Michael James A.

Daligdig
1st-year MSciEd - Secondary Mathematics
EDUC 201 B - Philosophical Foundations of Education

Summary Narrative No. 3

Part 3. Epistemology

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of

knowledge, its origin, and its scope. It is concerned with questions such as: What

is knowledge? How do we know what we know? What are the limits of our

knowledge?

As per Dr. Hicks, Epistemology is complementary to the metaphysical

issues concerned with the fundamental nature of reality. In metaphysics, we are

trying to understand the basic structure of the universe and the nature of existence.

In epistemology, we are trying to understand how we can acquire knowledge

about this reality.

Epistemology has a number of important implications for education. For

example, it influences our curriculum development, our teacher-learner

interactions, and our methodology. What should be taught in schools? This is a

fundamental question that curriculum developers must address. Epistemology can

help us to answer this question by providing us with insights into the nature of

knowledge and how it is acquired.

 For example, epistemology can teach us that there are different types of

knowledge, such as theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. Theoretical

knowledge is knowledge about the world, such as the laws of physics or the

principles of economics. Practical knowledge is knowledge about how to do

things, such as how to ride a bike or how to bake a cake.

Curriculum developers should consider both types of knowledge when

developing a curriculum. They should also consider the different levels of

knowledge that students have at different ages.

So how should teachers interact with their students? Epistemology can

help us to answer this question by providing us with insights into the nature of

learning.

For example, epistemology can teach us that learning is an active process.

Students learn by constructing their own knowledge. Teachers should therefore

create a learning environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, to

explore ideas, and to make their own

On the other hand, the idea of creativity refers to the capacity to bring

about the existence of something that has never been before. This third

philosophy in Dr. Hicks’ Philosophy of Education entails epistemology or the

concept of knowledge. Education involves acquiring knowledge, skills, and other

types of information from the learners. Therefore, epistemology entails examining

the learners' knowledge's nature, condition, and extent. Dr. Hicks mentioned that

as teachers, it is part of our expertise to know how the human mind and brain

work. It is essential in a way that when dealing with students, we can guide them

to build into our lessons explicitly.

In addition to the points raised above, I would also like to add that

epistemology can help us to teach our students to be non-biased thinkers.

Epistemology teaches us to question our assumptions, to evaluate evidence, and to

form our own judgments. These are essential skills for all students to have,

regardless of their future career plans.

Epistemology helps us to teach our students to be more tolerant of

different viewpoints. Epistemology teaches us that there is no such thing as

absolute truth. Different people have different perspectives on the world, and we

should be open to learning from each other.

Overall, epistemology is indeed a valuable tool for educators. It can

definitely help us to improve our teaching and to help our students to become

more responsible and thoughtful individuals.