The use of audio-visual media in the teaching of philosophy in secondary schools
Wong Yew Leong
Higher Education, Victoria Junior College, Singapore
Charlene Tan
Policy and Leadership Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
PP: 36 - 47
Abstract
The purpose of this essay is to discuss how audio-visual media, in particular, films and podcasts, can be used in the teaching and learning of philosophy in secondary education. At its most fundamental level, philosophy involves careful, reflective and self-aware thinking about a range of topics that are central to the question of what it means to be a human being. Through philosophical discussions, students learn to analyse problems and issues, and to provide adequate answers and solutions to these problems and issues. They acquire the ability to examine and evaluate their own reasoning as well as that of others, and in this way become more confident of their own views and actions. However, teaching philosophy in a secondary school context can be very challenging, because the students' thinking skills are still at a developmental stage, whereas philosophy discourse seems to require rather advanced thinking abilities. This essay suggests how films and podcasts can be used to overcome this challenge.
Keywords
ICT, multimedia, secondary education, philosophy
Article Text
Traditionally, philosophy is a subject offered only in universities. In recent years, however, philosophy is increasingly found among the list of subjects offered in primary and secondary schools, in Singapore and in various parts of the world, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Europe, South America and Africa (see UNESCO, 2007). Unfortunately, many teachers involved in primary and secondary education are unsure how best to teach this subject to students whose ability to deal with abstract concepts and arguments is still developing. The purpose of this essay is to discuss how audiovisual media, in particular, films and podcasts, can be used to teach philosophy in secondary schools. (By "secondary school", we mean a school for students who are intermediate in level between primary school and university or college.) But before we begin that discussion, it is useful to first understand what philosophy is and appreciate some of the difficulties teachers face when teaching philosophy to secondary school students.
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