Some Thoughts on Education

Some Thoughts on Education

This paper provides an overview of the philosophy of Jason E. Thomas on education. The philosophy of realism heavily influences Thomas's views on educating and learning. More specifically, the works of John Locke and his theories of empiricism, liberalism, and natural law align with Thomas's viewpoints on education. Other influences include early American founders such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas believes that education is the process of affecting human change and is a cornerstone of civilization. The purpose of education is to enable individuals to maximize their potential. Education helps students develop new skills and become rigorous thinkers. Education expands the mind and can provide students with access new opportunities. Simply put, education is one of the key tools that helps society advance. Thomas strongly supports the concept of secular education but respects the right of individuals to attend private religious education institutions if they so desire.

Thoughts on How the Learning Process Works

The learning process is a dynamic system that includes the student, the teacher, and the material to be learned. Each of these three elements must interact in appropriate fashion for successful learning to take place. Each element must be examined individually, to understand what is required and how that element might best participate or interact with the process. It is also important to note that because education is in practice about educating groups or masses of students, education systems must make certain allowances for the task to scale properly. In all but extreme or unique cases it is nearly impossible to make an individualized education system in which each aspect of this process would be customized. This ecosystem of three elements must also exist in a social and government structure that increases the complexity of implementing the system.

For example, it would be a difficult of not impossible task to create an individualized curriculum based on the specific needs of each student in the state of Texas based on his or her individual needs and ability. Additionally, it would be equally as challenging to assign each child to an individual teacher was directed to adapt his or her method of instruction to that of child's specific need. Therefore, when examining educational philosophy, theories, and concepts one has to take into account the feasibility of the implementation such ideas and programs.

Thoughts on the Student's Ability to Learn

Thomas believes that Locke's empiricism as introduced in Essay Concerning Human Understanding provides a correct and accurate view of inherent human potential in students (Murphy, 2006; Uzgalis, 2007). Locke's theory of empiricism states that the mind is blank or without knowledge at birth and does not acquire knowledge until one begins to have experiences (Murphy; Uzgalis). More plainly, empiricists believe that students learn from life experiences and that words are a tool use to express ideas that have been acquired as a result of life experiences and internal analysis (Murphy). As an empiricist, Locke was drawn to practical experiences and was mistrustful of the abstract (Ozmon & Carver, 2007)

Thomas agrees with Locke's statement that students are rational beings and have inherent potential (Murphy, 2006). Students are born with an inherent potential for academic achievement. Most students have a range of possible achievement based on their God given ability. What level the of achievement the student attains can be affected by the home environment provided for the child, the educational opportunities afforded to the child, and the experiences the child encounters as he or she grows up and attends school.

Thus a child's potential range of academic achievement and learning can be influenced. Where the child lands with in the range of its potential would be determined by the amount and quality of influence exhibited by each of the previously mentioned factors. For example, if one assumes the range of academic achievement and learning for human potential to be an absolute scale to be one to 100, a child might be born with a potential range of 60 - 90. Over the course of that child's life, the child's academic achievement would be closer to 90 with significant positive influences in home life, educations opportunities, and life experiences.

Thomas suggests that both parents and teachers can enhance a student's future academic success by sharing successful academic experiences and techniques for learning with the child as well as establishing high expectations for performance. Thomas believes that by sharing techniques, methods, and learning skills with the child, the child will be better positioned for future academic success. Thomas further believes that effective application of these techniques will allow the child to build a stronger academic foundation, which will enhance success.

Whereas this theory of enhanced learning through shared learning skills and educational study methods is yet unproven, Thomas developed his thoughts in this area as result of his experience at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center in Monterrey, CA. The Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center is the premier foreign language educator for the Department of Defense (Defense Language Institute, 2010). The Defense Language Institute trains military and government language professionals in more than 40 languages (Defense Language Institute). At the Defense Language Institute, Thomas was introduced to other Military Intelligence professionals that demonstrated strong potential for learning based on military screenings and evaluations. Initially, Thomas struggled with the intense workload required at the Defense Language Institute, which is an accredited community college and requires students to attend classes five days per week, six hours per day (Defense Language Institute).

In additional to long class hours, according to Thomas and other students were required to learn 30-50 vocabulary words per day in the target language. Thomas struggled greatly with this memorization workload. Eventually Thomas was able to learn iterative memorization techniques using flash cards and mnemonic aids from other students and able was able to keep up with the course load. By the time Thomas was graduated from the Defense Language Institute's 47-week intensive Czech language program, Thomas was able to memorize 50 new Czech vocabulary words in approximately 30 minutes.

Thomas intends to conduct research and study how the application of learning methods and iterative memorization techniques can enhance a student's performance in foreign language