貝斯特（A.E.Bestor）博雅教育思想探究

Abstract

本研究以理論分析法，梳理二十世紀前半葉之進步主義發展與脈絡，針對Arthur E. Bestor對於進步主義之批判進行分析，並據以探究其博雅教育理論之蘊意。本研究主要目的包括：一、引介Bestor之生平及其思想背景；二、梳理Bestor對於當時進步主義教育運動之批判觀點；三、析述Bestor理想之博雅教育內涵及其實踐；四、闡述Bestor對於教師專業之廓清及其理想之師資培育方針；五、衍釋及反省Bestor精粹主義論點對於台灣中小學與高等教育可資借鑑之處。 進步主義教育將兒童中心學說奉為圭臬，在課程、教學上做出許多重大革新。1950年代後局勢翻轉，永恆主義和精粹主義崛起，回應進步主義過度重視學生需求和日常即刻需要等缺失。Bestor觀察，教育若僅將視野侷限在短視的個人需要和日常生活解決上，將面臨文化落後危機，智識能力無法發揮功用，教育無法進步而是退步。綜前所述，本研究之重要結論，歸結如下五點： 一、Bestor的思想受到求學經歷影響，強調連續積累的史觀思維，重視傳統文化價值之傳承，反對教育以即刻需求滿足作為教育目的；二、進步主義教育衍生之流弊反映博雅教育的時代需要；三、博雅教育核心在於智德之涵泳，以培育具備清晰且嚴謹思考能力的自由人；四、教學成效和師資密切相關，師資培育應由教育學院和其他學科領域共同擘劃，並廓清專業概念，方能擔負責任以維護教育品質；五、多元適性的開展應築基在基本能力之扎實基礎上，方能兼顧課程之廣度與深度，具備穩固的學科基礎，成為終身學習之養分。Through the philosophical analysis, this study aims to investigate the contexts and developments of Progressive Education during the first half of the 20th century. Besides, it also attempts to analyze the criticism from Bestor toward Progressive Education and tries to inquire into his liberal education theory. This study has four main purposes: （1） to delve into Bestor’s life experiences and the formation of his educational theories. （2） to analyze the viewpoints of Bestor’s criticism toward progressive education.（3） to explore Betor’s thoughts of liberal education and its proposals.（4） to inquire into Bestor’s clarification of teacher profession and teacher training policy. （5） to reflect Bestor’s ideas of Essentialism and make several suggestions for primary, secondary, and higher education in Taiwan. PEA based on “child-centered” theory, made immense innovations and took measures in teaching and curriculum. However, in the meantime, especially after 1950s when Perennialism and Essentialism arose, responding to the deficiencies resulted from PEA which overemphasized student’s interests and immediate needs. The following are the main findings of this study:（1）Bestor’s thoughts were affected by his learning backgrounds which emphasized accumulating thinking view, against immediate needs as the purpose of education.（2）Progressive education resulted in few educational inadequacies and that were the reasons why Bestor invoked the need of liberal education beyond time and space.（3）The essence of liberal education is to cultivate intellectual virtues in order to equip clear thinking for students to be a truly free man.（4）Teaching is tightly related with teacher education. Consequently, teacher training should be collaboratively planned and practiced by teacher education college colleges of liberal arts, aims to ascertain the concept of profession so that the quality of education can be maintained and enhanced.（5）to cherish the values of individual differences, firm base of basic abilities should be built on. Therefore, the breadth and depth of curriculum can’t be ignored or imbalanced. Furthermore, all those solid foundations would be the nurtures to learn how to learn.