Focus on Practice (English)

Does philosophy have a role in school?

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Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of teaching philosophy in primary, secondary and post-secondary/tertiary education and its potential inclusion in school curricula in Wales. The data for this empirical research were derived from a mixed methods study consisting of qualitative (semi-structured interviews, n=12) and quantitative (online survey, n=163) data. Descriptive statistical analysis for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data generated evidence suggesting that teachers see philosophy more as an integral part of other subjects and as a method for learning rather than as a discrete academic subject. Furthermore, philosophy is mainly seen as a part of the following three Areas of Learning and Experience: Humanities, Health and well-being, and Languages, literacy and communication. Therefore, the article considers the scope of research applications and implications for both educational practitioners and policy makers.

Keywords: Curriculum, Philosophy, Philosophy for Children, Teaching Philosophy, Wales

How to Cite: Klibavicius, D. (2023) “Does philosophy have a role in school?”, Wales Journal of Education. 1(0). doi: https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.p2