Educational Psychology—Limitations and Possibilities

828 The Praeger Handbook of Education and Psychology
In rigid technical rational standards and accountability systems, students are viewed as the
receptors of knowledge that can be transmitted to them through direct instruction or constructivist
activities that are contrived so that students will arrive at the correct answer. Generally, students
are limited in how much they can participate in the decision-making process concerning teaching
and learning. Their role is akin to the role played by workers in the traditional factory system
in that they do what they are told to do by the manager/expert/administrator/teacher. This lack
of ownership and empowerment within the teaching and learning process has well-documented
negative effects such as high dropout rates and high levels of student anxiety. In addition, some
students, due to a narrow instructional focus on tested content and repetitious remediation,
experience a reduced engagement with curriculum and critical thinking skills.
THE RECONCEPTUALIZED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
In a discussion of a reconceptualized educational experience because of the significant foundational
differences between this view of education and a technical rational view, it quickly becomes
apparent that curriculum, instruction, and assessment cannot be viewed as separate components
of teaching and learning. Unlike the reductionist alignment process in which curriculum, instruction,
and assessment are viewed as separate and discrete aspects of the educational process that
need to be aligned in order to enhance the efficiency of the educational process, a reconceptual
view sees these three components as inherently and ubiquitously integrated. Therefore, other
concepts will be used to organize an explanation of the reconceptualized educational experience.
These organizing concepts include a focus on critical thinking, attention to context and social
constructivism, an interdisciplinary and holistic orientation, authentic assessment, and teachers
and students as scholar-practitioners.
Before discussing the characteristics of reconceptualized education, it is important to clearly
establish the fundamental purpose of a reconceptualized education. Of course, as is the idealistic
purpose of all education, the purpose of reconceptualized education is to prepare individuals to
have full, rich, and productive lives. More fully defining this purpose requires a look at the nature
of society in which the individuals will exist, and the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that they
will need to acquire in order to fulfill this purpose. Writing in the context of preparing students to
function effectively in the economy of the digital age, one scholar proposes the needs that must
be fulfilled by education. Students need to acquire a digital-age literacy in science, mathematics,
technology, and visual information and culture. In addition, in order to manage complexity, they
need to be inventive, curious, creative, and risk-taking. They need to acquire skill in higher-order
thinking, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving—all within an ethical sense of personal and
social responsibility (Thornburg, 2002, p. 59).
To say the least, this is certainly a significant challenge for any educational system. Most
individuals would agree that any student who acquires this skill and knowledge certainly would
be well prepared to effectively engage the complexity of the future. Furthermore, let us add
to this wish list an overriding concern for social justice, an ethic of care, and the promotion of
participatory democracy. From a pragmatic viewpoint, any educational system will have difficulty
achieving such a lofty purpose if faced with inequitable educational funding, systemic poverty,
racism, and a myriad of other conditions that complicate and confound the education process.
However, these conditions are precisely why all of this knowledge, skill, and critical awareness
need to be the central focus and purpose of public education.
Proponents of reconceptualized education will argue that their educational perspective offers
the greatest potential to maximize the achievement of this purpose. They attempt to realize their
purpose through pedagogies that empower and emancipate; standards that require the engagement
of complexity; accountability systems that are equitable, just, and caring; and educational systems