Comprehensive Analysis of Educational Theories and Practices

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of significant contributions to educational theory and practice. It begins by examining the progressive education philosophies of John Dewey, emphasizing experiential learning and the role of the teacher as a facilitator. The essay then explores the cognitive development theories of Lev Vygotsky, including the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, highlighting the diverse ways individuals learn. It further delves into the stages of cognitive development as outlined by Jean Piaget. The second part of the essay focuses on the historical contributions of Horace Mann, known as the father of American public education, and Friedrich Froebel, the creator of kindergarten. The essay also discusses the impact of Sputnik on education and the subsequent reforms, along with the importance of mathematics. Finally, it analyzes the landmark court case of Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle (2007), and other cases like Lemon versus Kurtzman, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including IEP and LRE, and their implications for public and special education, emphasizing the importance of equal opportunity and inclusive learning environments. The essay concludes with a discussion on the impact of these theories and legal decisions on contemporary educational practices.

Running head: CONTRIBUTION TO THE EDUCATION
CONTRIBUTION TO THE EDUCATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Part One
John Dewey is an identical star thinker of modern educational theory. His ideas and
approaches have a revolutionary impact on education system. His in depth research about
education opens the door of heaven and it is important to modern schooling today. He is the
innovator of Progressive education which reveals the idea of learning by doing. It is
pragmatic in nature and reflects that reality should be experienced. According to Dewey
students must adapt and learn new things through interaction. He emphasized that with the
students teachers also should learn from them and they should learn together. At his point of
view the reality should be experienced in a practical way through implementing the studies.
He believed that the study should goes on an interdisciplinary way, where students can move
in and move out freely and the teacher should play a role of facilitator rather than an
instructor. The interests of the students should take care by the teacher. The idea, which he
has defined that is the progressive education that is the term which is defining the learning
should be practical and as well as theoretical. The teachers should take care of the process of
learning which is providing by the teachers and the way of education should be evaluated in a
practical way the learning and the theoretical concepts should be examined in a way so that
the students can be able to understand the learning in an effective way. The reformation of
the education is done by John Dewey and he explained that the learning should be based on
multiple subjects and the children should allowed to move freely in the classroom. The
interdisciplinary approach should be there which will enable their intellectuality through
providing them the freedom.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) innovated by Lev Vygotsky where he stated
that children incorporates the characteristics of the adults where it feels that it can perform
the responsibilities by itself. According to Vyogotsky the definition of ZPD is that it refers the

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distance between the actual level of development and the level of efficiency development
which can be defined through problem solving that can be done under the supervision of the
adults. Later the concept of ZPD is modified and expanded by other researchers. The
researchers have emphasized and defined that the scaffolding can be related with the term
ZPD. The researchers have mentioned that the scaffolding is the process through which the
guidance is provided by the parents and by the guardians to their children.
Gardener emphasized that there are several people have numerous kinds of
intelligences. “Frames of Mind” is the book written by him in the year of 1983 where he
elucidates about the intelligences of the people and he elaborated that there are eight kinds of
intelligences. The intelligences are Visual-Spatial Intelligence, Linguistic-Verbal
Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence, Musical
Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence, Intrapersonal Intelligence and Naturalistic
Intelligence.
Jean Piaget describes that children pass from four kinds of mental development and
Piaget also elucidates not only the stages but also the nature and scope of intelligence. The
four kinds of intelligences are Sensorimotor stage (from birth to 2 years), Preoperational
stage (ages from 2 to 7), Concrete operational stage (ages from 7 to 11), Formal operational
stage (from 12 and up). The theory is the cognitive-developmental theory, which is defining
the task that is to manipulating and the exploring the world in which the children is staying.
Part two
Horace Mann is called the father of American public education. He is an educational
and as well as public reformer. Before serving in the Senate and in the state legislature he was
practiced law. Then he renovated the state’s public-education system and lots of schools were
established to train the teachers. Annual Reports, written by him deals with many social

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welfare activities which are related to the education and which pays attention to the
administrative matters like infrastructures of school buildings, school committees and their
duties, school support, libraries of school, the inspection done upon the schools and the
school attendance. This writing also carries several strategies and methods relating to the
teaching. He discussed on some general topics of teaching including methods and instructions
to apply on the subjects of common school. Here common school reflects the idea, which is
applicable not any specialized school or subject but rather in the normal school where several
subjects are taught. Horace Mann elucidate that the education may face some threats and
problems, which may occur from the citizens who are unable in maintaining their freedom
and ignorance. He emphasized that the public education is maintain and controlling by the
public. The education should be given in a way so that the children of several categories and
several backgrounds can understand the education in an easy way. The education should not
be fragmented and that should not be sectional, the learning should be unified. The teachers
should be trained enough and they should possess the proper knowledge about how to give
proper education in an effective way.
Friedrich Froebel is the creator of kindergarten. The name kindergarten defines that a
garden for children. It is a location where children can interact with the nature through
suitable observation. The children can grow and develop themselves with the assistance and
care of nature from arbitrary necessities. The three most essential elements which enrich the
concept of kindergarten are,
 Playing based on creativity. According to Froebel, it is the gifts and occupations.
 Singing and dancing for make children healthy and active.
 Stimulating awareness of the natural environment through surveillance and nurturing
plants in a garden.

