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Transylvanian
Review
Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017

Transylvanian Review
Centrul de Studii Transilvane| str. Mihail Kogalniceanu nr. 12-14, et.5, Cluj-Napoca
Email: transylvanianreview@gmail.com /
Online Submission System: http://transylvanianreviewjournal.org/
Emejidio and Gepila Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017

Enlivening Philosophies in Philippine Education

Emejidio C. Gepila Jr.1

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Abstract

In every aspect of human life, theories and principles play a very significant role in everyday living. Theories and
principles are also identified as philosophies and these must be put into practice. Otherwise, they will only serve as something
relevant for library purposes. Hence, philosophies must be for and emerge from experience. Thus, this study relates to the
character of the present educational philosophies in the status-quo and attempts to answer questions through document
analysis such as position papers, reports from diverse agencies, documentaries and the like to be analyzed and to look into
the influence and enlivening of diverse philosophies in the Philippine education system. The specific questions are: at present,
what are the emerging educational philosophies; how do these philosophies operate in every classroom; and what are the
significant features of the educational philosophies. Moreover, the study suggested some varied but justified recommendations
on the role of the educational philosophies for teachers and learners’ development as based on the drawn moderated
conclusions. It is suggested that both teachers and students must undergo tests to determine their prevailing and emerging
educational philosophy, which can affect teaching and learning since the K to 12 curriculum promotes holistic approach and
graduates. Further, this can also guide people in making adjustments in both the internal and external stakeholders of the
education system, and can enable everyone most especially teachers to conduct instruction and design a classroom
environment at the level of the students.

Keywords: Philosophy, Education and Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

