METHODOLOGICAL AND THEORETICAL RESEARCH TOOLS OF PEDAGOGICAL PERSONALITIES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF GREGORY VASHCHENKO)

In the methodological and theoretical dimension, Gregory Vashchenko built his own unique model of education taking into account the experience of working with children and youth (future teachers), based on deep national traditions, true Christian Orthodox spirituality and the best achievements of domestic and foreign pedagogical science. The aim of the article is to study the methodological and theoretical tools for studying the pedagogical personality on the example of the outstanding Ukrainian teacher of the twentieth century Gregory Vashchenko. The results of scientific research make it possible to state that the study of pedagogical views and ideas, systematization of the concept of spiritual and moral education of youth in the legacy of G. Vashchenko should be based on the use of scientifically grounded methodological tools. The methodological approaches chosen for historical and pedagogicalresearch, which determined the course and strategy of our research (personal-biographical, phenomenological, hermeneutic, synergetic, paradigmatic, axiological) combined with the corresponding principles (principle of objectivity, comprehensive study of pedagogical processes and phenomena, historicism, unity of historical and logical, multifactorial and systematic research) as the fundamental principles of interpretation of personality.Thanks to the selected principles of scientific research, the role and place of G. Vashchenko in the historical and pedagogical process was determined by applying research methods: retrospective, chronological, personal-biographical, search-bibliographic, comparative, constructive-genetic, which allowed to investigate: factors influencing formation of the teacher’s worldview (the role of family, environment, creative and student environment); formation of scientific and pedagogical views, the basis of which was the Ukrainian national idea; development of the Ukrainian educational ideal and creation of the concept of spiritual and moral education of the Ukrainian youth); to single out the main periods, defining stages and directions of scientific-pedagogical and educational-cultural activity of the teacher.Thus, a set of methodological and theoretical means (approaches, principles, methods) of historical and pedagogical research was used to study the pedagogical personality of G. Vashchenko, which allowed determining the general direction, strategy of our work and solving the relevant tasks.

Civility, Education, and the Embodied Mind—Three Approaches

In this paper I explore conceptions of the embodied mind or heart-mind in three major global traditions: the Chinese (Confucian and Daoist) teachings on inner cultivation, especially the integration of hot and cold cognition (Slingerland 2014); the idea of sophrosyne or self-regulation in accord with wisdom that has long been the chief educational ideal of the Greek cultural cosmos; and the Buddhist-inspired idea of mindfulness which is now finding increasing applications in education. All three, I suggest, agree on a for our contemporary debates crucial point: that the reliably “civil” person is one whose moral development has matured to a point where their intellectual and moral capacities, their heart and mind (or “heart-mind”), achieve a degree of balanced integration. As the commonalities of these traditions are coming into view to a global community of education, we have a perhaps a new opportunity to recover a deeper sense of education that goes beyond the mere technical and instrumental competence that now preoccupies educational thought in many national and international influential reform projects.

FORMATION OF PERSONAL QUALITIES OF THE FUTURE OFFICERS: NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL IDEAL

Представлено теоретическое обоснование формирования личностных качеств будущих офицеров в процессе воспитания курсантов военных вузов. Проанализированы особенности формирования личностных качеств курсантов в военно-педагогическом процессе. Выявлены особенности формирования базовых ценностей военнослужащих, сформулированы практические рекомендации по воспитательной деятельности для педагогического состава военного вуза. The article discusses the theoretical substantiation of the formation of personal qualities of future officers by means of culture. Object of research: education of cadets of military universities. Purpose of the research: to analyze the features of the formation of cadets' personal qualities in the military pedagogical process. Research methods: analysis of literary sources, observation of the military pedagogical process. As a result of the study, the features of the formation of the basic values of servicemen were revealed, and practical recommendations on educational activities for the teaching staff of a military higher educational institution were given.

The Ukrainian Education in Galicia (1919–1939): A Search for an Ideal

The theoretical principles of the national education of children and students in the Ukrainian pedagogy of Galicia during 1918–1939 are scrutinized in the article. The approaches of the Ukrainian educators to the educational ideal, the purpose, content and tasks of the national education have been systematized. The focus on the national values (the national idea, the national unity, the national self-esteem, the national awareness), which are not innate but are formed in the process of the personal development and gaining the social experience on a qualitatively new content of education, in which the national and universal values are closely intertwined. The basis of education is the Ukrainian national idea as a desire for state independence.

