教育與社會改革：George S. Counts社會重建論的實踐意涵 Education and Social Reform: The Practical Implications of George S. Counts’ Social Reconstructionism

本文旨在探討G. S. Counts以教育導引社會改革的教育論述。本文首先分析Counts對於教育的見解。Counts認為教育固須考量兒童，但亦應有明確的發展方向。其次，Counts認為教育並無普遍的本質而是依於文化脈絡的一種社會制度。再者，Counts認為教育目的應是社會性的。在Counts的理論中，民主倫理與工業主義是兩大重心。Counts主張重建民主倫理的根基，以適應工業時代的來臨。Counts認為相對於農業時代以個人主義為基調，工業時代則是以集體主義為特徵，集體主義在強調追求總體的福利同時，亦鼓勵 團體的合作。在以教育引領社會改革的期許中，Counts賦予教師相當大的職責與期待。 This paper explored Counts’ educational discourses of social reform by education. Firstly, it analyzed Counts’ views on education. Counts thought that educational process should have a clear direction to follow besides taking children into account. Secondly, Counts believed that there was no universal essence of education; indeed, it was a contextual institution. Thirdly, Counts contended that the purpose of education was fundamentally social. According to his theory, democratic ethic and industrialism were two key points. He thought that the basis of American democracy must be rebuilt in order to meet the challenges of industrial era. He indicated that collectivism was the characteristic of industrial era as contrasted with individualism, which was exalted in agricultural era. Collectivism promoted the pursuit of general welfare and the cooperation among groups. Looking forward to social reform led by education, teachers were invested with great responsibility and anticipation.