MQ EXAM
NOTES
2024
PDU3701
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, Below is the most important information regarding
PDU3701 AFTER this section you will find a summary
of each chapter and a MQ test about that specific
chapter
QUICK EXPLANATION OF EACH PHILOSOPHY
1. African Philosophy and Indigenous African Knowledge Systems
o Core Idea: Emphasizes community, kindness, and values like ubuntu, challenging
Western-dominated knowledge.
o Explanation: African philosophy focuses on building communities and nurturing virtues
like kindness and compassion. It’s about valuing and learning from traditional African
ways of knowing, which have been passed down over generations. Education inspired by
African philosophy aims to create a caring, community-focused environment that
respects everyone.
2. Empiricism
o Core Idea: Knowledge comes from experience and sensory perception.
o Explanation: Empiricism is the idea that we learn through what we see, hear, taste,
touch, and smell. If something can’t be observed or experienced, it isn’t considered
valid knowledge. This philosophy supports the idea that education should focus on
practical, hands-on learning where students gain knowledge through direct experience.
3. Pragmatism
o Core Idea: Focuses on practicality; what’s useful or works in real-life situations is true.
o Explanation: Pragmatism is about finding out what works best in real-life situations. In
education, this means encouraging students to experiment and find solutions that have
positive results, even if they don’t follow a specific rule. It values creativity, adaptability,
and learning from trial and error.
4. Scientific Rationalism
o Core Idea:: Knowledge should be questioned and backed by evidence.
o Explanation: Scientific rationalism teaches students to think critically and demand
evidence for claims. It’s about fostering curiosity and scepticism, where students learn
to ask questions and rely on proof rather than just accepting information as true. This
philosophy builds strong analytical and reasoning skills.
5. Phenomenology
o Core Idea: Focuses on direct experience and seeing things as they are.
o Explanation: Phenomenology encourages people to look at the world without imposing
outside beliefs or theories. It values the genuine experiences and perspectives of
individuals. In education, it supports understanding students’ personal views and
helping them learn through experiences that relate closely to their lives.
, 6. Hermeneutics
o Core Idea: Everything can be interpreted; meaning varies with perspective.
o Explanation: Hermeneutics is the idea that everyone sees and understands things
differently based on their background and experiences. Education with a hermeneutic
approach encourages students to explore different interpretations and understand that
symbols, stories, and experiences can have multiple meanings.
7. Constructivism
o Core Idea:: Knowledge is built by communities through interaction with the world.
o Explanation: Constructivism suggests that knowledge isn’t just something to
memorize—it’s something we build together by interacting with the world. In
classrooms, it means students and teachers share ideas, learn from each other, and
create meaning from experiences, rather than just following set information.
8. Systems Theory
o Core Idea: Education is an interconnected system within a larger environment.
o Explanation: Systems theory sees education as part of a larger, interconnected system.
It’s like thinking of a school as a living organism that depends on interactions with
students, teachers, parents, and the community. Changes in one part of the system
affect everything else, and education needs to adapt to these shifts.
9. Complexity Theory
o Core Idea: Systems grow and change over time, evolving into new forms.
o Explanation: Complexity theory says that education systems don’t stay the same—they
grow and adapt over time, just like living things. As the world changes, so do schools,
curriculums, and teaching methods, evolving to meet new needs. It emphasizes the
importance of flexibility and resilience in education.
10. Critical Theory
• Core Idea:: Society is influenced by power structures, and education should challenge these.
• Explanation: Critical theory argues that societies are shaped by powerful groups whose beliefs
control what people accept as “truth.” In education, this means teaching students to question
norms, understand societal structures, and think independently instead of simply accepting
established ideas.
11. Feminism
• Core Idea: Advocates for gender equality and challenges male-dominated systems.
• Explanation: Feminism in education fights for equal opportunities and representation for all
genders. It encourages awareness about gender stereotypes and promotes respect for everyone.
Feminism argues that traditional education often supports male-dominated perspectives, so
education should include diverse voices and empower students of all genders.