1
Corresponding author: Faculty Member, College of Education and concurrently the Research Coordinator of North Luzon I,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines; ecgepilajr@pup.edu.ph/jrgepila@gmail.com
3839
Emejidio and Gepila
Introduction
Educational philosophies or philosophies in general
are identified as to teach you to pass from a piece if
disguised nonsense to something that is patent nonsense
(Wittgenstein, 1953). Hence, philosophy by nature is a
disguised but beautiful wisdom that is sometimes
identified as nonsense since majority are limited in simply
identifying them but practicing them in teaching, learning,
and skills development is highly questionable. For
example, in the research conducted by Richard Pring in
2012, he mentioned one question, which moderately
answered by philosophies but did not totally resolve by
any philosophy subject for practice and test. The question
is “Should we select the brighter students at age 11 to a
more academic school.” It was answered back by
philosophical defense from various disciplines namely:
Sociology, Psychology, History, Anthropology, and
comparative studies. The answers were moot and
academic on the philosophical perspective. However, if it
is tested in providing empirical evidence, that implies the
meaning of philosophy in practice referred to by
Wittgenstein.
The role of educational philosophies must solve the
pressing issues on skills, standards, and disciplines.
Thus, educational philosophies are now into practice and
are not limited to library purposes only.
Skills
On this matter, educational philosophies cannot
directly answer the issues on skill enhancement and
matching it with the industries where majority if not all of
the graduates will end up being employed. In 2006, Leitch
Report in Britain mentioned that 600,000 jobs in 2020
would require no skills as opposed to the seven million in
2006. However, the definition of skills is still questionable.
Philosophies define skills as identified by nature, reality,
idea, or practice/experience. Hence, implications toward
pedagogy, andragogy, and evaluation must be considered
since the concept of skill is highly questionable.
Standards
Standards are used so to determine what is
acceptable and what is it that can greatly contribute to the
development of teaching, learning, and skills development
as compared to the rest of the world. It is also identified as
the benchmark against which performance is judged to be
good or bad, elegant or crude, or intelligent or stupid
(Pring, 2012).
Contrary to what is common to everyone, standards are
absolute. It does not go up or down, but the performance is
assessed based on the standards. And, the standards are
really the most appropriate ones since it is the need of the
communities and industries. Moreover, these standards
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Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017
are compared to the previous ones and are synced to the
content of the curriculum in schools. Thus, the
philosophies focused on essence, nature, reality, concept,
and practice must be put to test.
Disciplines
A reflection on educational studies’ greater academic
respectability was resulted on the foundation of university
education departments (UED). These UEDs are branched
out from various disciplines such us Sociology, Psychology,
and History of Education. They attempted to answer and
bridge the gap among disciplines as limited to education,
and skills and standards. It turned to be a collection of
diverse disciplines – a deferring of professional judgment
to those from the heights of the ‘isms’ (Furlong & Lawn,
2011)
However, in building a society of epistemologists
(teachers), we have to consider the ‘disciplines of
education’ to be rephrased to ‘disciplined thinking’ about
education. Therefore, it makes room for the centrality of
teachers’ thinking on education. Teachers will draw upon
the “bodies of knowledge” under the distinctive
theoretical/philosophical perspective/s.
Background
The researcher experienced a dubious character of
some if not all the pressing educational philosophies in the
exact pedagogy or andragogy. This has been an issue of
efficiency, exactness, and practice of theory/philosophy.
The researcher is in search of its real and absolute value
in the field of education most especially in its practice.
Practice means the delivery and development of minimum
and desired competencies and standards.
John Macmurray (1957), education specialist, argued that
Descartes’ cogito, ergo sum is misconstrued as “I think
therefore I am.” He mentioned that it must be “I do
therefore I am.” Hence, it is practically being involved with
the world and it is understood that education grows
through engagement, goal identification, and meeting
problems. Matthew Crawford (2009) mentioned the
disappearance of tools from our common education is the
first and foremost action towards a brighter ignorance of
the world of artifacts we inhabit.
Thus, the value of experience and practical
capabilities as a neglected educational concept is put into
question. This is an argument by John Dewey who viewed
and understood education from an American perspective.
The study aims to identify the character of the
educational philosophies on the authentic classroom set
up.
Below are the following questions answered by the
study:
1. at present, what is the emerging and prevailing
educational philosophies?
Emejidio and Gepila
2. how do these educational philosophies operate in
the classroom set up; and
3. what are the significant features of the
educational philosophies?
These questions were answered through the analysis
of different documents identified as literature and studies.
These are found both in the library and in worldwide web.
Likewise, it is contextualized in the Philippine setting.
Materials and Method
The materials used in this paper are the various
position papers, reports from diverse agencies,
documentaries and the like to be analyzed and to look into
the influence and enlivening of diverse philosophies in the
Philippine education system.
The method used is according to the three points of view
as mention by Ranjit Kumar (2011) in his book Research
Methodology. These are enquiry, objectives and
application.
The study used a qualitative method based on the
enquiry mode viewpoint of research. This reviewed
documents from the past to present to carefully look into
the data and its trends as accumulated in the past.
On the objective viewpoint of research, this is
descriptive. It attempted to descriptive systematically the
educational situation in the Philippines as backed up by
the philosophies in education. The description is based on
the reports of the Philippines’ Department of Education,
journal articles, and SEAMEO.
The paper is a pure research in nature since it involved a
clarification on the existing philosophy and principles in