The medicine chest: education in the light of Abdel Hakim Murad’s understanding of modernity

This contribution examines the relationship between understandings of modernity, Islam and educational ideals at Cambridge Muslim College (UK) and how such understandings contribute to the formation of meaningful selves amongst the students attending the college. The analysis takes as its point of departure the understanding of modernity of the founder of Cambridge Muslim College – Tim Winter aka Abdal Hakim Murad – as it is expressed in his publications, social media appearances and from conversations at the college. In a nutshell, modernity for Winter signifies a fragmentation of meaning and coherence and is associated with blind consumerism and superficiality. The aim of the college is to counter such fragmentation by providing coherence and meaning to its students. The college is presented – and perceived by students and graduates – as mediating between Islamic traditions and modern Muslim lives in the West and as living up to a responsibility of engaging in the development of both Muslim minorities and the wider society of which they are part. Thus, the educational ideal is not only pursued in traditional academic activities – it implies a certain lifestyle based on a particular understanding of Islam which is not as much about theological content as it is about how to instrumentalise the religion in everyday being and practice.

Philosophical Issues in Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is active, good-quality thinking. This kind of thinking is initiated by an agent’s desire to decide what to believe, it satisfies relevant norms, and the decision on the matter at hand is reached through the use of available reasons under the control of the thinking agent. In the educational context, critical thinking refers to an educational aim that includes certain skills and abilities to think according to relevant standards and corresponding attitudes, habits, and dispositions to apply those skills to problems the agent wants to solve. The basis of this ideal is the conviction that we ought to be rational. This rationality is manifested through the proper use of reasons that a cognizing agent is able to appreciate. From the philosophical perspective, this fascinating ability to appreciate reasons leads into interesting philosophical problems in epistemology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. Critical thinking in itself and the educational ideal are closely connected to the idea that we ought to be rational. But why exactly? This profound question seems to contain the elements needed for its solution. To ask why is to ask either for an explanation or for reasons for accepting a claim. Concentrating on the latter, we notice that such a question presupposes that the acceptability of a claim depends on the quality of the reasons that can be given for it: asking this question grants us the claim that we ought to be rational, that is, to make our beliefs fit what we have reason to believe. In the center of this fit are the concepts of knowledge and justified belief. A critical thinker wants to know and strives to achieve the state of knowledge by mentally examining reasons and the relation those reasons bear to candidate beliefs. Both these aspects include fascinating philosophical problems. How does this mental examination bring about knowledge? What is the relation my belief must have to a putative reason for my belief to qualify as knowledge? The appreciation of reason has been a key theme in the writings of the key figures of philosophy of education, but the ideal of individual justifying reasoning is not the sole value that guides educational theory and practice. It is therefore important to discuss tensions this ideal has with other important concepts and values, such as autonomy, liberty, and political justification. For example, given that we take critical thinking to be essential for the liberty and autonomy of an individual, how far can we try to inculcate a student with this ideal when the student rejects it? These issues underline important practical choices an educator has to make.

Open-mindedness in science education

Critical thinking is widely regarded as one of the main objectives of education in general terms, and also of science education. The idea of thinking critically, that is, to evaluate adequately and eventually embrace a certain claim only if there are good reasons for it, however, seems to contradict some popular conceptions about other educational ideal: open-mindedness. The purpose of this essay is to discuss how critical thinking and open-mindedness are not exclusionary ideals, and how those ideas are important for science education.

Myślenie krytyczne: kilka uwag historycznych i teoretycznych

Critical thinking: some historical and theoretical remarks: In the paper, I defend a version of critical thinking. Firstly, I reconstruct the historical context surrounding the emergence of the critical thinking movement. There are various important intuitions and concepts of critical thinking — ones authored by John Dewey, Robert H. Ennis, Richard W. Paul, among many others — that have played an important role in understanding this type of thinking. Many definitions of critical thinking constitute concise and overly narrow formulas and fail to help us understand the subject, consequently I propose my own definition. By critical thinking I mean analytical, evaluative and argumentative cognitive functions. Next I discuss the basic dialogical context in which critical thinking develops and analyse the most important elements of critical thinking such as: analysis, evaluation and argumentation. I see critical thinking to be an important and valuable form of thinking. However, I do not argue in favour of critical thinking as the primary educational ideal. Rather, it plays an instrumental and supportive role in thinking, acting and life.

Zwischen Freiheit und Herrschaft. Bildung und Schule in der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft

Between Freedom and Domination. Education and Schooling in Civil Society. Using Lower Austria as an example, this article describes how the educational policy of the long 19th century adopted the educational ideal of the Enlightenment and contributed to the constitution of bourgeois-liberal society, especially through the school system. Two phases are distinguished: the first phase comprises the educational policy of enlightened absolutism, restoration, and neo-absolutism, in which educational ideals of the Enlightenment were functionalized for utilitarian purposes or repeatedly fought against. The second phase describes the period of liberalism and “Catholaicism”, a synthesis of enlightened or liberal and catholic conservative ideas. The enlightened educational ideal in its basic principles was no longer questioned. At the same time, however, its contradictions became clear, which can be observed above all in the lack of balance between individual freedom and concessions to societal demands, which often degenerated into subordination.