Educational Codes and Values behind the Practice of

Education

(An up-dated summary of sections of Chapter 1 of The Morality of

the School by Mike Bottery (Cassell, 1990))

Introduction

It seems highly probable that virtually everyone has certain basic

beliefs about the type of knowledge to be valued in schools, the
roles of the student and the teacher, and the role of society in
this process, as well as the type of society and values which
schools should be trying to educate their students towards.

Such views normally cohere into particular philosophies of

education, and it is important to realise and reflect upon one’s
own position here. This exercise therefore examines the kinds of
values and ideologies which can underlie approaches to education
in schools.

On the next page you will find four groups of statements. Please
read the five statements in Group A, and then spread 20 marks
among those statements with which you most strongly agree.
Once you have completed Group A, do the same for Groups B, C,
and D.

Bottery, M. 2019. Educational codes and values behind the practice of education. 1
Group A

1. The school should organise itself upon the principle that the interests
and needs of the student are paramount.
2. Students need an appreciation of the great artistic and scientific
heritage which is part of their culture.
3. Learning should be an active social process which is guided but not
dominated by teachers.
4. Schools must produce a well-trained and motivated workforce which
can compete in international markets with other industrialised
economies.
5. Schools should be seen as places where students can be taught to
manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably.

Group B

1. Teachers should help students in the process of understanding,

appreciating, criticising and when older, changing society’s norms and
institutions;
2. Different levels of ability require different educational provision, and an
education system must provide for these different abilities;
3. Students must be given the kind of practical skills which will equip
them to earn a living once they leave school;
4. Schools should help its students appreciate that if the ecosphere is not
sustainable, then neither is humanity;
5. Students should decide on their own choice of topic to study.

Group C

1. Certain kinds of knowledge have more value and are more important
than other kinds;
2. Schools need to be as one part of a machine furthering the economic
prosperity of this country;
3. Students need to understand that many more interactions are complex
and systemic than are those that are simple and linear;
4. Schools should be seen as a means of changing society;
5. A school should be democratically run, with rules and punishments
negotiated and agreed upon by all of its members.

Group D

1. Maturity comes through the exercise of responsibility and freedom;

2. Schools should help pupils understand that the needs of present
generations should not compromise the ability of future generations to
meet their needs.
3. Discussion, criticism and creativity must be linked to the promotion of
economic goals;
4. Some people are more capable of contributing to the pool of worthwhile
knowledge than others; schools must educate them for this
responsibility;
5. The curriculum should be organised in a rational and democratic way so
that current institutions and norms may be analysed and criticised, and
if necessary, alternatives be suggested.

Bottery, M. 2019. Educational codes and values behind the practice of education. 2
 SCORING
Now assign the marks from the statements to these views of education:

Cultural Transmission Code Student Centred Code

A2= A1=
B2= B5=
C1= C5=
D4= D1=

Social Reconstruction Code GNP (Economic) Code Ecological Code

A3= A4= A5=
B1= B3= B4=
C4= C2= C3=
D5= D3= D2=

The higher the mark, the more inclined you are likely to be to support a
particular approach to education, though it is likely that you will support a
particular mix of these code. Each of the main thrust of these codes may be
summarised as follows:

Cultural Transmission education aims to inculcate an appreciation of the

values and cultural heritage of a particular civilisation, an appreciation which
must be given by older people who are in a position to understand these things
and who are therefore to be respected.

Student-centred education is seen as a democratic, interest-based activity. It

begins with the student’s developmental interests,a nd uses these as the
mainspring for action in the classroom. It concentrates on the growth of the
whole child, rather than being content based.

Social Reconstruction education is seen as a dynamic process, fusing the

expert guidance of teacher with the developing abilities of children. It focuses
upon the critical discussion of present and future problems and developments in
society.

GNP (Economic) education is seen as the inculcation of behaviours and

thought patterns likely to be conducive to the economic well-being of a country.
These behaviours and thought patterns will vary depending upon the type
believed to be most necessary for such economic well-being.

Ecological education argues that humanity is one participant in the Earth’s

ecosphere, rather than being its ruler or exploiter, and that if this ecosphere is
not sustainable, then neither is humanity. Understanding how to achieve such
sustainability, and the actions that derive from this, must then be critical
educational aims.

On the next page, you will see how each of the statements fits
into a particular code.

