Paulo Freire's Influence On Education And The Culture Of Education

Culture of Education

Over the past fifty or sixty years the institution of education and the roles of students and their teachers have evolved. The turn of the century has brought on new and innovative ways to learn at warp speed, and at the forefront of this educational enterprise is technology. Technology in the last twenty years has shaped how we see the world and education. While some educators are not so sure the consequences of this new era are beneficial, others are promoting to grab technology by the horns and embrace it. Even though this evolution has moved relatively slow until the late twentieth century, one cannot deny that the technology of the twenty-first century has, and is taking education and the learning process in an exciting and unconventional direction.

Around the mid twentieth century, Paulo Freire, a professor and ideologist, wrote about an educational system that was stagnant and oppressive. According to Freire the mentality was, “The teachers know everything and students know nothing” (Freire). Back then that is how student minds were molded- by unquestioned information that was deposited. Freire coined

They state “In the new culture of learning people learn through interaction and participation with one another in fluid relationships that are the result of shared interest and opportunity. In this environment, participants stand on equal ground” (576) In a collection of people, they learn, not only from the endless resources on the internet, but also from each other’s personal knowledge and experiences. Many educators think this form of learning is inadequate. Such as Baack who states “Learning happens when novices interact with experts.” (115) One must recognize though that this form of learning is natural. On a day to day basis one learns from others and their environment. Whether in a face to face scenario or in a chat room, learning is happening all the