INSIDE THE EDUCATORS’ MINDS: A FIELD STUDY ON THE PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS OF EDUCATION

Abstract

This qualitative field study delves into the educational beliefs of teachers within the urban schools in Sindh, Pakistan, tracing their philosophical origins back to Idealism, Pragmatism, and Islamic Thought. The study was conducted based on the phenomenological and interpretive research paradigm by collecting rich and contextual data through semi-structured interviews with 15 experienced teachers and analysis of school documents related to the study. It has been found that there is a complex relationship between traditional, modern and faith-based pedagogical orientations. Though many teachers adopted more idealist principles, with attention to character development and moral instruction and the transmission of eternal truths, a strong pragmatic influence was found in their attention to problem-solving, experiential learning, and preparing students for real-world challenges. Islamic philosophical concepts were profoundly influential in shaping pedagogical strategies and classroom management, especially those focused on the comprehensive development of students and the aim of acquiring knowledge for the sake of Allah SWT. This study shows the syncretic nature of educational beliefs in this context, as well as the need for teacher training programmes that recognise and develop these different philosophical traditions to create more coherent and effective teaching practice.