Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 6-28-2017 12:00 AM The rise and fall of philosophy of education: An institutional analysis Andrew D. Colgan The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Derek J. Allison The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Education A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Andrew D. Colgan 2017 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons Recommended Citation Colgan, Andrew D., "The rise and fall of philosophy of education: An institutional analysis" (2017). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 4695. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/4695 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract: Philosophy of education’s academic literature portrays the field as being in decline over the past half century, especially in the once preeminent citadel of initial teacher preparation programs. This decline prompts the broad problem of the proper place of philosophy in teacher preparation. I therefore set out to explain why (in part) this decline has occurred in the English language field by connecting, from the 19th century to the present, primarily in the United States and Britain, but also Canada, two histories: (1) the origins and development of the field of philosophy of education itself, and (2) the institutional history of teacher preparation programs, tracing each from their origins in normal schools and summer seminars, to modern faculties of education. The comparative historical analysis is supplemented by a case study of a particular faculty of education, the J. G. Althouse Faculty of Education, London, Ontario, Canada, using data obtained from interviews with retired faculty members, especially philosophers of education, and examinations of founding documents and course calendars. The theoretical framework selected to analyze the case study and histories was institutional organizational theory, which pays attention to how institutions develop and change in response to environmental conditions. This theory uses a tripartite model of institutions, identifying a “technical core,” where its products are made, administered by a “managerial level,” which coordinates action and diplomatically softens demands made by the wider environment, the “institutional level.” A case is made that philosophy of education, once securely established in the technical core of teacher preparation, has declined as teacher education programs became more institutionalized within the contexts of the rise of the scientific research university and an increasingly bureaucratic public education system, both, in part, favoring graduate programs as the new dominant technical core of teacher education institutions. The consequences of this decline are discussed, identifying implications and a solution for teacher education, its institutions, and teacher professionalism. I conclude that the loss of philosophy in teacher education institutions is one indicator of a trend toward an increasingly institutionalized, illiberal and technical teacher training. Keywords: philosophy of education, teacher education, institutional organizational theory, organizational theory, teacher education curriculum, teacher professionalism, history of teacher education, Althouse College of Education. ii Epigraph [Those] who are not interested in philosophy need it most urgently: they are most helplessly in its power . [They] absorb its principles from the cultural atmosphere around them—from schools, colleges, books, magazines, newspapers, movies, television, etc. Who sets the tone of a culture? A small handful of men: the philosophers. Others follow their lead, either by conviction or by default. ~ Ayn Rand, Philosophy: Who Needs It? 1984, p. 6. iii Acknowledgements: I must begin with my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Derek Allison who agreed to take on this supervisory role even with his retirement in present view! He has tirelessly reviewed my drafts, sometimes second drafts, and has played such a positive role in this whole process. It was very evident to me early on that Dr. Allison was a great mentor and a person who supported my ideas yet could suggest alternatives which guided me to areas that broadened my horizon and the depth of my research. I appreciate the time he set aside for me to meet on many occasions, and his expertise on many fronts introduced me to new thinkers and works, fueling our discussions not only on the dissertation but also on wider issues in public schooling. I will carry his intellectual guidance with me for years to come. Many thanks! Thank you to the reviewers of the manuscript of this work: Dr. Margaret McNay, Dr. Michael Murphy, and Dr. Jerry Paquette. Thank you also to Patsy Allison for comments on the first draft of the case study. All of the comments and insights were extremely helpful in getting the manuscript polished and prepared. Thank you to the participants of the research—the many retired faculty members and others who supported my work with their statements which fill this dissertation. It was a joy to hear the stories from just over a half century of history of what was then known as the Althouse College of Education. Due to these contributions, part of the history of this institution may now be found in print. There are a number of people who have helped me develop my skills as an instructor while a doctoral student that I wish to acknowledge and thank. When teaching Social Foundations, Pat Moore guided my instruction of teacher education students. Our conversations in preparation for class about professionalism, the duty to students above all else—treating policy as a guide, never an absolute—and the courage needed to dissent from policy when it fails students, was invaluable. Thank you to Dr. Chris Viger of the philosophy department at Western University who agreed to provide private seminars in philosophy of education when no such coursework existed iv at the university. These meetings were essential to the design of a philosophy of education elective course I offered to B.Ed. students at the Faculty in 2014 and 2015. This course, Developing Your Philosophy of Education, could not have been possible without the support of Dr. Margaret McNay, associate dean of the Faculty of Education. It brought an explicit philosophy course back to the students, at least for a time, and gave me invaluable experience with students and teaching philosophy of education. Thank you, Dr. McNay. Thank you to those who helped me with the resources for building this dissertation. This included the education library staff at the Faculty, who quickly learned my name by my peculiarly frequent requests for philosophy of education books, most of which came from Library Storage due to their disuse, or had to be sent for from abroad. My thanks are also due to Irene Birrell of the University Secretariat who located and scanned many University Senate Minutes pertaining to the founding and institutional changes of the Faculty. Special thanks are due to my family and friends who supported my efforts. The intellectual discussions, satiating food, and emotional support fuelled the endurance needed to complete this book-length work. All of you have aided my development as an academic, an instructor, and a researcher, I thank you for your time, patience and advice over the years of this project. v Table of Contents Lists of Tables, Figures, and Appendices .................................................................................................... ix List of Abbreviations, Citation-style, and Pronouns ..................................................................................... x Chapter 1 – Problem and Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................ 1 The Problem ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Approach to Inquiry – Institutional Organizational Analysis ................................................................ 11 Chapter 2 – Schoolkeeping: Pedagogy and Teacher Education in the Nineteenth Century ....................... 18 Status of Teacher Education .................................................................................................................. 19 Normal Schools ................................................................................................................................ 23 Teacher Education as Pedagogy ....................................................................................................... 27 Pedagogy as a Discipline ....................................................................................................................... 29 What is pedagogy? ............................................................................................................................ 29 Philosophy in Pedagogy: Precursors to the Philosophy of Education ................................................... 38 Institutionalization of Pedagogy ....................................................................................................... 42 Summary