Toward a General Theory of Education

Abstract

There are two types of theories of education: normative theories and sociological theories. The first-normative theories-are generated by philosophers and educators. They are based on conceptions of what constitutes a good education and focus on how to implement these conceptions in terms of structures, contents, and methods. Sociological theories, on the other hand, analyze concrete situations and assess the changing meaning and role of education in the broader social context. The two types of theories are not mutually exclusive. In reality, normative theories can always be interpreted sociologically. The ideas of a theorist are never independent from space, time, and the environment in which they evolved. The degree to which such ideas are accepted is due to historical context. Plato's educational ideas, for example, envisioned in the Republic and the Laws, never became official state ideology during his lifetime, nor did those of Confucius or Marx. However, in the cases of Confucius and Marx, their educational ideals were successfully translated into school practice and became, albeit after their deaths, official state ideology. Their philosophical norms were accepted by the state because they corresponded to the interests of the class or union of classes that held power. My point here is that normative theories are translated into realities only when they bolster the interests of those who hold power and become instruments