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 He emphasizes upon the point that is the children should learn and grow through
playing and they can achieve the proper knowledge by playing.
Frobel elucidates the way of learning, which is modern concept of learning. Through this
kind of learning the children can grow as well as they also can make them enrich with the
proper knowledge. The teachers should take care about the way through which the education
is provided to the children, the way should be scientific enough, the teachers also should gain
proper knowledge before providing education, and the teachers should be trained enough.
Part Three
In 1957 scientists of Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 to the space. There was a cold
war between America and Russia to lead the space survey. In 1958 National Defense
Education Act or NDEA started to give attention on schools and to allocate more funds for
the schools. This is done to enrich the education system. According to Baumgartner
government was typically growing during the war and after that it started shrinking when war
finishes (Lanius, Logsdon, & Smith, 2013). Impact of Sputnik influenced the multicultural
science education and science teaching for diverse learners. Post-Sputnik reforms boost the
study of the BSCS (Biological Science Curriculum Study), Chemical Education Material
Study, Intermediate Science Curriculum Study, and Introductory Physical Science. The Space
Race sparked and increased the spending of money in education rather than spending in space
research. Space Race facilitated the United State to get the victory against Korea. The federal
scarcity was reduced by US government. Wisdom is promoted by mathematics. Mathematics
is the subject, which is helpful to enable student’s own conviction and own thought.

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Part Four
Topeka means place where one can dig potatoes. Kanas, is a state of United States. In
1954 a milestone decision was taken by the Supreme Court of America that was separation of
the students of public schools disrupts the equivalent protection article of the Fourteenth
Amendment, because isolated facilities are integrally not equal. The separation which was
made was based on the race or the origin of the student. The judgment elaborated a matter
that held in Topeka, Kanas, where the common public schools were ghettoized by race. The
public school of Topeka rebuffed to enter the daughter of native black citizen Oliver Brown
at the school near to them, and she was forced to go by a bus which is totally separated for
this segregated people.
ANOTHER COURT CASE:
Lemon versus Kurtzman, was a matter which was related to the education and argued
in the year of 1971 in the Supreme Court of the United States. It was defining that the
religion schools may hire teachers specifically but the teachers will not teach religion. This
case is important because this established the “Lemon Test” which elaborates the respect for
an establishment of religion. This case resisted the entanglement between the government and
the religion.
IDEA or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is an American legislation that
defines that the students who are physically disable will get free learning facility in the public
school of America (Armstrong, Armstrong, & Barton, 2016). The law has four part (A-D). A
defines the general provisions, B covers assistance for learning for the disable children, C
states all the facilities provide to the infants and toddlers with disabilities, D elucidates about
the national programs for the disables supported by the government and it will obviously
administrated by the higher level of the nation. IEP or the Individualized Education Program

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defines that individual with disability will be able to get the education by the help of nation
and through the assistance of the teachers (Winnick, & Porretta, 2016). IEP states that the
children, who are physical disable, can learn by the teachers through proper demonstration
and effective way to access the general curriculum activities (Kagohara, et al., 2013).This is a
special kind of education provide for the special children. LRE or the Least Restrictive
Environment is mainly a part of IDEA which defines Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (Crockett, & Kauffman, 2013). LRE explains that disable children should spend much
time with the peers who are not able to get the special education or the special education.
References
Armstrong, F., Armstrong, D., & Barton, L. (2016). Inclusive education: Policy, contexts and
comparative perspectives. Routledge.
Crockett, J. B., & Kauffman, J. M. (2013). The least restrictive environment: Its origins and
interpretations in special education. Routledge.
Kagohara, D. M., van der Meer, L., Ramdoss, S., O’Reilly, M. F., Lancioni, G. E., Davis, T.
N., ... & Green, V. A. (2013). Using iPods® and iPads® in teaching programs for
individuals with developmental disabilities: A systematic review. Research in
developmental disabilities, 34(1), 147-156.
Lanius, R. D., Logsdon, J. M., & Smith, R. W. (Eds.). (2013). Reconsidering Sputnik: Forty
years since the Soviet satellite. Routledge.

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Winnick, J., & Porretta, D. L. (2016). Adapted physical education and sport. Human
Kinetics.

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