Comparison Chart: Historical Foundations of Philosophies in Education

Student-Centered Philosophy

	Main Concepts	Aim of Education	Role of Teachers	Methodology/ Strategy in Education
Progressivism	Progressivism is a general political philosophy advocating or favoring social, political and economic reform or changes usually in opposition to conservative ideologies.	Progressivist believed that the curriculum should be based on the needs of the students. It is a student-centered philosophy. The students should learn meaningfully.	Progressivist teacher provides the experiences to the students for them to learn by their doings. It is learning by doing.	The scientific method is used by progressivist educators for the students to learn from their own experiences.
Existentialism	Existentialism are concerned with how these things are educationally significant within the lived experiences of individuals.  It emphasis on self-discovery. The experience of the individual with the chair is the ultimate truth. .	This philosophy focuses of letting the students to work with their own creativity with his/her own ability. Should focus on the needs of individuals, include the non- rational as well as rational, the notion of possibility.	The existentialist teachers’ role is to help the students explain their own essence by exposing them to different ways they can take in their own lives. They should understand their own lived world and help students to understand their world.	Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-paced, self-directed and includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly.
Social Reconstructionism	This philosophy is concerned to change the systems to overcome oppression and improve human conditions. It emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy.	Curriculum highlights social reform. Focuses on students experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation and inequality.	The reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education.	Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly on social studies and literature) inquiry, dialogue and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also used.