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Knowing as an aim of education for young children

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Summary

This essay sharpens and elaborates Spodek’s (1977) theme of knowing as an aim of education for young children. To make the meaning of the theme clearer, the writings of three scholars are reviewed: R.F. Dearden, Jean Piaget, and Harriet Johnson. Each scholar has been selected because he or she, either explicitly or implicitly, discusses the need for young children to generate and validate knowledge, as well as the fact that different forms of knowledge are generated and validated differently. By way of conclusion, some problems and implications arising from the discussion are identified and briefly considered.

Resumen

En este artículo se agudiza y elabora el tema de Spodek (1977) que el objetivo de la educación para los niños pequenňos es conocer. Para aclarar lo que significa el tema, se revisa la obra de tres eruditos: R.F. Rearden, Jean Piaget y Harriet Johnson. Se escogió cada uno porque, de manara explicita o implicita, discute tanto la necesidad para los niños de generar y validar el conocimiento como el hecho de que las formas distintas de conocer se generan y se validan de modos distintos. A título de conclusión son identificados y considerados en breve unos problemas e implicaciones surgiendo de la discusión.

Résumé

Dans cet essai on raffine et élabore le thème de Spodek (1977) que le but de l’éducation pour les petits enfants est de connaître. Pour éclaircir le thème on fait le compte rendu de l’oeuvre de trois lettrés: R.F. Rearden, Jean Piaget y Harriet Johnson. Chacun a été sélectinonné parce qu’il, ou elle, discute ou catégoriquement ou tacitement, le besoin du petit enfant de générer et de valider le connu, ainsi que le fait que des formes differentes de connaître sont generées et validées différemment. Pour conclure, on identifie et examine brièvement certains problèmes et implications s’élevant de la discussion.

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Chafel, J.A. Knowing as an aim of education for young children. IJEC 15, 57 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174892

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174892

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