The Educational Theory of Alfred North Whitehead

“Education is the acquisition of the art of the utilization of knowledge” (Whitehead, 1929, p.4). This is one of the striking principles that Whitehead claims in his introductory essay on Aims of Education. It shows and enlivens that education cannot be dissected from practice. They should go hand in hand for the better and more conducive learning experiences and eventually will have positive and quality outcome. 

 

Alfred North Whitehead is known less for his educational ideas than for his work in the fields of formal logic, mathematical physics and metaphysics. Nevertheless, he also developed creative ideas on such topics as learning and teaching on the basis of his challenging process metaphysics. In his days, and even today, these ideas have to be termed bold. They leave behind many of the traditional concepts and propose a radically new approach.

Utilizing the knowledge and skills that were taught to students to a particular end (Whitehead, 1929, p.1) is considered to be the knowledge that is worthwhile learning for. This is where Whitehead is actively interested upon. He believed that there is certain goal of education for life. Education has to impart an intimate sense for the power and beauty of ideas coupled with structure for ideas together with a particular body of knowledge, which has peculiar reference to the life of being possessing it (Whitehead, 1929, p.10). He argued we should aim at "producing men who possess both culture and expert knowledge in some special direction (Whitehead, 1929, p.1).”

Knowledge is a social construct to the extent it "stimulates activity of thought and not what he calls inert ideas, that is to say ideas that are merely received into the mind without being utilized, or tested, or thrown into fresh combination"( Whitehead, 1929, p.1). “[A] major cause of poor performance on tasks that require the generation of relevant sub-problems, arguments, and explanations is that most curricula emphasize the memorization of facts and the acquisition of relatively isolated sub-skills that are learned out of context and hence result in knowledge representations that tend to remain inert (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989; Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1990; Resnick &MN Klopfer 1989).” This speaks what he felt about education that had too much of these inert ideas which rendered the process useless. He rejected in this sense the theory of mind that maintains as a kind of tool, or dead instrument, needing, honing and sharpening. Nor is it a kind of repository for "inert" ideas, stored up in neatly categorized bundles. Further, he argued that knowledge is a kind of repository stored up in neatly categorized bundles. Instead, it is an organic element of an indissoluble mind/body unit, in continuous relationship with the living environment, both social and natural. He wanted us to utilize knowledge for it was useless if we didn't. Thus, "utilizing knowledge and ideas is relating it to the stream~ compounded of sense, perceptions, feelings, hopes, desires and of mental activities adjusting thought to thought which forms our life" (Whitehead, 1929, p.1).

The concept of education is based upon a false psychology of the process of mental development which has gravely hindered the effectiveness of our efforts (Whitehead, 1925, p.17). In this context, he referred to the traditional concept of education that somehow hinders the effective learning outcome of the individual. The acquisition of knowledge and skills should be undertaken at fitting times when the individuals have reached the proper stage of mental development. Thus, it points out that proper time for learning environment should be considered to give effect of the quality learning results. Adequate time is given an emphasis. This is to assure the preparedness of the learners to grasp new life experiences for future needs.

To produce experts without the loss of the essential virtues of the amateur (Whitehead, 1929, p.11) is the object of learning. Learning is internalizing knowledge that is then utilized to some end.