HI,
I am a bachelor in early childhood student in my final year.
For this assessment, I would like you to write me a 550 words writing with APA referencing on the topic 'Reflection on liberalism'. The referencing is not counted in the 550 words count. I have also attached my lecture on the topic.
www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Week 8: Liberalism ECTPP402A Philosophies, ideologies and theories of education www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Topics •Key themes and concepts •Historical foundations and key proponents •International policy and educational implications •Australian policy and educational implications www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Liberalism • Liberalism essentially is about being open to change and believing in progress • Rejecting a hierarchical social structure dominated by a ruling class, early or classic liberals believed in individual, political and economic freedoms that would be guaranteed under the rule of law and representative democracy. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au In education • In opposition to conservative values, classic liberals believe in a free flow of ideas and testing through scientific processes • Liberalism promotes the progressive improvement of human society and culture • Liberal education is an education for free people, encompassing freedom in thinking and a broad based approach to curriculum content – general knowledge www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au More history • The 17th century philosopher John Locke made significant contributions to liberal thinking, a pragmatist, he believed strongly in the primacy of human rational thought. He developed in the concept of government by social contract and that of human rights. • John Stuart Mill and John Dewey were also significant proponents of Liberalism www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au More than one type of liberalism Liberalism has evolved since it’s initial inception so that a variety of liberalisms can be identified: • Classical liberalism • Economic liberalism • Social liberalism This is not the full list. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Terminology • Classical liberalism is a set of economic beliefs that stresses non-interference by government in commercial enterprise. It promotes free trade and open markets • Classical liberals believe in the principle of open competition and that the economy is self-regulated by the supply and demand principle www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Freedom by different means Economic liberalism advocates individual liberty through ensuring that most economic decisions are made by individuals or households rather than institutions or organisations www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Utilitarianism • Utilitarianism: an ethical belief system that deems that the right way for governments to behave is to ensure that individual freedom is tempered by considerations that will ensure the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. • Utilitarians therefore believe that government should have a limited role in public affairs to ensure the greater good. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Social liberalism • This ideology believes individual liberty needs to be ensured through both a market economy but also through the government applying intervention to ensure social justice in relation to poverty, health care and education • It is associated with progressivism in social and educational issues • There are many examples of this in Australia today, such as child care benefit and rebate or the National Disability Insurance Scheme www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Liberalism–major themes • The individual right to ‘freedom of contract’ in terms of property, labour and investment (tensions still exist as to whether this should be an unfettered right or one that should be limited by some government control). • A belief in the primacy of human rational thought - the assumption that we all have the ability to solve societies ills to ensure the greatest good for all. • A belief that each person should be free to choose their own religion. That governments should be able to govern without the involvement of religion i.e. the concept of ‘separation of church and state’ also referred to as secularism. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au General Liberal beliefs • A belief that the first duty of government is to protect the individual human rights of each citizen . This concept is referred to as Individualism. • A belief that human thought and creativity will always ensure that the future is better than the past. In other words a belief in social progress, we have the ability to solve the great problems of our time. • A rejection of revolutionary tactics and an acceptance of the evolutionary nature of change. That is a belief that society can only be sustainably improved through conscious and carefully controlled change that takes place in incremental steps. Process oriented change. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Discussion • An important liberal belief is that the first duty of government is to protect the individual human rights of each citizen. • Are the ‘lockdown laws’ relating to the Covid- 19 pandemic an infringement of these rights? • Should we be free to make our own decisions with regards to social distancing? www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Liberalism’s educational implications • Universal education, the absolute right that each child has to an education. • An educational system of governance that ensures that power is spread evenly “through a system of checks and balances” e.g. state and federal governments are both involved in education. • That those participating in the education system should have a strong say in how it is run, localizing administrative and to certain degree curriculum decisions. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Liberal education • Process oriented instruction i.e. the concept that “the group should establish it’s own rules of government and conduct” • Freedom of choice e.g. freedom of speech, beliefs, assembly, dress etc. • Progressive curriculum, limited attention to the past. • Freedom from indoctrination of any kind. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Academic freedom Academic freedom should ensure 1. An educational environment that is free from censorship and unreasoned controls 2. Freedom of discussion 3. Equity 4. Authoritative (democratic) and collaborative decision making processes that are based on rational thought www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Freedom of expression • “Intellectual freedom meant freedom of expression –the freedom to communicate ideas in speech, in print and in the classroom”. • Do you agree with John Stuart Mill that freedom of expression is a critical aspect of society, are there any limits to this freedom. • Does Australian contemporary society truly have freedom of expression, provide examples to support your position. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Two positions “People do have a right to be bigots, you know. In a free country, people do have rights to say things that other people find offensive, insulting or bigoted.” (former) Attorney- General George Brandis “If you let people be able to say whatever they want, if it vilifies a group of people, then to me that is morally wrong.” Indigenous Coalition MP Ken Wyatt www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au FROM PENNY WONG “For them it's a game, it's a debate about words and abstract principles. For people who have experienced racism, it is a deeply personal debate, and it's actually a debate about real people and real hurt”. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Rules of governance and conduct • The concept that the group should establish its own rules of governance and conduct is also a Liberal derivation found in some classrooms • Did you experience this concept of group management at any time in your own background? • Is such an approach realistic in the early childhood context, if so how could this be implemented? www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Student SRC (student representative council) www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Neoliberalism • Draws on the free market ideas of classic liberalism but rejects the social justice emphasis of social liberalism. • Has lead to a reduction in government services but not necessarily smaller government • Has moved away from progressive views on social issues such as same-sex marriage and has become more compatible with conservatism www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Educational implications of neo- liberalism • Critics like Greene (2015) say: • Individualism is being used to force a ‘hands-off’ approach by government • Education has become a saleable asset that needs to be quantified by skill sets and competencies • Educational discourse has become dominated by economic language and audit mentality rather than civic education and individual empowerment www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Further criticisms MacGregor 2009 • Educational policies are now designed to serve the needs of the market rather than the needs of the individual • The emphasis has moved away from social good to adding capital value to the individual – human capital • Rather than a freedom from state control, neoliberalism has led to state intervention in education with the goal of producing individuals who will optimise the economy • The purpose of schooling has become human capital rather than personal agency www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au In summary Liberals believe in: • Property and the economy • Rationality and the power of reason • Secularism: Separation of church and state • Individualism • Progress and social improvement • Representation government • Education for all • Civic education • Constitutional literacy • Process-oriented change • Academic freedom • Freedom from indoctrination • Freedom from censorship www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Where to next? However, more and more, the neoliberal ideology is reshaping core liberal values and moving away from valuing rational individual problem solving and academic freedom. www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Link to video – Liberalism: The Economist (4:44 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8OxfFiVv 8&t=27s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8OxfFiVv8&t=27s www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au Reflection • Reflect on your own high school experience, can you identify examples of school life that project examples of Liberalist ideology? • What about neoliberalism? Have you experienced this set of values in your educational journey? www.tafensw.edu.au/degrees Moodle: courses.highered.tafensw.edu.au References Remember to avoid repeated citation all information in these lectures, unless otherwise cited, is adapted from: Gutek, G. (2014). Philosophical, ideological and theoretical perspectives on education. USA: Pearson.