Humanities education

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The Humanities Education is a theoretical orientation of German education , upbringing and education as intellectual and cultural and historical considered phenomenon. The educational reality is always the result of a historical and biographical development, which means that one can only understand the meaning of an educational situation if one includes the history of the pupil and the history of his environment. The humanities pedagogy distinguishes itself from the natural sciences , whereby the basic knowledge method of the humanities pedagogy is the hermeneutics in order to understand the psychological states of a person in their meaning and to interpret their meaning. Furthermore , the humanities education postulates a relative autonomy of education.

The concept of lifeworld orientation, which is the leading concept in social work today, also refers to humanities pedagogy in its emphasis on the importance of everyday life for clients.

development

The humanities education developed at the beginning of the 20th century, under the sign of increasing educational specialization. At that time there was an expansion of pedagogical fields of work, which were based on insights into the importance of upbringing and education. This opened up opportunities for institutionalized and professional pedagogy, with a new type of scientific approach that was appropriate to the changed practice. The humanities pedagogy saw itself as the theoretical foundation of this particular historical situation. She interpreted the new social situation with the intention of making a consistent understanding of pedagogical action plausible and binding.

Pedagogy was set up late as an independent research and teaching area at universities. The first pure education chairs were filled in the 1920s. Before that, they were linked to other tasks or attached to other departments, such as philosophy and psychology in connection with education. Humanities education is a collective term for the prevailing direction that was able to anchor itself at the universities and gained considerable influence in this regard.

Ideas such as those propagated by Rousseau, for example, should be critically and constructively questioned and methodically developed further.

The humanities pedagogy had set itself the task of understanding the reality of education , its development and its principles. In doing so, she strived to provide a theoretical foundation for the reality of upbringing, based on practice and reflecting on it. This theory in turn, scientifically clarified, should then serve educational practitioners as orientation and confirmation. With this concept of a theory of practice for practice , the pedagogical dimension in historical development should be shown. This historical pedagogical practice, which was interpreted and reflected upon here, was primarily reform pedagogical approaches, which were then to serve as scientifically founded theories as an orientation in current practical work.

The term educational reality interpreted the cultural system of education as a historical reality that works within society, but nevertheless according to its own ideas . The purpose of this educational reality was understood to be the realization of education , which results in the maturity of the subjects, which should be achieved according to their own possibilities and the social challenges of the respective time. In the central organ of this movement, the journal Die Erziehungs , this was formulated as follows in 1926:

"Thinking about education is not just a matter of research, but of education in general."

The main representatives of this direction of educational science were, in the first generation: Herman Nohl , Theodor Litt , Eduard Spranger , Max Fresisenisen-Köhler and Georg Kerschensteiner in the implementation of school policy . In the second generation the following should be emphasized: Wilhelm Flitner , Erich Less , Otto Friedrich Bollnow and Fritz Blättner .

Humanities education lost its importance to a large extent through the realistic turn of the 1960s propagated by Heinrich Roth , which was characterized by an orientation towards empiricism and ideological criticism. It was replaced by an educational science that was clearly oriented towards social science . Herwig Blankertz , Wolfgang Klafki and Klaus Mollenhauer are educators who started out in the tradition of humanities education and developed it further in the 1970s as critical education or critical education .

Main features

Wilhelm Dilthey strived for a uniform foundation for the humanities and is therefore considered to be a pioneer in humanities education.

historicity

Historicity is considered to be a basic characteristic of educational reality in humanities education . This means that everyone is determined in their thoughts and actions by their past. In addition, humans are also responsible for their history, whereby both doing and not doing have consequences. Man shapes his story accordingly, whereby the rational penetration of history shows basic structures that are still effective in the respective present.

The humanities education has also undertaken a large number of historical-systematic investigations into the reality of education. The reason for this is found in the acceptance of the continuing effects significance of sources and texts, bygone eras, each current educational problem is to examine its historical background. The text and source research should serve to clarify the historical development of the given upbringing and educational ideas in order to finally work out the structural elements with their help that could possibly contribute to the solution of current problems.

In the case of historicity, provisionality is also emphasized, since all pedagogical theories are to be treated as subject to historical change. In the opinion of the humanities education, there can be no timelessly valid system of educational styles, educational institutions or educational methods.

Hermeneutics

Hermes the messenger of the gods as the basis of hermeneutics? In any case, in Greek mythology , Hermes was not only the messenger of messages from the gods, but also the translator of these messages. You could not understand it without his interpretation .

