Insights into the science of teaching
Professor Sunanda Mahendra
EDUCATION: Reverend Dr Camillus Nihal Fernando, a lecturer
attached to the National Seminary Kandy, who had spent a period of time
engaged in extensive research into the science of teaching, with special
reference to the theories and practices in the field of education, as
pronounced by the English empiricist John Locke (1632-1704), has brought
out his thesis titled 'the concept of pedagogy according to John Locke'
in the print medium.
The English work submitted to the Urbanian University in Rome, for a
Doctorate, is published as Science of teaching (Godage International
Publishers 2006), and the Sinhala translation of the same work is titled
Adyapana Vidyavata Nava Pravesayak (by the same publisher 2006).
Both books were launched on the same day recently at a ceremony held
at the auditorium of St. Peter's College, Colombo, where an array of
scholars and well-wishers gathered to grace the occasion. The main
objective of this research, according to Dr Fernando, is the in-depth
study, philosophical analysis, and evaluation of Locke's concept of
pedagogy.
Pedagogical trends
As such, the work is centred around the survey of Locke's idea of
education, and the application of his models of epistemological and
pedagogical trends. For the common teacher and the philosopher, Locke
may seem just another name, one had heard in the history, if education
is taught in the classroom in any part of the world.
But a closer scrutiny of the ideas behind the person Locke will
reveal that he had much more than what we now understand as practical
and modern models of gathering of knowledge, and dissemination of the
same especially via language and other means of the usage and its
impact, intensity, value and models as laid for the development of the
classroom, where the methods of teaching and learning matter above the
actual management attitudes extraneously visible.
Modern education
It is visible that the scholar has tried to mould a modern education
model through Locke's philosophical outlook, which was formulated in the
past, and tries to prove that some teachings left behind, or long
forgotten, as bygone theories may be applicable in the context of the
modern findings.
In this direction, the attention of the reader is drawn mainly to the
use of language, and the creative trends that it could set in education.
Commencing from the humanistic models as laid down in the past as far
back as Greece, Rev. Fernando traces carefully how the trends have
traversed from the distant past to more modern times in the field of
education in England and other countries.
Followed by these historical perspectives, Rev. Fernando attempts to
set the scene to the foundation of the pedagogy concept taking the
standpoint of the human nature, and the cultural dimensions.
These are traced through the knowledge, acquired through
epistemological theories passed down the ages. The contents embedded in
these chapters are significant from the point of view of the development
of man as a thinker and formulator of teaching, and his thinking process
is not formulated in a vacuum.
Human development
In part two of chapter two, the reader encounters more of the human
development, and enters gradually into the more refined and scientific
forms of education, where the scholar sees the use of language, and its
victorious standpoint, as a mainstay in the education for masses.
The reader comes across one of the most sensitive areas of the
theories of ideas, the theories of judgement, the theories of language,
and the models utilised to help build a bridge between the use of
language and the use of education.
It is observed as one reads the text that Locke had played a vital
role in the dissemination of scientific methods to the use of language
in education. The resultant uses in other fields, or related fields are
traced intact.
What actually is the standpoint of John Locke in the field of
education is especially evaluated in these findings.
Rev. Fernando says that Locke had been one of the pioneers in the
field of philosophy, who had emphasized the links that exist between man
and his use of language, where he sees that Locke links the sociality of
man with language, and affirms that God endowed man with the gift of
language to maintain society through the intercourse of language
(p.161).
Therefore language learning is highly immersed in the society one
lives in. This wide range of aims of language is achieved only by
learning a language well. In this process of learning the need for the
child to obtain a 'sound mind' is also emphasized through Locke's ideas.
It was Locke, who said 'a sound mind in a sound body' (p162).
Locke and children
Chapter three of the work is the key source, where the author lays
down some illuminating aspects, such as the relationship between Locke
and children, where he states, 'the fact is that Locke was apparently
fascinated with children, and was liked by them. (p185).
Furthermore, his correspondence was filled with many references to
the children of his friends. Then the scholar is seen inserting some of
the source material that goes to prove his point.
In this background, Rev. Camillus Fernando concludes that education,
as propagated by Locke, is significant both for his theory of knowledge,
and for his ideas on the education of children. (p162)
Models in education
In this process of learning literally humanises the child by bringing
him to reason and virtue, and the result being the importance of the
human aspect of the development in society, which Locke carefully tried
to emphasize through a series of experiments, and formulating models in
education now brought down the ages, as a legacy in the field.
The scholar also shows the reader the links that were exposed by
Locke on such aspects as moral education (p190) aesthetic education
(p193), Locke and the use of media (p196) Copious notes, references and
cross references over the years have gone into the writing of this work,
and perhaps this should be the first ever attempt on the part of a local
scholar to have launched on such an intensive plan of research on a
single educationist of the calibre of John Locke.
The Sinhala translation though in certain ways an abridged version of
the original research, is nevertheless a gap-fulfilling task for the
local educationist, who may not have the ready access to the entire
compilation of the works of Locke, which presumably runs to more than
ten volumes.
At a time when the country of ours is in need of educational reforms,
these works will undoubtedly pave the way for some of the illuminating
viewpoints from the past.
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