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Alternative(s): Better or just different?

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Title: Alternative(s): Better or just different?
Authors: Engelmann, Sebastian1 Sebastian.engelmann@ph-karlsruhe.de
Source: Journal of Philosophy of Education. Aug2022, Vol. 56 Issue 4, p523-534. 12p.
Subject Terms: *Alternative education, *Progressive education, *Curriculum, *Back to basics (Education), *Criticism
Abstract: This paper aspires to show the often‐obscured structure of alternatives in education. Alternative education is generally understood as an umbrella term for educational thought and practice for and in schools differing from an assumed 'mainstream', where 'alternative' is often taken to mean 'better'. In many cases, 'mainstream' serves as an empty signifier that can be substituted by various forms of criticism. Just as progressive education is supposed to remedy all the ills of traditional education, alternative education is often positioned as a safe place to retreat to, away from the mainstream. I argue that this leads to a dichotomous structure. The mainstream, however, is not an empirical reality, for example, a specific form of curriculum, differentiation of different types of schooling, or anything else. 'Mainstream' serves as a generic critical reference point. My argument is developed through a series of historical discussions around alternative education explored through the lens of contemporary analysis of the category. I then offer a more systematic account of the terminology in order to establish a perspective from which to assess the flaws and problems of alternative education alongside its potential virtues and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Philosophy of Education is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Alternative(s): Better or just different?
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alternative+education%22">Alternative education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Progressive+education%22">Progressive education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum%22">Curriculum</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Back+to+basics+%28Education%29%22">Back to basics (Education)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Criticism%22">Criticism</searchLink>
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  Data: This paper aspires to show the often‐obscured structure of alternatives in education. Alternative education is generally understood as an umbrella term for educational thought and practice for and in schools differing from an assumed 'mainstream', where 'alternative' is often taken to mean 'better'. In many cases, 'mainstream' serves as an empty signifier that can be substituted by various forms of criticism. Just as progressive education is supposed to remedy all the ills of traditional education, alternative education is often positioned as a safe place to retreat to, away from the mainstream. I argue that this leads to a dichotomous structure. The mainstream, however, is not an empirical reality, for example, a specific form of curriculum, differentiation of different types of schooling, or anything else. 'Mainstream' serves as a generic critical reference point. My argument is developed through a series of historical discussions around alternative education explored through the lens of contemporary analysis of the category. I then offer a more systematic account of the terminology in order to establish a perspective from which to assess the flaws and problems of alternative education alongside its potential virtues and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Philosophy of Education is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1111/1467-9752.12702
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Alternative education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Progressive education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Back to basics (Education)
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              Text: Aug2022
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