#educational thinkers

Educational Thinkers’ Hall of Fame – Nell Noddings

Nel Noddings (1929 – ) has made significant contributions as an educator, philosopher, writer and academic and is probably best known for her ideas about the ethics of caring in education. She has been described as one of the premier philosophers of moral education in the English speaking world today.

A prolific author, her most recent books include “Caring: A Relational Approach to Ethics and…

Educational Thinkers’ Hall of Fame – Myles Horton

Myles Horton (1905-1990) put his thinking about adult education for social purpose into practical action and left a legacy that lives on in the Highlander Center in Newmarket, Tennessee.

Myles Horton (left) with Paulo Freire

Horton was born into a poor family in Tennessee. He had few early advantages but became inspired by the model of Folk Schools in Denmark. He, Don Westand others founded the…

Teaching for Understanding

Learning facts can be a crucial backdrop to learning for understanding, but learning facts is not learning for understanding.

From ‘What is Understanding’ 

Teaching for knowledge or teaching for understanding? This is a hot topic for some educators who use social media. It can become a rather abstract and artificial debate at times but it’s important to think about how ideas of ‘knowledge’…