education that are found to be challenging. These are
found to have a direct or indirect influence towards the
development of education in the Philippines.
Hence, this paper is qualitative, descriptive and
pure in terms of the viewpoints of research namely:
enquiry, objectives and application respectively.
Results and Discussion
At present, the emerging and prevailing educational
philosophies
In the innovated basic education program of the
Philippines’ Department of Education, it aimed to bring on
and develop holistic Filipino graduates who can be
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Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017
compared to the world. The Philippines as a founding
member of the world’s sevent largest economy –
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is now
being challenged by its integration. Hence, like its
prototype, the European Union (EU), is now moving
forward the dogma of free flowing economy, standardized
education system, free movement of the human capital
with its at most potentials and capability, among many
others.
Thus, the region, the Philippines in particular, is toward
achieving twenty first century competencies such as civic
literacy, global awareness and cross-cultural skills;
critical and inventive thinking skills; and information
communication skills. The mentioned competencies
encompass the ‘isms’ of education. Hence, holistic/eclectic
approach of educational philosophy is underpinned
(DepEd & SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2012).
The K to 12 basic education program addresses
the challenges a Filipino graduate faces in the
international arena. It made every student whole based on
the K to 12 goals and objectives. As such, at the end of the
day, it aimed to provide a well-developed learner/graduate
who can be compared to the graduates of the rest of the
world. Moreover, this answers the difficulty of our
graduates to be at par when looking at the Bologna and
Washington Accords/Initiatives that identifies the
standards and quality of the acceptable workforce based
on their basic education programs more than their skill
and discipline qualifications (Tanhueco-Tumapon, 2015).
Also, this will spur progress in the international surveys
such as Trends in International mathematics and Science
Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student
Assessment (PISA).
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said as
mentioned in the comparative study K to 12 Education in
Southeast Asia conducted by SEAMEO INNOTECH “we
need to add two years to our basic education. I want at
least 12 years for our public school children to give them
an even chance at succeeding.”
Hence, since the K to 12 program tries to provide
quality and holistic graduates, it means that the
implementers which include teachers, curriculum
developers, instructional materials writers, and
administrators are encapsulated to having an eclectic or
holistic philosophical foundations and approach in
education.
Emejidio and Gepila
IDEA IDEALISM
Philosophy and
its educational
implications EXPERIENCE REALISM
DEVELOPMENT PRAGMATISM
Figure 1: Philosophy and its educational implications
Philosophies operate in the classroom.
Emerged from ideas
Ideas are universal and are constant in the world
together with death, tax, and change. It serves as template
and organizing framework for experience. It is the truth
expressed through the unchanging framework for and of
experience. Hence, Descartes’ ‘cogito ergo sum’ is ‘I think
therefore I do’ than ‘I think therefore I am’.
Teachers’ character is to elicit the unknown and
underdeveloped knowledge from the learners. They are
necessary to clarify concepts/ideas they guide learners
with the challenged interpretation of the
principles/concepts/ or ideas. This is now identified as a
‘Thinking Together’ program that develops critical thinking
through appropriate questioning by peers and teachers
(Dawes et al., 2000 in Jordan, 2008).
Educational Implications are the following:
1. Theories are better than practice;
2. Schema/experience is established;
3. Concepts/ideas are challenged, organized, and
understood;
4. Theories are realized from schema/experience;
and
5. Learning is guided through intellectual dialogue
and Socratic Method.
The abovementioned educational implications can be
pointed out as moot and academic since the proposed
curriculum is influenced by various philosophies that
emerged from ideas. These ideas are logical in its entirety
and pleasant. However, for some who are resistant to
organizational development and further enhancement of
human force, due to some practical reasons like time,
money, etc, these implications could be their reasons to
reject the concept.
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Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017
Theory before
practice
Logical thinking
Liberal education
Technical-rational
Empiricism
curriculum
Child-centered
Romanticism
education
Curriculum design
Teleology
Development
theory
Emerged from experience
In this, it emphasizes the perspective that full
learning is based on either ‘doing’ or being ‘done to’. On
the empiricist point of view, since learners are identified
as passive, teachers, curriculum developers/designers,
and instructional material writers must contextualized
instruction, lesson plans/daily lesson logs, curriculum, and
modules and textbooks to provide appropriate experiences
to learners. Moreover, John Locke mentioned in his noted
essay titled ‘Essay Concerning Human Understanding’,
“there is nothing in the mind which was not first in the
senses” (Smith et al, 2004). Hence, all ideas of a learner
are formed based on his/her reflections on his/her
experience.
However, on the romanticist point of view, formal
education is unnecessary and restrictive since children
can learn from experiences and influence naturally. Jean-
Jacques Rousseau, a strongest proponent of Romanticism,
iterated that humans are naturally good but corrupted by
civilization. Thus, a child must be set apart from the
society and must learn and be influenced through
exposure to what is natural. Moreover, since it emphasizes
on self-expression and self-actualization, senses and
feeling are really the primary, and thought and abstraction
are to be at service (Noddings, 2007).
Educational implications are the following:
1. Learning is scientific;
2. Learning is dependent on the set of values
imposed by the Teacher;
3. Curriculum developers, instructional material
writers;
4. Learning values training of skills and
competencies.
Emejidio and Gepila
5. Learning balances head, heart, and hands;
6. Learning through natural materials and
environment is highlighted;
7. Learning recognizes individuality of learners;
8. Learning operates with the child’s experiences;
and
9. Learning must provide an appropriate and rich
environment through the teacher.
