Education and Democracy in the 21st Century

by Nel Noddings

Overview

Eminent educational philosopher Nel Noddings draws on John Dewey’s foundational work to reimagine education’s aims and curriculum for the 21st century. Noddings looks at education as a multi-aim enterprise in which schools must address needs in all three domains of life: home and family, occupational, and civic. She raises critical questions about the current enthusiasm for standardization, the search for “one-best-way” solutions, and the practice of maintaining a sharp separation between the disciplines. Comprehensive in its scope, chapters examine the liberal arts curriculum, vocational education, restructuring secondary school, extracurricular activities, national and global citizenship, critical thinking, and moral education.

Noddings argues that we must find ways to preserve our commitment to democratic values while adapting to the societal changes that have occurred since Dewey wrote Democracy and Education almost a century ago. She urges not only a critical appraisal of current practice but also a cooperative and imaginative exploration of the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807753965
Publisher:	Teachers College Press
Publication date:	02/25/2013
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Nel Noddings is Lee Jacks Professor of Education, Emerita, at Stanford University. She is a past president of the National Academy of Education, the Philosophy of Education Society, and the John Dewey Society. Her books include When School Reform Goes Wrong, The Challenge to Care in Schools, Educating Citizens for Global Awareness, Educating for Intelligent Belief or Unbelief, and Educating Moral People.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments xi

1 The Problem of Education Through Two Lenses 1

Standards 2

Teacher Accountability 7

Choice 8

Schooling in the 21st Century 9

2 Democracy 12

Toward a Democratic Theory of Education 15

Democracy in Schools 22

Student Choice 24

3 Equality 26

Equality Through a Common Curriculum 27

Equality Through Degrees and Diplomas 31

Equality and Anti-Intellectualism 33

Confusion over the Meaning of Intellectual 35

Equality of Opportunity 36

4 Aims, Goals, and Objectives 40

Aims 41

From Aims to Goals 45

Lesson Objectives 49

5 The Liberal Arts in Schools 54

The Tradition 54

Decline 58

Hope for Renewal 60

6 Educating for Home Life 67

Home and Homemaking 69

Parenting 76

7 Toward Ecological Cosmopolitanism 83

Living in Place 84

Earth: More Than a Collection of Nations 91

Geography with a Purpose 95

Toward Peace on Earth 98

8 Vocational Education 101

Vocational Education: The Past 101

Vocational Education: The Present 105

Vocational Education: The Future 108

Middle School: A Time to Explore 112

9 Educating the Whole Person 116

Moral Education 116

A Better Way 119

Self-Knowledge 124

Spiritual Education 126

10 Problems in Today's Education for Citizenship 131

Patriotism 132

Race and Multiculturalism 134

Military Service 138

Political Education 140

11 Critical Thinking on 21st-century Education 142

Standards and Core Knowledge 142

Constructing Curriculum 145

Pedagogical Treasure 148

The Status of Teachers and Tests 152

The Language of Education Critically Appraised 154

References 159

Index 169

About the Author 180

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Noddings describes goals for our schools that are at odds with the leaders of both political parties. How I wish she were making our educational policies so our nation could thrive!”
—David C. Berliner, Arizona State University

“Education and Democracy in the 21st Century is the vision of an experienced and eminent philosopher of education. It is an important contribution to the field because it is comprehensive in its scope and takes up contemporary issues like global citizenship and cultural pluralism."
—Megan J. Laverty, Teachers College, Columbia University

“Nel Noddings’s new book is jargon-free and offers a systematic perspective on the disciplines as vehicles for an education for democracy.”
—Barry L. Bull, Indiana University Bloomington, School of Education