourse of contingency and flexibility we can respect the complicated and deep lives of people we work together with. Postmodernism provides opportunities for Christians to discuss issues amenably to other societies (Burbules & Nicholas, 2000).
References
Burbules & Nicholas C. (2000). Philosophy of Education: In Routledge International Companion to Education, New York: Routledge.
Barrow & Robin. (1994). Philosophy of Education, Analytic Tradition: In The International Encyclopedia of Education, 2nd edition, Oxford: Pergamon Press.