Emerged from development
HUMANS
ANIMALS
PLANTS
Figure 2: Aristotle’s animating principles
In his perspective, he viewed the importance of
soul in the highest form of creation, which are humans.
And, we are gearing toward something based on our
rational soul, growing capacity, feeling, and thinking.
Therefore, the means toward achieving the definite goal id
already identified but the methods on how to achieve it is
yet to be revealed. It might need activities that must be
controlled and learned to be limited to the desired goal.
Educational implications are the following:
1. Learners are motivated by goals and must be
provided the reason why they need to study the
topic and
2. Goals must match both learners and teachers.
This perspective is fully supported by Swiss
psychologist Jean Piaget while the Russian psychologist
Lev Vygotsky supported this perspective aside from the
concept of their determined nature.
Significance of educational philosophies
According to Fred Walcott, philosophy emerges from
experience and is a result from the reflection on
experience (1966). Hence, philosophies play a very
significant role in every teacher’s life. It enhances our
capacity to deliver our task and move from one learner to
another through instruction, developing curriculum, and
writing instructional materials.
Based on philosophical positions of the considered
mothers of educational philosophies namely: Idealism,
Realism and Pragmatism; teachers, curriculum
developers, and instructional material writers must look
into the appropriacy of the philosophical foundation of any
teaching method, curriculum design, and instructional
material content. It must all be based on the type and goal
Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017
Development in education is referred to the concept
that is formed involving some underpinning innate human,
cognitive or biological potential towards a final and definite
end goal. In the process of development, it must provide a
condition that is favorable to the learner to stretch is full
potential.
Aristotle gave birth to Teleology, which refers to the
purpose of a man to which his/her development is relying
to natural and biological processes. Since he is concerned
with the development of a man as characterized by stages,
he viewed human development as:
Rational soul Growing Feeling Thinking
Sensitive soul Growing Feeling
Sensitive soul Growing
of the courses and learners a teacher is handling or an
administrator is managing. This is supported by Kleining
(1985 in Brennen, 1999) when he said that,
Education refers to the range of activities
both formal and informal whereby people
are initiated into or realigned with the
evolving traditions, structures, and social
relations which are taken to constitute their
education.
Moreover, Peter (1975 in Brennen, 1999) said that,
Education consists in initiating others into
activities, modes of conduct and thoughts
which have standards written into them by
references to which it is possible to act,
think, and feel with varying degrees of
relevance and taste.
These supports from Kleining and Peter justify the
very character of educational philosophy in the every
classroom and its teachers for better delivery of lessons
and enjoyable classroom situations. Thus, critical thinking
is developed, fine motor skills will be used, and every
concept will be put into practice. A teacher and classroom
situation must be dynamic and evolving depending on the
need of the situation. Likewise, the philosophy of the
teacher and the classroom must also be dynamic
addressing the necessity, practicability, and beneficiality
of both the internal and external stakeholders of the
situation.
The K to 12 curriculum is more than enough to
make the Philippine human capital great again in terms of
its capabilities and potentials because its workforce
turned to become competitive in curriculum in the
international market. A 10-year education curriculum was
the main issue of the Country’s human capital gradual
3843
Emejidio and Gepila
growth in various industries namely: business, health and
sciences, and engineering since the global requirement as
imposed by various initiatives like Washington and
Bologna is a 12-year basic education curriculum.
The mentioned initiatives can never be questioned
since it was again a product of philosophies as emerged
from ideas, experience and development. Hence, there are
bases which can be accounted to how fast the world is
changing and what are the real demands the world
provides in various fields. Thus, philosophies are
important to enliven the system of education in the as
compared with the international community based on the
standards provided by globalization which are dynamic in
no definite time.
Moderate Conclusions and Recommendations
The study moderately concludes based on the
available document.
In the present K to 12 curriculum, since it promotes
holistic graduates, the teachers and other curriculum
implementers are likewise holistic. Thus, tries to be
eclectic in all aspects of instruction, curriculum design,
and instructional material.
On the matter of educational philosophies operate
in the classroom; it is found out that three (3) areas are
considered. It includes ideas, experiences, and
developments. Hence, those areas must be familiar if not
mastered by the teachers and others.
Lastly, about the significant features of educational
philosophies, it revealed that the values and influence of
these philosophies could greatly affect the efficient
delivery of lessons and performance of both teachers and
students.
The study suggests that both teachers and
students must undergo tests to determine their prevailing
and emerging educational philosophy, which can affect
teaching and learning. This can also guide people in
making adjustments with both the internal and external
stakeholders of the education system. Moreover, this can
enable everyone most especially teachers to conduct
instruction and design a classroom environment at the
level of the students.
Bionote
Emejidio C. Gepila Jr. is a graduate student of the
College of Education of the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines in the Doctor of Educational Management
Program. He is Master of Arts in teaching specializing in
English Language Arts graduate of the Philippine Normal
University in 2014. He is specializing in Linguistics,
Applied Linguistics, and Language Curriculum. Moreover,
he has presented researches on the mentioned
specializations in the ASEAN and East Asia. At present, He
is a Faculty Member, College of Education and
concurrently the Research Coordinator of North Luzon I,
3844
Transylvanian Review: Vol XXV, No. 13, 2017
Polytechnic University of the Philippines;
ecgepilajr@pup.edu.ph/ jrgepila@gmail.com
Correspondence can be directed to
ecgepilajr@pup.edu.ph/jrgepila@gmail.com
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