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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page essay that discusses the views presented in two texts. George S. Counts and Ivan Ilich present very different visions of social reform via changes in the US educational system. Counts' book, while published in 1969, was originally copyrighted in 1932, and, therefore, addresses social issues and educational philosophy, such as the Progression theories of John Dewey, which were current at that time. Basically, Counts argues that it is the duty of the educational system to enable a socialist, utopian vision for America's future via indoctrination of the America's schoolchildren. Illich, writing in 1970, on the other hand, would reject the entire paradigm of schools, as they exist, and substitute informal learning "webs" or "networks," which allow each person to define and seek knowledge on an individual basis, free from the imposed labels of a class-structured society. Both writers make good points, but both arguments present problems. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khschis.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
copyrighted in 1932, and, therefore, addresses social issues and educational philosophy, such as the Progression theories of John Dewey, which were current at that time. Basically, Counts argues that it
is the duty of the educational system to enable a socialist, utopian vision for Americas future via indoctrination of the Americas schoolchildren. Illich, writing in 1970, on the other hand,
would reject the entire paradigm of schools, as they exist, and substitute informal learning "webs" or "networks," which allow each person to define and seek knowledge on an individual basis,
free from the imposed labels of a class-structured society. Both writers make good points, but both arguments present problems. Counts begins his arguments by addressing and refuting many of
the educational "fallacies" of the Progressive Era. He feels that "Progressive Education wishes to build a new world but refuses to be held accountable for the kind of world it
builds" (Counts 25). Rather than follow such a course, Counts argues that education should have a definitive social agenda that it promotes, and that this social agenda should be towards
a vision of a socialist utopia. Since the time of the Communist-obsessed 1950s and the Cold War, many Americans have associated socialism/communism with anti-American political systems. The student researching this
topic should realize that neither socialism or communism are political system, they are, rather, economic systems. Counts argues that "If democracy is to survive, it must seek a new
economic foundation" (Counts 45). In this, he is speaking of the increasing industrialized nature of the American economy at that time and the perceived need for socialism. Counts calls for
collective ownership of the means of production and states that "Capitalism is proving itself weak" (Counts 47). Through teaching children the values of socialism, Counts proposes that educators will be
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