A Foundation for Reflection and Questioning: Philosophy Course Requirements in Teacher Education Programs at Selected Catholic Colleges and Universities

A Rationale for Requiring Philosophy of Education in Preservice Teacher Programs

“…In reviewing the available literature regarding philosophy of education courses across the United States to determine where, when, and how often such courses are required, we found that many undergraduate preservice teacher preparation programs at Catholic colleges and universities in the United States require candidates to take courses in philosophy (Mucci & Cranston-Gingras, 2011). Among these, some institutions include a free-standing philosophy of education course as an essential part of their preservice teacher requirements.…”

Developing the inventory of educational thought and applications: Its validity and reliability analysis

“…Bunun ilk adımı ise, eğitsel felsefesini önce kendisinin tanımasını ve belki de ifade edebilmesini sağlamaktır. Bununla birlikte, eğitim felsefesi bir ders olarak öğretmen yetiştiren kurumlarda programın bir parçası olarak verilse de bu dersin çoğu zaman sınırlı bir anlayış oluşturduğu, içeriğin yetersiz kaldığı, yapılan araştırmalarda (Elisasser, 2008;Mucci, 2011) ortaya konmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, öğretmen adaylarının, eğitsel süreçlere yönelik düşünce ve uygulamalarını felsefi anlamda isimlendirebilir hale getirmektir.…”

Reflective journaling: fostering dispositional development in preservice teachers

“…Many undergraduate preservice teacher preparation programs at Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. require candidates to take courses in philosophy (Mucci & Cranston-Gingras, 2011). Among these, some institutions include a free-standing philosophy of education course as an essential part of their preservice teacher requirements.…”

“…For example, Gosselin (2007) emphasized the importance of philosophy of education courses for preservice teachers because 'they typically do not understand how philosophy of education fits into the grand narrative of philosophy as a discipline ' (p. 42). On the other hand, Mucci and Cranston-Gingras (2011) made the case for such courses by asserting that 'Philosophy courses pertaining to philosophy of education allow preservice teachers to begin to examine their own goals for teaching and how those goals will be accomplished through specific teaching methods ' (p. 386). In this study, we contend that the philosophy of education can help teacher candidates examine how their own knowledge, skills, and dispositions influence their behaviors and why they make certain decisions regarding their curriculum and teaching methodology.…”

“…In their study of philosophy courses at Catholic colleges and universities, Mucci and Cranston-Gingras (2011) concluded that these courses, '…afford preservice teachers the opportunity to begin to know the self with regard to understanding their capacities and what makes them human beings as well as allowing them to be in touch with who they are in the world' (p. 388). The data we present here reaffirm Mucci's and Cranston-Gingras's (2011) findings in regard to the required philosophy of education course at one Catholic university.…”