phronesis

“… a state of grasping the truth, involving reason, concerned with action, about

what is good or bad for a human being.” - Aristotle

Think of a problem you encountered in your field setting last week

How does a teacher decide what to do in situations such as these?

What is needed in order for a teacher to make effective decisions in situations that are as complex and as important as those that arise in teaching?

W.W.A.S.?The virtues:courage, justice, temperance, and prudence. (phronesis)“practical wisdom,” “knowing how to apply general

principles in particular situations.” (MacIntyre)

Thomas Aquinas identified it with “right reasoning about what is to be done.”

W.W.A.S.?

“… a state of grasping the truth, involving reason, concerned with action, about what is good or bad for a human being.” - Aristotle

Episteme techne phantasia

Dewey’s oft cited definition of reflective thinking

“active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends.”

Dewey, J. (1933).

apathy

wholeheartednessobsessiveness

“buoys [the] mind up and gives an onward impetus to thinking.”

“requires consistency, continuity and community of purpose and effect.”

Dewey, J. (1933).

rigidity

open mindedness

impulsivity

“freedom from prejudice, partisanship and other habits as close the mind.”

“enables us to direct our activities with foresight and to plan according to ends-in-view or purposes of which we are aware.”

Dewey, J. (1933).

irresponsibility

intellectual responsibility

undue control

“the quality that secures integrity, consistency, and harmony in belief”

“consider the consequences of a projected step … willing to adopt these consequences when they follow reasonably from any position already taken.”

Dewey, J. (1933).

phronesis

• Enables the determination of the virtuous mean;

• Enables one to mediate between conflicting virtues;

• Enables the coordination of the virtues in order to achieve action or consistent thought.

Zagzebski, L.T. (1996).

necessary ambiguity

“One of the criticisms commonly leveled at virtue-centered ethics is that it is a system that is too vague, too subject to interpretation, not easily enough pinned down, and thus, not useful in resolving complicated moral dilemmas or identifying appropriate moral actions and solutions.” (p. 318)

Birmingham, C. (2004).

necessary ambiguity“What should I do?”“Do what a virtuous person would do.”“Who is the virtuous person?”“The person who does what is right.” “The way to become virtuous is to imitate the virtuous

person.”

“Although this imprecision is often regarded as a limitation of the virtue-centered approach, proponents of virtue-centered ethics view it as a strength for it accurately reflects the uncertainties involved in living a moral life.” (p. 318)

Birmingham, C. (2004).

“Phronesis is not a moral panacea. It will not obliterate moral dilemmas, erase moral quandaries, or undo the damage that has been caused by immoral or incompetent decisions. However, the moral complexity of teaching requires phronesis to achieve moral goodness, promote excellence in teaching and learning and advance human flourishing. Reflection – as phronesis – is both essentially moral and morally essential.” Birmingham, (2004).

necessary (and sufficient ;-) ambiguity

References

Aristotle. (1999). Nicomachean ethics (T. Irwin, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett.

Birmingham, C. (2004). Phronesis: A model for pedagogical reflection. Journal of Teacher Education, 55 (4), 313-324.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process.

Boston, MA: D.C. Heath & Co. Harford, J. MacRuairc, G. & McCartan, D. (2010). ‘Lights, camera, reflection': using peer video to promote

reflective dialogue among student teachers. Teacher Development 14, (1), 57 - 68 Harford, J., and G. MacRuairc. (2008). Engaging student teachers in meaningful reflective practice. Teaching and

Teacher Education 24, (7), 1884–92. Newhouse, C.P., J. Lane, & C. Brown. (2007). Reflecting on teaching practices using digital video representation in

teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 32, (3) 1–12. Rich, P. & M. Hannafin (2009). Video Annotation Tools: Technologies to Scaffold, Structure, and Transform Teacher

Reflection. Journal of Teacher Education, . 60, (1) 52-67. Yost, D. S., Sentner, S. M., & Forlenza-Bailey, A. (2000). An examination of the construct of critical reflection :

Implications for teacher education programming in the 21st century. Journal of Teacher Education, 51 (1), 39-49.