The purpose of this study is to consider the O. F. Bollnow's educational thought focused on 'Encounter' as a way of actualizing human education. That is finding actual human existence which has been neglected owing to the rapid growth of modern mechan...
The purpose of this study is to consider the O. F. Bollnow's educational thought focused on 'Encounter' as a way of actualizing human education. That is finding actual human existence which has been neglected owing to the rapid growth of modern mechanical civilization.
Today 'Encounter' is the representative educational concept of existential education philosophy and also one theory that suggest many things to the reality of education and arouse sympathy.
If we consider M. Buber as a philosopher who set up this concept of 'Encounter' systematically, Bollnow is the philosopher who theorize about the relationship between the conception of 'Encounter' and education. That is, Bollnow organized the conception of 'Encounter' in an inconsecutive educational category and had an opportunity to open new area in the field of education.
He divided the traditional view of education into mechanical and organic viewpoint. Mechanical viewpoint is defined as a process of making a settled human being according to an educator's object as a craftsman makes a work with proper material things as planned. Education, namely, is a kind of 'making behavior'. Organic viewpoint is not making a human being by our own will but growing internally and naturally by pursuing the immanent aims enlightened according to the essential rule. Education, namely, is a kind of 'raising behavior'.
The two basic educational viewpoints mentioned above are different each other in terms of ideology, but they have the same standpoint in the light of methodology. This methodology means that education should be done on the assumption of continuation with intention.
But Bollnow asserted that inconsecutive discontinuity cutting off human's life every moment happened with continuing movement in human life. And he sought for an educational possibility in the mode of intermittence, and widened the educational area by adding this theory into the traditional view of education.
He listed the six important conceptions such as Crisis(Krise), Awakening(Erweckung), Warning(Ermahnung), Consultation(Beratung), Encounter(Begegnung), Adventure and Frustration(Wagnis und Scheitern) in the education of inconsecutive mode , and commented on the significant educational meanings.
And he also said in this existent theory that we could have individual lives through selection and determination by facing new crises. Also it played an important role in raising a moral human being by giving consciousness and the meaning of life.
'Encounter' is the most important concept of the existent category mode. That is, the kernel of the educational theory is the 'Encounter'. Bollnow's 'Encounter' is not something predictable or intentional but something accidental or unexpected, and it's a human being's determination in 'an incident'. 'Encounter', namely, means the strange reality. It could be not accomplished with the inner scheme.
And he tried to find the possibility of using the meaning of 'Encounter' in the wide scope. He emphasized the importance of the spiritual Encounter with a great philosopher and thinker.
'Encounter' is an important opportunity to acquire the existence like this, but Bollnow thought that an educator couldn't make it up as Buber regarded 'Encounter' as religious grace. Bollnow said that an educator should make an effort to use 'Encounter' in the educational circumstances only through the personal model and prudence.
The 'Encounter' in the education is a beginning and kernel in realizing the personality. In therms of this, schools should give the continuous chance of 'Encounter' under the internal and external condition and educators should be able to have an enthusiastic attitude for preparing the unexpected situation.
In short, we can find the educational significance of 'Encounter' in the light of that the inconsecutive and progressive feature of education don't expect only one development in human growth and seek intellectual, functional and emotional growth.
We can get many peaces of advice for preventing and solving many social matters such as the juvenile's crimes and misdeeds as well as improving our educational circumstances in this information and digital age.
What do we need to do for practicing this thought of 'Encounter' for our education? First, It is necessary to learn the psychology of humanism and philosophical knowledge. And the improvement of system in current education practice is also important.
Second, in the light of educational course, we can use the meaning of 'Encounter' by practicing the emotional and human education in the subjects related to the human and social science, participating actively in the curriculum, selecting the actual practical contents, and leading a class using the teaching methods of Socrates.
Third, making preparation for the human Encounter through task and experience learning by a festival or autonomous extracurricular activities are necessary in the light of the way of learning.
On the other hands, it's possible to be pointed out that the educational theory of Bollnow is abstract and theoretic because his theory haven't made contribution to the actual education. There are still a lot of difficult points to be worked out for generalizing Bollnow's theory as a teaching method and an educational theory.
So, it is really necessary to find the direction thoroughly for generalizing the thought of 'Encounter' as an educational theory, and for pursuing humanism emphasized in education today. And also a variety of studies about the contribution for the way of education and the practice of education should be done.