Educational theory can refer to either speculative educational thought in general or to a theory of education as something that guides, explains, or describes educational practice.
In terms of speculative thought, its history began with classical Greek philosophers and sophists, and today it is a term for reflective theorizing about pedagogy, andragogy, curriculum, learning, and education policy, organization and leadership. Educational thought is informed by various strands of history, philosophy, sociology, critical theory, and psychology, among other disciplines.
On the other hand, a theory of education can be "normative (or prescriptive) as in philosophy, or descriptive as in science."[1] In the first case, a theory means a postulation about what ought to be. It provides the "goals, norms, and standards for conducting the process of education."[2] In the second case, it means "an hypothesis or set of hypotheses that have been verified by observation and experiment."[1] Whereas a normative educational theory provided by a philosopher might offer goals of education, descriptive "theory provides concrete data that will help realize more effectively the goals suggested by the philosopher."[1] A descriptive theory of education can be thought of as a conceptual scheme that ties together various "otherwise discrete particulars. . .For example, a cultural theory of education shows how the concept of culture can be used to organize and unify the variety of facts about how and what people learn."[3] Likewise, for example, there is the behaviorist theory of education that comes from educational psychology and the functionalist theory of education that comes from sociology of education.[4]
In general, there are currently three main ways in which the term "theory" is used in education:
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Educational thought is not necessarily concerned with the construction of theories as much as it is the "reflective examination of educational issues and problems from the perspective of diverse disciplines."[6]
Normative theories of education provide the norms, goals, and standards of education.[7]
"Normative philosophies or theories of education may make use of the results of [philosophical thought] and of factual inquiries about human beings and the psychology of learning, but in any case they propound views about what education should be, what dispositions it should cultivate, why it ought to cultivate them, how and in whom it should do so, and what forms it should take. In a full-fledged philosophical normative theory of education, besides analysis of the sorts described, there will normally be propositions of the following kinds: 1. Basic normative premises about what is good or right; 2. Basic factual premises about humanity and the world; 3. Conclusions, based on these two kinds of premises, about the dispositions education should foster; 4. Further factual premises about such things as the psychology of learning and methods of teaching; and 5. Further conclusions about such things as the methods that education should use."[8]
Examples of the purpose of schools include:[9] develop reasoning about perennial questions, master the methods of scientific inquiry, cultivate the intellect, create change agents, develop spirituality, and model a democratic society
Common educational philosophies include: educational perennialism, educational progressivism, educational essentialism, critical pedagogy, Montessori education, Waldorf education, and democratic education.
Normative theories of curriculum aim to "describe, or set norms, for conditions surrounding many of the concepts and constructs" that define curriculum.[10] These normative propositions are different than the ones above in that normative curriculum theory is not necessarily untestable.[11] A central question asked by normative curriculum theory is: given a particular educational philosophy, what is worth knowing and why? Some examples are: a deep understanding of the Great Books, direct experiences driven by student interest, a superficial understanding of a wide range knowledge (e.g., Core knowledge), social and community problems and issues, knowledge and understanding specific to cultures and their achievements (e.g., African-Centered Education)
Descriptive theories of education provide descriptions or explanations of the processes of education.
Descriptive theories of curriculum explain how curricula "benefit or harm all publics it touches".[12][13] One descriptive concept from curriculum theory is that of the hidden curriculum, which is “some of the outcomes or by-products of schools or of non-school settings, particularly those states which are learned but not openly intended.”[14]
Instructional theories focuses on the methods of instruction for teaching curricula. Theories include the methods of: autonomous learning, coyote teaching, inquiry-based instruction, lecture, maturationism, socratic method, outcome-based education, taking children seriously, transformative learning
Philosophical Anthropology
Philosophical anthropology is the philosophical study of human nature. In terms of learning, examples of descriptive theories of the learner are: a mind, soul, and spirit capable of emulating the Absolute Mind (Idealism); an orderly, sensing, and rational being capable of understanding the world of things (Realism), a rational being with a soul modeled after God and who comes to know God through reason and revelation (Neo-Thomism), an evolving and active being capable of interacting with the environment (Pragmatism), a fundamentally free and individual being who is capable of being authentic through the making of and taking responsibility for choices (Existentialism).[15] Philosophical concepts for the process of education include Bildung and paideia.
Educational Psychology
Educational psychology is an empirical science that provides descriptive theories of how people learn. Examples of theories of education in psychology are: constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, and motivational theory
The sociology of education is the study of how public institutions and individual experiences affect education and its outcomes. It is most concerned with the public schooling systems of modern industrial societies, including the expansion of higher, further, adult, and continuing education.[16] Examples of theories of education from sociology include: functionalism, conflict theory, social efficiency, and social mobility.
Educational anthropology is a sub-field of anthropology and is widely associated with the pioneering work of George Spindler. As the name would suggest, the focus of educational anthropology is obviously on education, although an anthropological approach to education tends to focus on the cultural aspects of education, including informal as well as formal education. As education involves understandings of who we are, it is not surprising that the single most recognized dictum of educational anthropology is that the field is centrally concerned with cultural transmission.[17]. Cultural transmission involves the transfer of a sense of identity between generations, sometimes known as enculturation[18] and also transfer of identity between cultures, sometimes known as acculturation.[19] Accordingly thus it is also not surprising that educational anthropology has become increasingly focussed on ethnic identity and ethnic change.[20][21].