Bottery, M. 2019. Educational codes and values behind the practice of education. 3
 Five Views of Education
Cultural Transmission
1. Students need an appreciation of the great artistic and scientific
heritage which is part of their culture.
2. Different levels of ability require different educational provision, and an
educaton system must provide for these different abilities.
3. Certain kinds of knowledge have more value and are more important
than other kinds.
4. Some people are more capable of contributing to the pool of worthwhile
knowledge than others; schools must educate them for this
responsibility.

Student-Centred
1. The school should organise itself upon the principle that the interests
and needs of the student are paramount.
2. Students should make their own choice of topic to study.
3. A school should be democratically run, with rules and punishments
negotiated an agreed upon by all of its members.
4. Maturity comes about through the exercise of responsibility and
freedom.

Social Reconstruction
1. Learning should be an active social process which is guided but not
dominated by teachers.
2. Teachers should help students in the process of understanding,
appreciating, criticising and when older, changing society’s norms and
institutions.
3. School she be seen as means of changing society.
4. The curriculum should be organised in a rational and democratic way so
that current institutions and norms may be analysed and criticised, and
if necessary, alternatives be suggested.

GNP (Economic) Code

1. Schools must produce a well-trained and motivated workforce which
can compete in international markets with other industrialised
countries.
2. Students must be given the kind of practical skills which will equip
them to earn a living once they leave school.
3. Schools need to be seen as one part of a machine furthering the
economic prosperity of this country.
4. Discussion, criticism and creativity must be linked to the promotion of
economic goals.

Ecological Code
1. Schools should be seen as places where students can be taught how
human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably;
2. Schools should help its students appreciate that if the ecosphere is not
sustainable, then neither is humanity;
3. Students need to understand that many more interactions are complex
and systemic than are those that are simple and linear;
4. Schools should help pupils understand that the needs of present
generations should not compromise the ability of future generations to
meet their needs.

Finally, on the next page, you can view the values most supported by a
particular code, which type of knowledge each code values, the role a student
takes under each code, the role that a teacher takes, and the role that society
takes under each one.

Bottery, M. 2019. Educational codes and values behind the practice of education. 4
 Code Links Type of Role of Role of Societal
between knowledge the the role in
values and valued Student Teacher student’s
schooling education
Cultural Objectivist, That which Passive Guardian, Main
transmission semi- celebrates a imbiber, transmitti determinant
permanent, cultural usually one n of knowledge,
values heritage of many to appropriat content,
transmitted be graded in e status teaching style.
internalised stratified quo Elitist, static.
and practiced society reinforcing
knowledge
and values
Student Valuing of Based on Active, Facilitator, Largely
centred student student’s involved, constructo irrelevant to
interests over experience, constructor r of or intrusive
any school or choices, and of personal situaions upon student
societal values interests curriculum perceived experience
and learning as and interests.
style beneficial Anarchic
for or by rather than
the child democratic.
Social Critical Topic/ Active, Facilitator, The focus of
Reconstructio analysis of problem critical constructo rational
n societal values centred, identity r selector criticism and
to be focused on gained of relevant change;
undertaken in resolving through problems dynamic,
terms of pressing interaction and democratic
validity and social issues in social materials; and probably
social utility groups, each critical communitaria
seen as guide to n
contributor societal
heritage.
GNP code Values That which To be trained Trainer, Source of aim,
conducive to furthers to fit into an constructo content and
utility and personal and economic r and teaching
economic the national machine. transmitte approaches.
value. Hard wealth Initiative and r of values Hierarchical
work and accumulation creativity and utilitarian
obedience , with a encouraged if practices, model for
fostered in technological this dovetails lower-order schools to
some; , scientific, with ultimate member of implement,
creativity and emphasis occupational hierarchy currently neo-
discovery in destination lliberal market
others. model.
Ecological Values of Knowledge Informed, Raiser of Bound by
Inter- that helps active, issues, context and
dependence, balance involved, exemplar time, needing
sufficiency, economic and aided in of to recognise
and social growth being sustainabl and plan for
sustainabilit with constructivel e practices, both intra- and
y ecospheric y critical of facilitator inter-
encouraged sustainability. the impact of of critical, generational
and behaviours, systemic, sustainability;
practiced customs and big picture
policies on thinking.
ecospheric
sustainability
.

The nature and impact of five different codes of education

Bottery, M. 2019. Educational codes and values behind the practice of education. 5