In the humanities pedagogy, the methodological focus is on a historically understanding approach - hermeneutics . Based on Wilhelm Dilthey, this is generally regarded as the primary method in the humanities.

Influenced by Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schleiermacher , Dilthey was primarily committed to the philosophy of life . Dilthey also saw life as a unified, no longer questionable ground that should be understood from within. The whole person comes into focus in all of his life. Dilthey starts from understanding as opposed to explaining . According to Dilthey, explaining has its place in the natural sciences . In contrast, understanding is the basic methodological pattern of the sciences that deal with historical-intellectual matters

"We explain nature, we understand soul life."

- Dilthey

The understanding is therefore the goal of knowledge of the hermeneutical method of the Humanities Education, which will be the subject in its entirety the human. Hermeneutic understanding should take place with every contact with people or human products , i.e. it primarily relates to texts such as school regulations and laws, biographies and educational programs as well as educational theories of the past and present. The hermeneutic method in humanities pedagogy should not be limited to the interpretation of texts, but should rather include pedagogical contexts in general . In this context, the recording and interpretation of the given educational reality is particularly relevant, which should be understood like every real life , as a context of being that can be interpreted. In a sense, this was supposed to represent the text that was sought to be interpreted . But actually texts were primarily interpreted and the interpretation of the given pedagogical reality was rather a marginal phenomenon.

Relationship between theory and practice

Fundamental in humanities pedagogy is the insight that education represents a reality that has always existed. The practice of education is therefore older than the scientific reflection of it and therefore has its own value. Strictly speaking, however, it is never exclusively practice because it has always also included a theoretical level. Even where the practitioner rejects any theory and insists on his or her personal educational experience, theory is at work. Because the parenting experience is also the result of a possibly unconscious but always very specific question.

In this sense, theory is the condition for action in practice. Individual pedagogical experiences can be generalized, condensed into doctrines, rules of life, proverbs etc. and thus serve as instructions for practice. However, theory in the narrower sense does not stop at empirical principles and wisdom.

In the process of historical development, Klafki mentions educational ideas , such as those propagated in the educational novel Emile or about the upbringing of Jean-Jacques Rousseau , the attempts to justify and justify the humanistic grammar school in the 19th century and the educational ideas of the youth movement. These ideas have entered pedagogical practice to a greater or lesser extent and have become effective.

The humanities pedagogy sees it as its task to critically examine these pre-scientific educational teachings and to consistently develop them methodically. These pre-scientific approaches should not simply be overcome, but remain necessary elements of scientific reflection.

The scientific theory in the sense of the humanities pedagogy and the educational practice in everyday life therefore do not form a contradiction, but are mutually related. A scientific theory of pedagogy also presupposes educational reality as its starting point. It is formed in the living relationship with what is happening in practice. As a science of practice for practice, according to this view, it is only legitimized to the extent that it is pursued from the point of view of action, out of responsibility. So it is only valid as far as the practitioner can do something with its results.

The educational theory thus has the educational reality as its goal. This means that a contribution should be made to enlightened, responsible and appropriate pedagogical action. But this is not intended to provide a collection of applicable rules and techniques or even a normative system of objectives and instructions for action . Rather, possibilities for problem solving should be shown and decision support given.

The relative autonomy of pedagogy

Pedagogy is a separate and independent science. It has a separate subject area with a certain regularity of its own on the topic and thus works on a very specific problem and task.

In the humanities education, Jean-Jacques Rousseau is seen as the one who first formulated the autonomy of education. According to Rousseau, humans are capable of self-determination , but this only comes into play if they enjoy an appropriate education. According to this, childhood and adolescence must not be viewed as temporary stages of immaturity , but must be understood as fully fledged stages of human development with their own rights and opportunities, as fully valid forms of human existence . This insight into the intrinsic value of those to be educated also requires that their expressions and wishes are taken seriously, that their own activity is respected and that their natural abilities can develop freely, whereby a future goal must also be taken into account in this process. A person can only achieve maturity and spiritual independence if he has already practiced them at an early age.

According to the conception of humanities education, this basic idea of ​​Rousseau was able to develop in a unified spiritual-historical context extending over two centuries, which also includes philosophy and poetry.

In addition to the differentiation between art and science as well as law and economy, this specific emancipation process also characterizes the idea of ​​a specific task of education and the principle of relative autonomy of pedagogy derived from it . Pedagogy should act as an independent partner in cooperation with other disciplines and fulfill an independent function in interaction with social and cultural powers.

