Deschooling Theory: A Critical Analysis
Deschooling Theory
1. Origins of Deschooling
Around the 1960s, significant social, economic, scientific, and technological advancements, particularly in audiovisual and information technology, led to questions about the relevance of traditional schooling. Many argued that existing educational systems were outdated, inefficient, expensive, and failed to address social inequalities. Furthermore, the value of university degrees in securing employment was questioned. This period saw the rise of deschooling theories, advocating for the closure of traditional schools and the exploration of alternative educational approaches.
2. The Classroom Without Walls (McLuhan)
Marshall McLuhan argued that education traditionally occurred outside the classroom and advocated for a return to this model. He believed that the majority of learning happened through media like the press, magazines, film, television, and radio, exceeding the information delivered by teachers and educational institutions. McLuhan proposed dismantling conventional classrooms, which he saw as isolating learners from real life. He suggested using new technologies and media as engaging learning tools, democratizing culture and transforming society into a classroom without walls.
3. Deschooling Society (Illich)
Ivan Illich argued that true learning happens outside of school, highlighting a disconnect between formal education and practical application. He believed there was no genuine educational function in schools, confusing knowledge with credentials. Illich challenged the notion that children belong in schools and can only learn within them. He proposed expanding educational control throughout society, allowing schools to transcend their physical limitations and integrate into the broader community. He also saw potential in modern technology as a learning aid, provided it served human needs. Illich valued informal learning through free access to nature, tools, and interpersonal relationships.
4. Alternative Education (Reimer)
Everett Reimer criticized schools for creating negative environments that harmed mental health and hindered personal development. He argued that schools primarily served to control children and youth, transmitting social myths through a hidden curriculum of equal opportunity, freedom, progress, and effectiveness. Reimer called for an alternative to traditional schooling: a democratic institution of public service networks and opportunities, connecting those who wanted to share knowledge with those who wanted to learn. He emphasized the importance of educational technology in democratically disseminating information about educational objectives and content.
5. Compulsory Deseducation (Goodman)
Paul Goodman focused on the repressive nature of schools, criticizing their restrictions on children’s freedom and personal growth. While less radical than some, he advocated for abolishing school for certain grades and subjects. Goodman’s main thesis was that compulsory education should be decentralized into smaller school units. His alternative schools emphasized non-repressive education based on personal freedom and student involvement in their own learning. He also proposed that all students gain work experience before college and that universities eliminate competition as a selection criterion. Goodman envisioned children learning independently, supported by a society that offered positive encouragement rather than coercion, repression, and duties, which he believed stifled the virtues of education: freedom, autonomy, respect, and trust.
6. Global Alternatives (Faure and Coombs)
Edgar Faure and Philip Coombs, in UNESCO’s 1971 report Learning to Be, proposed not the suppression of educational institutions, but the creation of a learning society. They argued that education should not be confined to schools, limited to certain age groups, or exclusive to a privileged few. They envisioned lifelong learning opportunities for everyone, advocating for the democratization of education, full coverage, and the development of non-formal education, leveraging the capabilities of various societal institutions. Education, they argued, should extend beyond school and become a constant in human life, revitalizing lifelong learning in workplaces and throughout society.
7. Deschooling in Practice (Holt)
John Holt criticized schools as disastrous for children, believing they suppressed educational skills, freedom, independent thought, and spirit. He blamed teacher-centric approaches, examinations, compulsory attendance, and lack of communication and freedom for the failure of schools. Holt proposed an alternative learning system centered on the family, advocating for removing children from school. He published a magazine to advise parents on homeschooling, arguing that no place was better suited for coherent and consistent education from birth. He emphasized imitation, play, and language as fundamental learning areas until age six, followed by the development of feeling, will, sensibility, and moral and social education, guided by specialized magazines. Holt stressed self-governance for children, allowing them to direct their educational pursuits while also taking responsibility for household tasks, balanced with leisure and play. In Spain, this movement manifested in the magazine Learning Without School, promoting homeschooling. However, due to Spain’s compulsory education laws, parents who chose not to send their children to school faced penalties.