학교 인성교육론 비판

A Critical Examination on the Discourse of character Education in Secondary School

  The purpose of this paper is to analyze the biases and stereotypes on moral subject matter and textbooks in secondary school, and to suggest basic information to the practical educators. In this paper, some misunderstandings relating to moral subject matter is examined and the cultural cognition of character education is analyzed critically. Schooling contributes to the shaping and construction of character education. But it is an unique idea that moral character is constructed by subject matter in school. The essence of character education depends on all the system of educational activities in which students are nurtured, not simply on the specific program called moral education as a subject matter. Life is a process of education, and education is the very process of character education in which it tries to shape a man"s character through the process of his life. The students are equipped involuntarily by education and social norms and they are matured voluntarily through his will and effort. In this point of view, we need philosophical perspectives about moral subject matter and character education. Many people maintain that no logical connections can be made between philosophical perspectives and the areas of educational endeavor. Many of us assume that to build moral character through subject matter to be true and obvious without any clear idea of why. Thus, this paper is relevant to scholars and practitioners, particularly those involved in history and cultural foundations of character education.