Education and learning opportunities are postulated for everyone , which should be enforced against economic and political resistance. Each individual should be seen from an educational point of view and not under those of the public interest. The starting point of every upbringing are children and adolescents in their claim to the unity of the person, i.e. the individual possibilities, interests and difficulties. It is therefore important to protect the child's own rights and uniqueness in relation to adults and society. Thus, unjustified demands on education and upbringing, which are made by the economy, the state, the church etc.

Realistic twist and critical reception

With the 1960s and against the backdrop of the Cold War , questions about the superiority and efficiency of education came to the fore and replaced questions about the deeper meaning of education and its contribution to human emancipation . The education system has held onto traditions and myths from the 19th century for too long, so that its offer can no longer meet the demand of a modern economy . This discussion about the educational disaster was triggered by a series of articles by Georg Picht . Now the voices that had already existed before became louder calling for an educational science based on data and facts , which can be checked for validity and reliability . The discussion about the theoretical self-image was bundled in the formula From Pedagogy to Educational Science ( Wolfgang Brezinka ).

On the part of empirical-analytical educational science, humanities education was primarily accused of showing a completely insufficient understanding of science, in which speculation and irrationality are the order of the day. Due to the almost ignorant aversion to empirical research , she is open to arbitrariness and arbitrariness . In particular, the lack of accuracy of humanities studies and the lack of intersubjective verifiability of their results as well as the neglect of work on epistemological (self-) reflection were criticized.

A high point of this development was the Realistic Turn in educational research propagated by Heinrich Roth , which helped empirical educational science to make its breakthrough. The corresponding essay Realistic Turns in Educational Research was written by Roth in 1962, which was formulated as an inaugural lecture on the occasion of Erich Less's assumption of the professorship in Göttingen.

“Education [...] does not primarily analyze human nature [...], but asks about the changeability of this nature [...] - and it does not primarily analyze, interpret and criticize society and culture like them have become and wherever they tend - [...] pedagogy does not increase the insights and knowledge of the individual sciences, which all [...] reappear in pedagogy because every science [...] is more urgent every day before the question of their teachability and transferability is placed, but the pedagogy asks about the educational sense of the insights, contents and norms invested in the sciences and arts of our culture, about the meaning that these for the spiritual self-realization of the human being, for the productive reawakening and Continuation of the intellectual forces that support culture in the younger generation, and they are thereby at the critical mediation between tradition, existence and becoming nd responsible involved. "

- Heinrich Roth - The realistic turn in educational research

In doing so, Roth was not fundamentally directed against the basic assumptions of humanities education, but criticized traditional research and its methods. Rather, it was important to him that his research proposals should not be interpreted as positivistic or pragmatic . Roth did not question the basic conviction of the sense of education , which should still be the real concern of educational science. Only the scientific methods and thus the objects of the investigation should be changed, whereby one should turn from the analysis of texts to the educational reality of the actual reality dealt with therein.

“Empirical research does not mean recognizing the normative power of the factual, to submit to reality, but conversely, to challenge the alleged facts, the apparently unchangeable given, under the productive question that develops the educational idea, to the still hidden educational possibilities . "

- Heinrich Roth - The realistic turn in educational research

The scientists with a socially critical position within the educational sciences were primarily directed against the false self-restraints of the representatives of the humanities education, the decidedly apolitical character of their concept and their tendency to abstain from socio-economic questions. Her lack of interest in penetrating the interdependencies between society and education was also massively attacked .

Conceptual limitations are already clear through the education and upbringing terms. Because if, according to Spranger, education is to be understood as the uniform and articulated, developable character formation of the individual acquired through cultural influences, which enables him to achieve objectively valuable cultural achievements and makes it possible to experience objective cultural values , it appears problematic that political and economic framework conditions are excluded and New is not allowed. The obvious reproach was made that humanities education ultimately assumes that what is given and handed down is always to be viewed as correct, valid and reasonable. Concentrating on hermeneutic methods meant that what was given was merely described.

