Humanism has variously been described as a philosophy, a theory of psychology, and an approach to educational practice. Each of these is accurate. Philosophy and psychology provide a foundation for the understanding of humanism, while education serves as a field upon which principles are implemented in practice. This section will examine the philosophical and psychological backgrounds while the following section focuses upon the application of these principles to instructional practice.
Humanism as a Philosophy Humanism is a paradigm that emphasizes the freedom, dignity, and potential of humans. According to Lamont (1965), humanism can be defined as "a philosophy of joyous service for the greater good of all humanity in this natural world and advocating the methods of reason, science, and democracy" (p. 12).
We find rooted in the idea that "human beings are capable of making significant personal choices within the constraints imposed by heredity, personal history, and environment" (Elias & Merriam, 1980, p. 118), principles of humanist philosophy stress the importance of the individual and specific human needs. Lamont (1965) has outlined 10 central propositions of humanist philosophy. These can be summarized as follows:
1. Humanism is based on a naturalistic metaphysics that views all forms of the supernatural as myth;
2. Humanism believes that humans are an evolutionary product of nature and, since body and personality are inseparably united, one "can have no conscious survival after death (p. 13);
3. Humanism holds that "human beings possess the power or potentiality of solving their own problems, through reliance primarily upon reason and scientific method applied with courage and vision" (p. 13);
4. Humanism holds that because individuals "possess freedom of creative choice and action," they are within limits, "masters of their own destiny"; in this way, humanism is in contrast with views of universal determinism, as well as fatalism and predestination (p. 13);
5. Humanism stresses a view of ethics or morality based in present-life experiences and relationships and emphasizes "this-worldly happiness, freedom, and progress" of all humans (p. 13);
6. Humanism believes that individuals attain the good life by combining personal growth and satisfaction with commitment to the welfare of the entire community;
7. Humanism places great value in aesthetics, and thus, emphasizes the value of art and the awareness of beauty;
8. Humanism values actions that will promote the establishment of "democracy, peace, and a high standard of living" throughout the world (p. 14);
9. Humanism advocates the use of reason and scientific method and, as such, supports democratic procedures such as freedom of expression and civil liberties in all realms of life;
10. Humanism supports "the unending questioning of basic assumptions and convictions, including its own" (p. 14).
In summarizing the essence of these points, Lamont (1965) offers the following observation:
Humanism is the viewpoint that men [sic] have but one life to lead and should make the most of it in terms of creative work and happiness; that human happiness is its own justification and requires no sanction or support from supernatural sources; that in any case the supernatural, usually conceived of in the form of heavenly gods or immortal heavens, does not exist; and that human beings, using their own intelligence and cooperating liberally with one another, can build an enduring citadel of peace and beauty upon this earth. (p. 14)
In a discussion of humanistic philosophy directed toward its application to the field of adult education, Elias and Merriam (1980) summarize the major beliefs of humanism as: (a) human nature is inherently good; (b) individuals are essentially free and autonomous within the constraints of heredity, personal history, and environment; (c) each person is unique with unlimited potential for growth; (d) self-concept plays a key role in influencing development; (e) individuals possess an urge toward self-actualization; (f) reality is a personally defined construct; and (g) individuals are responsible to themselves and to others. While it is clear that the ideas presented by Elias and Merriam are compatible with those of Lamont, by emphasizing notions such as self-concept and self-actualization, the Elias and Merriam description serves as a natural link between humanism as a philosophy and as a theory of psychology.
A major goal of Rogerian therapy is to help individuals foster a greater level of self-direction. According to Rogers, self-direction "means that one chooses and then, learns from the consequences" (Rogers, 1961, p. 171). These premises indicate the supposition that the principle of approach is one of mechanistic support in the methodology of learning and thereby is a positive addition to the Humanistic backdrop being the mainstay of Distance Education.
Self- direction is where a person can see a situation clearly and takes responsibility for that situation (Rogers, 1983).
Maslow developed a theory of human motivation originally presented in his 1954 book Motivation and Personality, which was revised in 1970. This theory holds that needs are arranged in ascending order: physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow described the first four levels as "deficiency" needs, in that one must be able to meet needs at a lower level prior to working toward the needs at the next level. Maslow’s premises are also supportive of the sequential mechanism of self-direction in that the affirming ways are a method to the hierarchial process.
As with Rogers, Maslow designated "self-actualization" as an ideal to work toward achieving. Self-actualization, according to Maslow, is the highest level of human growth, where one's potential has been most fully realized. This self-actualization level may be perceived as being the practice of the discursive process of attaining independence in the communicative skill which is required of distance learners. Maslow held that self-actualizers tend to "possess a more efficient view of reality and a corresponding tolerance of ambiguity; be accepting of themselves and others; demonstrate spontaneous behavior that is in tune with their own values and not necessarily tied to the common beliefs and practices of the culture; focus on problems that lie outside of themselves, thus demonstrating a highly ethical concern; maintain a few extremely close interpersonal relationships rather than seek out a large number of less intense friendships; and possess high levels of creativity" (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991, p. 126).
“Theory Y” is a concept that seems to “fit” the exemplifications of this Maslow model. “Theory Y” individuals according to Papa, possess the ability for creative problem solving, and enjoy mental play and physical work duties (Papa et. al).
Distance learners must have a sense of endurance which encompasses the “durability” of traditional learners in that the motivation is a large part of the “success equation.” The perspectives of achievement are based on a different scale than traditional learners in that the realms of learning are scaled by a varied set of parameters. Traditional instructors are aware of the fact that the ability to “keep the student on task” requires the approach of the balance that the subject matter needs to be a “digestible” amount of material and presented in such a manner that the learner can perceive success with an innate amount of confidence in their ability to achieve through the platform. This confidence is a state that is based on an extensive amount of time and input, which stems from the appreciation of both the subject matter as articulated by the learner as well as the expressions of the instruction.
No comments:
Post a Comment