I've long believed that the work of philosopher Ken Wilber provides the field of holistic education with a comprehensive, sophisticated intellectual foundation, which we have not adequately explored. Wilber himself has written very little specifically on education, and education theorists have not yet adapted his ideas in any significant way. But that is starting to change. One of my correspondents, R. Michael Fisher, has been working with Wilber's ideas for a quarter century, and he recently completed a bibliography that lists all recent references to Wilber's work in the education literature. It is now posted here, at www.pathsoflearning.net. Go to the "Resources" section, then click on "Writing by Other Authors in Holistic Education," where you'll find it at the end of a short list of articles.
I hope this paper will stimulate new scholarship on the philosophical foundations of holistic education, specifically on the relevance of Wilber's ideas. Please write to me (or directly to Michael) if you are interested in this topic or would like to comment.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Check out the new Ken Wilber bibliography
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4 comments:
Hi Ron and all. It's great to see the "Abridged" version of the annotated bibliography up on your site already and to see that you've written this short intro to it. As well, already Corey W. deVos, has posted on Ken Wilber's official website blog (www.kenwilber.com/blog/show/249) an intro as well to the bibliogr. as he had come across it from the pathsoflearning website, so now it is getting interest from Wilberians. I, like you Ron, would very much like to see the bibliogr. act as a 'bridge' to the holistic education circles and movement, and all kinds of alternative education for that matter. I promote the widest and deepest dialogue we can across all types of education. Wilber indeed, controversial as he is in his work, has much to offer all types of educations. Interestingly, I just came across a Montessori educator (Jamie Wheal) who is bringing Wilber's integral theory and models into Montessori Education because he feels Montessori has to be 'stretched' (morphed) to better meet the demands of a post-postmodern world of the 21st century. Jamie's article can be read at http://www.montessori.org/story.php?id=52.
I agree with Ron (his "Educational Rights" posting Jan. 24, 2007) that we can "... be allies in a broader movement for human liberation" across a variety of approaches to alternative and mainstream educations. That's a tall order. Mostly, there is a tendency to encircle within one's own favorite type of education (and alternative folks do this as well). Wilber's "integral education" is a latest branch of the holistic education tree, if you will. I think it is the most postmodernly-sensitive and aware. However, "integral education" is barely beginning and needs to atune and integrate with other forms of alternative and holistic educations. Yes, like Ron, I'd like to see a kind of cross-pollination happening between holistic and integral educational scholarship, theorizing, practices and so on. But I would be remiss to not mention that Wilber's views of integral and the general views of holistic approaches will 'clash.' Conflict is well apparent from my research and experiences-- and, Wilber is not one to be pc. So, I trust holistic readers and pedagogues will join in a hybridizing process-- an integral process-- a greater synthesis-- of which Wilber's work is a great stimulant for challenging our pet ways to "liberation" via education. And, yes, of course, Wilber and integral theories and integral education also needs challenging and critique. That's what makes for healthy praxis, and healthy communities of liberation for all. Ron and I have invited a more serious and systematic dialogue around this cross-pollination potential. Join us, if you will.
A couple of notes to add to and somewhat 'correct' a few points in Ron's intro. on the pathsoflearning:
1. my 25 yrs study of Wilber's work has been also a study of alternative/holistic forms of education
2. the bibliography does not list "... all recent references to Wilber's work in the education literature" -- clearly, "all" is not accurate, as this is a work in progress, and already in two weeks since completing it I have found new authors and works to be included in a 2nd edition down the road in a year or so. As well, this bibliography is not only about "recent references" as Ron said, rather it includes anything I can find, as far back as I can find (so far that is back to 1982).
3. it is important to remember that the bibliography introduces many types of educators from diverse traditions and backgrounds, who have utilized Wilber's ideas (or mentioned Wilber) in their educational work/writings
4. the "Abridge" version on pathsoflearning website has a shorter, more 'neutral' introduction, than my original version (of which a free pdf is available on my website at www.feareducation.com where you can click on "Ken Wilber & Education" link).
I look forward to the conversations. And would like to thank Ron again for his venturous openness to assist this bridging of holistic to integral and visa versa. His initiative to validate the worth of this bibliography is not to be taken lightly, and I feel it will be (someday seen) historically, as critical moment (albeit, a small moment) in the evolution of alternative educations.
-RMF
I note with interest your comments in your BLOG that you consider Wilber's work might provide a philosophic underpinning for a holistic approach. I have used his quadrants to describe and justify what it is we are aiming to in the holistic 'frame' of the day.
A further strong motif in our planning is that schooling is 'about time'. The quest is to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar; to allocate a carefully planned amount of time to the different education 'drivers' - in our case: holistic, pragmantic - and authentic/practical. Central to this is the vexed question - what, of the basic core skills (say mathematics, English language, LOTE) in a time of rapid technological/informational change, needs to be transferred -i.e. 'known' - to the long term memories of the students. Out of this inquiry arises the size of the pragmatic frame and the other two frames follow. We have an answer to this riddle that gives us a starting point.
I'm very ambivalent about Wilber though I haven't read enough of him to be able to articulate this ambivalence. Nonetheless this looks like a wonderful research for finding education literature that has considered holistic perspectives! Thanks!
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