The criticism of the National Socialist upbringing was surprisingly neglected by the humanities education. Many saw this as justified in particular in the postulate of autonomy in humanities pedagogy and its apolitical model of pedagogical reference, which would have prevented them from looking more energetically beyond the purely pedagogical perspective. Even after the Second World War, the educational history confrontation with National Socialism [..] was reserved for a new generation of younger educators. Because of its orientation towards the past , humanities education was also accused of adopting a reactionary attitude and showing restorative tendencies.

literature

  • Benner, Dietrich: main currents of educational science. A system of traditional and modern theories. 3rd, improved edition. Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag 1991. ISBN 3-89271-272-7
  • Brezinka, Wolfgang: From pedagogy to educational science. An Introduction to the Metatheory of Education. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz 1975. ISBN 3-407-18236-8
  • Danner, Helmut: Methods of humanities education. Introduction to hermeneutics, phenomenology and dialectics. Munich; Basel: E. Reinhardt 1989. ISBN 3-497-01170-3
  • Gudjons, Herbert: Basic pedagogical knowledge. Overview - Compendium - Study book. 4th, revised and expanded edition. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt 1995. ISBN 3-7815-0812-9
  • Haan, Gerhard de / Rülcker, Tobias (ed.): Hermeneutics and humanities pedagogy. A study book. Frankfurt am Main 2002.
  • Horlacher, Rebekka: Education . Bern: Haupt 2011. ISBN 978-3-8252-3522-2
  • Krüger, Heinz-Hermann: Introduction to theories and methods of educational science. 3. Edition. Opladen
  • Lenzen, Dieter (Hrsg.): Encyclopedia educational science. Volume 1: Theories and Basic Concepts of Upbringing and Education. Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta 1983. ISBN 3-12-932210-8
  • Mauder, Stefanie: The importance of "historicity" for humanities pedagogy. Marburg: Tectum, 2006. ISBN 3-8288-9058-X
  • Matthes, Eva: Humanities Education: A Textbook. Munich: Oldenbourg, 2011. ISBN 978-3-486-59792-9
  • Nohl, Herman: The educational movement in Germany and its theory. 6th, unchanged edition, Frankfurt am Main 1963.
  • Paffrath, F. Hartmut (Ed.): Critical theory and pedagogy of the present. Aspects and perspectives of the discussion. Weinheim: Deutscher Studien-Verlag 1987. ISBN 3-89271-022-8
  • Roth, Heinrich: Educational science, field of education and teacher training. Collected treatises 1957–1967. (Ed. By Hans Thiersch and Hans Tütken). Hannover [et al.]: Schroedel 1967.
  • Spranger, Eduard: Basic education - vocational training - general education. 2nd Edition. Heidelberg: Quelle & Meyer 1968.

Remarks

  1. ↑ See Thiersch In: Lenzen, Enzyklopädie Erziehungswissenschaft (Vol. 1.) 1983, p. 81.
  2. ↑ Cf. Nohl: The educational movement and its theory.
  3. ↑ See Tenorth: History of Education. P. 226.
  4. ↑ See Danner 1989, p. 22.
  5. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 361.
  6. ↑ Benner 1991, p. 199.
  7. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 360.
  8. ↑ Danner 1989, p. 20.
  9. ↑ Cf. Gudjons 1995, p. 31.
  10. ↑ cited in Danner 1989, p. 35.
  11. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 362.
  12. ↑ Keckeisen in Lenzen 1983, p. 128.
  13. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 363
  14. ↑ Benner 1991, p. 211.
  15. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 356
  16. ^ Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 356
  17. ↑ Thiersch in Lenzen 1983, p. 81.
  18. ↑ Benner 1991, p. 214.
  19. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 357.
  20. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 358.
  21. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 358.
  22. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 359.
  23. ↑ Thiersch in Lenzen 1983, p. 91.
  24. ^ Brezinka: From pedagogy to educational science.
  25. ↑ See Tenorth: History of Education. 2008. S. 351. or Roth: Realistische Wendung ... In: Die Deutsche Schule. 55/1963. Pp. 109-119.
  26. ^ Roth: Educational science, field of education and teacher training. P. 115.
  27. ↑ See Horlacher: Education. P. 90f.
  28. ^ Roth: Educational science, field of education and teacher training. P. 119.
  29. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 366.
  30. ↑ Cf. Klafki Wolfgang: Educational science as a critical-constructive theory: hermeneutics - empire - ideology criticism. In: Journal for Pedagogy. 17th year 1971, No. 3, p. 380.
  31. ↑ Spranger 1968, p. 24.
  32. ↑ Cf. Pöggeler, Franz: "Education after Auschwitz" as a fundamental principle of all future education. In: Paffrath 1987, p. 66.
  33. ↑ Cf. Pöggeler, Franz: "Education after Auschwitz" as a fundamental principle of all future education. In: Paffrath 1987, p. 67.