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Philosophy can be a tool for improving practice; however, the gap between philosophy and practice often seems impossible to close. Elias identified four ways in which this distance can be lessened: explanation, criticism, direction, and imagination. For instance, philosophy can be used to explain results and process, while the experience of practice gives new insights into theory. Criticism refers to determining how well a given theory seems to fit reality. Through criticism, we can examine the mission of Extension and identify some basic assumptions about the clients we serve. Third, just as philosophy can serve as a guide for practice, practice can give direction to philosophy and research. Experiences in climate setting, instructional planning, and evaluation of learning provide a basis for determining the effectiveness of a theory in a practical manner and can lead to the development of researchable questions. Finally, imagination can help expand the limits of what's believed to be possible in a given situation and, as a result, make it possible to move in new directions. The growing emphasis on distance delivery approaches, such as satellite teleconferencing, is one example of imagination in Extension.
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Apps has used the term "working philosophy" to refer to "an individual adult educator's system of beliefs." According to Apps, a working philosophy grows out of common sense. However, common sense isn't always sufficient to deal with the frequent need to make conflicting choices in our daily practice. Everyone has a working philosophy. This philosophy is an outgrowth of the sum of our personal values, experiences, and lifestyles, and is clearly reflected in the way we function as professionals. A key, then, is to be able to articulate this viewpoint. By doing this, philosophy becomes a practical tool that can provide a rationale for certain decisions we make. In other words, a working philosophy can give us greater control over the decisions we make. What basic beliefs do I hold about the nature of education? We can look at the many schools of philosophical thought for insights into our own philosophy. Elias and Merriam have identified six major philosophies that have been important in adult education. Five of the viewpoints are of particular relevance to Extension program efforts and practice. Each of these philosophies is based on certain assumptions about human nature, the purpose of education, and the roles of the instructor and learner.
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Philosophy doesn't provide cookbook solutions to the many dilemmas we face in day-to-day practice. However, it can help us to understand ourselves and why we make certain decisions. The educational role of the Extension professional is much too important to leave to mere chance or tradition. Philosophy provides an informed alternative. How strongly do I hold these beliefs? The key question in understanding one's personal philosophy of adult education is the strength to which we're committed to certain values. Raths, Harmin, and Simon suggest that it's possible to distinguish between three levels of a value.8 Acceptance of a value is a tentative belief in a given position, preference for a value means that we're willing to actively pursue and be identified with the position, and commitment is a strong belief in a position, often expressed as conviction, faith, or loyalty. The value of this distinction in practice is that it can help us know where to focus our energies and "choose our battles." A value to which we're committed would obviously be more worthwhile to defend than one that we merely accept.
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