thoughts on the lenses through which we view education

Whenever we choose to examine education - its purposes and intents, for example - we cannot discern anything uncolored by context. Our experiences and perspectives leave an indelible mark on our psyches; marks which influence our opinions and our priorities. For myself, on examining the list of perspectives from which we view education - “developmental, psychological, pedagogical, political, policy, historical, social, economic, cultural, and ethical” (Van Galen, n.d., p. 2) - I am immediately struck by how much these different approaches overlap one another. It may be impossible to get a clear view of what the political lens reveals without also considering the economic lens, for example. We must additionally acknowledge the biases our personal experiences have imprinted on us with regards to both politics and economics. From this starting point, while we can find common ground and begin to address some of our “big” questions about education, we must stand ready to revise our thinking and embrace change in the future. Values change, contexts change, new priorities are discovered. In this sense, our lenses reveal a kaleidoscopic range of perspectives and truths about education.

For me, our context does not merely color our opinions and attitudes with bias - though they challenge us to be mindful of other points of view, not all of our experience and opinions are negative. Our context is a valuable and important element that any workable solution should be grounded in. Dewey believed that “we learn what we do,” (Postman & Weingartner, 1969, p. 17) - a belief mirrored in McLuhan’s assertion that medium and message are one and the same. These thinkers instruct us to remember that the environment in which learning is conducted is at least as influential, at least as important as the content. As Postman and Weingartner remind: “[T]he critical content of any learning experience is the method or process through which the learning occurs.” (Postman & Weingartner, 1969, p. 19) In my opinion, realizing the enormous power that where we come from, who we are, and where we stand have on big overarching questions like “What knowledge is of most worth? Who decides?” (Van Galen, n.d., p. 3) is very important to keep in mind.

We cannot expect the answers to our questions about education to come to us as Platonic forms or Golden Rules that will magically transform education into an incorruptible ideal. Our answers will alternately be brilliant and bad - both messy and mutable. The questions will always be before us, with at least one question, courtesy of Jane Van Galen, that we should continually reflect on as educators: “Did I do the right thing?” (n.d., p. 5)


Postman, N. & C. Weingartner (1969). Teaching as a Subversive Activity. New York. N.Y.: Delacorte Press.
Van Galen, J. (n.d.). Lenses [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://www.bb.bothell.washington.edu/