The Educational Philosophies of Training and Development Professors , Leaders , and Practitioners Linda P . Spurgeon

There are two major elements in this article. First, we describe the role and function of beliefs and philosophy in instruction, particularly in adult education. Second, we report the results of a research undertaking to determine the predominant educational philosophies for the field of training and development. On Beliefs and Philosophical Foundations The development of a working philosophy is an important step in the preparation of an individual for the role of educator. It is only a first step, however. Apps (1973) claimed that " a working philosophy is never completely developed, the ultimate working philosophy never reached. We're always moving toward, hopefully, a more complete, and thus more useful, working philosophy " (p. 1). Each educational decision that must be made and each new educational experience can assist the individual educator in developing a more useful working philosophy. As fields of education mature, their leaders and thinkers develop theoretical and philosophical statements regarding practice in the particular field and document them in the literature of the field. For instance, in the area of Adult Education, itself a relatively young field in the process of maturing, there is considerable writing which identifies philosophies that influence current practice. One example is the classic text Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education (Elias & Merriam, 1980), in which the authors discuss six prevailing philosophies. These are reproduced here with the publisher's permission: Liberal Adult Education has its historical origins in the philosophical theories of the classical Greek philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. This liberal education tradition was adopted and adapted in the Christian schools in early, medieval and modern times. It became the predominant educational theory in the Western world and is still a strong force in educational thought today. The emphasis in this tradition is upon liberal learning, organized knowledge, and the development of the intellectual powers of the mind. Contemporary philosophers who espouse this viewpoint include An educational program that is inspired by this orientation is the Great Books Program. Progressive Adult Education has its historical origins in the progressive movement in politics, social change, and education. This approach to educational philosophy emphasizes such concepts as the relationship between education and society, experience-centered education, vocational education, and democratic education. Leading progressive educators include James, Dewey, and William Kilpatrick. Philosophers of Adult Education with the progressive orientation include Lindeman, Bergevin, Benne and Blakely. Various education practices in adult education are inspired by this …