Christian philosophy of education in South Africa: the cultural-historical activity theory to the rescue?

• Published in: Koers (Potchefstroom, South Africa) Vol. 81; no. 2; pp. 18 - 26
• Main Author: van der Walt, Johannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Noordbrug Koers Bureau for Scientific Journals 2016; Scriber Editorial Systems
• Subjects: Bible; Biblical perspectives; Caregivers; Children; Children & youth; Christian education; Christian philosophy of educastion; Christianity; cultural-historical activity theory; Education; Learning; Parents & parenting; Parsons, T; Philosophy; philosophy of education; Religion; Schools; Secularism; Teacher education; Teachers; Teaching; Traditions; South Africa; Biblical perspectives; education; Christelike onderwys; onderwys; filosofie van die opvoeding; Christelike opvoeding; philosophy of education; cultural-historical activity theory; Christian education; Christelike opvoedingsfilosofie; kultuur-historiese aktiwiteitsteorie; Christian philosophy of education; Bybelperspektiewe; opvoeding
• ISSN: 0023-270X; 2304-8557; 2304-8557
• DOI: 10.19108/KOERS.81.2.2262

Parents’ choice of schools for their children has become particularly problematic in the current circumstances because of the fact that most schools have become secular and hence cannot support Christian parents in their task of educating children in line with the former’s baptismal vow. In addition to this, Philosophy of Education has all but disappeared from teacher education curricula. These circumstances have not, however, detracted from Christian parents’, teachers’, caregivers’ and other educators’ need for a Christian Philosophy of Education. This article offers such a Philosophy of Education in the form of Biblical perspectives regarding the main facets of education couched in cultural-historical activity theory. This approach circumvents objections against a mere “grab bag” of Biblical perspectives about education as well as against yet another master theory or grand narrative about Christian education.
Ouers se skoolkeuse het in die huidige omstandighede tot ‘n ernstige probleem ontwikkel aangesien die meeste skole gesekulariseerd geraak het en dus nie die ouers kan ondersteun in hulle taak om die kinders ooreenkomstig die ouers se doopbeloftes op te voed nie. Om die probleem te vererger, het Filosofie van die Opvoeding ook uit die kurrikulums vir onderwysersopleiding verdwyn ten gunste van ‘n blote teoretiese refleksie oor onderwys en opvoeding. Christenouers, -onderwysers, -sorggewers en ander -opvoeders het desondanks nog steeds ‘n behoefte aan ‘n Bybelsgefundeerde Filosofie van die Opvoeding. Hierdie artikel omlyn sodanige Filosofie van die Opvoeding. Dit benut die kultuur-historiese aktiwiteitsteorie as ‘n raamwerk vir ‘n stel Bybelse opvoedingsperspektiewe. Hierdie benadering voorkom enersyds besware teen ‘n blote onsamehangende versameling Bybelse perspektiewe oor opvoeding en onderwys en andersyds besware teen die bou van ‘n nuwe meesterteorie of grootskaalse narratief aangaande Christelike opvoeding.