Citation: Huitt, W. (2001). Paradigms. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date] from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/intro/paradigm.html
A paradigm may be thought of as pattern or model of how something is structured (the parts and their interrelationships) or how the parts function (behavior within a specific context or time dimension). Kuhn (1962) in "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" defines scientific paradigms as "accepted examples of actual scientific practice, examples which include law, theory, application, and instrumentation together--[that] provide models from which spring particular coherent traditions of scientific research....Men whose research is based on shared paradigms are committed to the same rules and standards for scientific practice." (p. 10)
Building on Kuhn's definition, Harmon (1970) defines a paradigm as "the basic way of perceiving, thinking, valuing, and doing associated with a particular vision of reality..." (p. 5)
Baker (1992) in "Paradigms: The Business of Discovering the Future" defines a paradigm as "a set of rules and regulations (written or unwritten) that does two things: (1) it establishes or defines boundaries; and (2) it tells you how to behave inside those boundaries in order to be successful.
Finally, Capra (1996) defines paradigm as "a constellation of concepts, values, perceptions and practices shared by a community, which forms a particular vision of reality that is the basis of the way a community organizes itself" (p. 6).
One of our most important paradigms is our world view, our constructed perceptions and ideas about how the world works. According to these Aerts et al. (1994), a world view is a "coherent collection of concepts and theorems that must allow us to construct a global image of the world, and in this way to understand as many elements of our experience as possible." This construct provides a frame of reference by which we give meaning to our experiences and thoughts. These are heavily influenced by the culture within which we live and our earliest experiences within our families and communities.
To the extent that our world view paradigm is valid or true we can use it to successfully navigate through the challenges and obstacles of life. To the extent that it is inaccurate, we may make decisions and choices that will ultimately bring results that are unwanted or unintended. As educators and parents, it is therefore essential that we not only develop a valid world view paradigm but that we teach it to our students and children.
A major problem in establishing a correct or valid paradigm of reality consists of two aspects. First, while there is an objective reality we are studying, we do so through the subjective reality of our personal understandings. Hatcher (1990) depicts this dilemma in the following diagram.
Figure 1. The Basic Categories of Existence
Hatcher states:
In sum, obtaining valid and useful knowledge means obtaining a reasonably accurate mental picture or map of reality and matching that understanding with our needs in a way that allows us to fulfill them (p. 22).
Second, one's world view paradigm, which is a construct of our perceived reality, focuses attention on certain aspects of objective reality and guides one's interpretation of the possible structure and functioning of both visible and invisible reality. It also guides one's understanding and interpretation of the unconscious aspect of subjective reality. It is therefore absolutely critical that our subjective interpretations match objective reality. The paradigms we are using to define desired outcomes for our students, select curriculum, define appropriate teaching methods, and measure progress must accurately reflect true reality. To the extent our paradigms are incorrect we may be making significant progress, but not wind up at our desired destination.
As an analogy, we may desire to drive from Valdosta to Atlanta. We check our car, get plenty of gas, and get on the road. There is little traffic and we can travel 70mph. However, if the road we are on does not go to Atlanta, we will never get there. Likewise, if we have established desired outcomes, established criteria, and designed appropriate teaching methods and indicators of progress, we may still not be assisting our students to become successful because the established outcomes are not the ones needed for success in the 21st century. We need to pay close attention to important trends and do the best we can to imagine what the world will be like in 5, 10, 15 or even 25 years. We need to constantly reevaluate whether our desired outcomes are correct and constantly adjust our curriculum and teaching methods.
In many ways, this course is an analysis of competing paradigms about the world of teaching and learning. One of the goals of the course is that the student will be more capable in developing an explicit version of his or her world view paradigm that can be used systematically to guide teaching practice. Towards that end we will be considering many of the questions proposed by Aerts et al. (1994) regarding the basic elements that must be considered in one's world view:
What is the nature of our world? How is it structured and how does it function?
Why is our world the way it is, and not different? Why are we the way we are, and not different? What kind of global explanatory principles can we put forward?
Why do we feel the way we feel in this world, and how do we assess global reality, and the role of our species in it?
How are we to act and to create in this world? How, in what different ways, can we influence the world and transform it? What are the general principles by which we should organize our actions?
What future is open to us and our species in this world? By what criteria are we to select these possible futures?
How are we to construct our image of this world in such a way that we can come up with answers to (1), (2), and (3)?
What are some of the partial answers that we can propose to these questions?
It is not expected that every student will have a fully-developed world view paradigm at the end of the course. However, it is expected that one will have considered the competing alternatives and will be better prepared to construct a world view that can give be used to judge the many methods and strategies proposed for the teaching/learning process today.
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