Foundations Article #3

Ted Sheehan

EDU 6550

February 14, 2011

Article 3

            The article I read this time was written by Magnus O. Bassey of Queens College in Flushing New York. The premise of the article was concerned with John Dewey’s principles of continuity and interaction. This concept concerns itself with education being both interactive and positive for the student. If those basic features in education do not occur, than a miseducation can occur, which will ultimately lead to an experience that will diminish the role of education in the student’s life. Basset looks at the role education played in Malcolm x’s life as well as Carter G. Woodson’s assertion that education for African Americans was a miseducation experience in general.

            Historically, educators have embraced John Dewey’s assertion that education should be democratic and experiential. Anything less than an education that allowed exploration could be considered a bad experience. Carter Woodson agreed with Dewey’s principle, but stated that the education of African Americans was inadequate, it was not designed by African Americans, it did not embrace their culture, and it did not fulfill their needs. Malcolm X was in agreement on both fronts but in a more current manner when this paper was written.

            Educational experiences are being valued by the importance they play in furthering education. If education does not promote further interest than education has failed. African Americans are being forced to learn by white Caucasian standards or practices written for white Caucasians. There is a profound disconnect between education for African Americans Bassey mentions.

            Educational practices need to be exploratory. They need to experimental. They need to be inquisitive, and they need to be engaging from a student perspective. From those basic tenets they need to be multi-cultural and need to reflect the differences amongst the student populations. Ethically they need to consider the entire audience all the time.

Bassey, Magnus O.(2010) 'Educating for the real world: an illustration of John Dewey's principles of continuity and interaction', Educational Studies, 36: 1, 13 — 20, First published on: 25 August 2009 (iFirst)