Faculty of Education - Theses

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End date: 1991 × Type: Masters Research thesis × Subject: Education × Subject: Study and teaching ×

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    Defining education: Kieran Egan's contribution to current educational theory and practice
    Miles, Malcolm ( 1990)
    Kieran Egan has suggested a stage theory for education in which the student moves through four periods of development. The theory is predicated upon a notion of education being a particular type of discipline, different from other areas of study such as philosophy and psychology. The difference, according to Egan, is found in the definition of education as a cultural act. The dominance of psychologists like Piaget and theorists like Dewey has, according to Egan, allowed non-educational theories and practices to erode the proper function of education, that being the creation of a particular type of person. That type of person would be best described as having the characteristics of Egan's "Ironic" scholar, a person with intelligence, humanity and acceptance. Egan also suggests a particular curriculum and teaching methodology in the light of his stage theory. This curriculum is based on the cultural heritage of humanity's quest for enlightenment. The methodology used is to present this cultural heritage in story-form so that it engages children's interest. The story-form is also the most appropriate manner of presenting information to children because information is most easily understood in that format. Egan is critical of current trends in education which, he claims, tend to be destructive of its true function. Empiricism and socialization, according to Egan, have caused education to become mundane and soulless. Education needs to be redefined and theories need to be relevant and pertinent to the process of education. Egan's theory does serve to centre debate about education. His thoughts on educational development and methodology, although salutory, are at times idiosyncratic. His rejection of empiricism in education tends to make his ideas problematic.