Realism in Education

REALISM IN EDUCATON

BACKGROUND AND MEANING OF REALISM :

Just as Naturalism comes on the Educational scene as a protest against systems of education that have become artificial. Realism appears to be a reaction against curricula consisting of studies that have become bookish, sophisticated and a abstruse. As we have a slogan in Naturalism- ‘ Back to Nature ‘ – in Realism we have a slogan-‘ Things rather than words ’.

Idealism deals with ‘mind and Self ,’ Naturalism emphasizes ‘Matter and Physical world’, and pragmatism ‘Refuses to speculate and transcend beyond experience ‘. And according to Realism the external world of objects is not imaginary. It really exists, “Our experience is not independent but determines reaction to the external objects. Experiences are influenced by the external world which has real existence.” (Dr. Pandey Ram Shakal : An Introduction to Major philosophies of Education, pp. 149-50 ). It is a new outlook. and this new outlook is termed as Realism.

The realistic movement in education started from the 16th century. The 16th and 17th centuries witnessed great inventions and epochal discoveries which greatly increased the store of human knowledge. They extended the horizon of human knowledge. The rise of scientific inquiry opened new vistas before human mind. ( Bacon’s formulation and statement of the new scientific method. ) All these lead to a new spirit of inquiry into the realities of nature. Man started to believe more in himself. He thought that he would conquer the entire world with his supreme gift of rationality. The interest in language and literature began to wane and people became more and more interested in man and his environment.

Consequently, there arose a demand of/for a new type of education in which truth rather than beauty, realities of life of the day rather than the beauties of the old days were aims of education as there was a great premium on Man and human endeavour combined with science and common sense. This new conception was marked by an awakened interest in the natural phenomena and social institutions. This new outlook came to be termed as ‘Realism in Education ’. “ The realist enters his emphatic protest against a cleavage between the work of the school and the life of the world outside it. “ ( Rose, James S. : Ground work of Educational Theory, p. 214 ).

“Education is that which makes a man happy by getting acquaintance with real circumstances of life, create capacity for struggling with adverse situation in life. Realistic education is connected with the needs of life. ” ( Dr. Chaube, S.P. and Akilesh : philosophical and Sociological; Foundation of Education , P. 171 ).

FUNDAMENTAL POSTULATES AND MAIN TENETS :

1) External world is a solid Reality, whether known or unknown to man. Reality is already in existence and in the invention of man. It exists independently of being known to perceived by, or related to mind. Man can only comprehend it, through senses. One should dip below the surface to know the reality.

2) Realism places great premium on Man and human endeavor, which it says, should be combined with science and common-sense. It, however, asserts that ‘Man is finite’ and learning is necessary for a finite man, Education is the process by which he lifts himself up to the external. “ The Realists wish man to be a man of affairs, practical and always seeker of deeper and deeper truth and reality,”

( Taneja, V.R. : Socio-philosophical Approach to Education, p. 241 ).

3) The realist say that ‘Mind’ like any other material thing has mechanical functioning. They discount its creating ability. “Just as any object of universe can be ‘true’ or ‘false’ similarly mind is also ‘true’ or ‘false’. The development of mind is the part of the process of development of the world.” (Dr. Chaube, S.P. and Akilesh : Philosophical and Sociological foundation of Education, p.171 )

‘Mind is what it studies’. (Herbert). If this concept of the realists is accepted in education then we are forced to believe that children’s mind are ‘mere cameras to register the reality of the universe. ’Philosophers say that mind has lot of scope for enrichment elevation and creativity.

4) Realism tries to build up a body of systematized knowledge, which is certain and objective and agrees with the standpoint of physical sciences. It says that every reality can be proved by observation, experience, experiment and scientific reasoning, For them, experience is the touchstone of what is real. Whenever the simple and direct experience can’t determine the objective truth, the common sense puts its truth in scientific research. In the present world of falling idols and falling ideals, the realists emphasize the role of intelligence as great significant, as it formulates the concepts and develops general and abstract ideas.

5) The realists of all brands aver that values are permanent and objective and say that although institutions and practices very a great deal, the fundamental values of society should not change. The children should be taught those values, which have proved enduring throughout history. They should be taught the nature of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and what is objectively good and beautiful.

In brief, Realism believes in the usefulness of the world and the material existence in its field of action . It believes that whatever is real is independent. Whatever is, is and exists. Its presence of existence does not depend upon the knower. (Compare with idealist’s standpoint. ) The individual doesn’t make reality, he only discovers it.

Main tenets :

i) Realism believes in the world which we see of perceive to be real. According to them it is wrong to say ²ÖÎÉ ÃÖŸµÖÓ •Ö?ÖŸÖ ×´Ö£ÖËµÖÖ I

ii) Realists believe in the present life.

iii) They believe that the truth of life and aim of life are in the development from the present unsystematic life.

iv) Knowledge is real and can be assimilated by the human beings.

v) The realists distinguish between ‘appearance’ and ‘reality’.

vi) Realism believes that there is an objective reality apart from that which is presented to the consciousness.

The developing realism has adopted four points in education :

i) Humanistic Realism,

ii) Social Realism,

iii) Sense Realism, and

iv) Neo-Realism.

i) Humanistic Realism in education

Humanistic realism is the reaction against the emphasise on form and style of the old classical literature. It has great regard for the ancient literature but it emphasizes the study of content and ideas in the ancient classical literature to understand one’s present social life and environment. The aim is not to study the form and style of old literature to have mastery over it. The study of old literature is a means to understand the practical life. History, Geography, Kautilyas Arthashastra are the subjects and books should be studied for this purpose. Erasmus (1446-1537 ), Rabelais (1483-1553), John Milston (1608-1674) were the supporters of this faculty.

ii) Social Realism in education

Social Realism in education is the reaction against a type of education that produces scholars and professional men to the neglect of the man of affairs i.e. practice. Education should not produce men who are unfit in social life. The purpose of education, according to social realists, is to prepare the practical man of the world. Michael de Montaigue (1533-1592) was the main supporter of this faculty.

iii) The sense Realism in education

The sense realism in education emphasizes the training of the senses. Senses are the gateways of knowledge and learning takes place the operation of the senses. According to sense-realists nature is the treasure house of all knowledge and this knowledge can be obtained through the training of the senses.

The sense-realists emphasized the three things :

a) Application of inductive method formulated by Bacon in order to organize and simplify the instructional process.

b) To replace instruction in Latin by the instruction in Vernacular, and

c) To substitute new scientific and social studies in place of the studies in language and literature. Richard Mulcaster (1531-1611), Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Ratke (1571 to 1635) and Comenius (1592-1670) were the supporters of this faculty.

iv) Neo-Realism in education

Neo-Realism is really a philosophical thought. It appears the methods and results of modern development in physics. They do not consider the scientific principles everlasting while they express the changeability in them. They support the education of art with the science and analytical system of education with the humananistic feelings. They consider living and un living all objective to be organs and the development of organs is the main objective and all round development of the objects is the main characteristic of education. Bertrand Russel and