Critical Reflection Four: Governmentalization of Education

Simons and Masschelein (2008) discuss the governmentalization of education and the history behind it. I found this article had many similarities to last week’s article by Deacon (2006) since they both draw from Foucault and his ideas on education. Simons and Masschelein’s main argument is education is all about learning and how learning brings people experience. In terms of learning “we” as a people are less about “how, at a particular moment in history, “we” have come to understand who and what we are and do in terms of learning” (Simons and Masschelein, 2008, p. 392). By having the continual ability to learn “we” “play a central role in the present regime of governmentality (p. 393). Simon and Masschelein take special interest in analysing the important reasons why we learn and the present at which we can “question whether the experience of learning indeed results in the freedom and collective well-being that is being promised” (p. 393).

           
I believe this article really captures all the ideas we have discussed in class thus far. It ties in with Freire (2000) and his idea on the “banking” educational system. If we are just being deposited information then how are we supposed to be receiving freedom to learn on our own account? The governing is concerned with the role of education within society. As Simons and Masschelein quote “within the social rationality of governing, education thus became a governmental concern, and the national government started to think of itself as being responsible for governing the relation between “education” and “society” (p. 395).

This made me think on how schools are completely government funded therefore they have the final say on what goes, which why we have a Minister of Education. All public schools are government funded and have general standards which are required of them. If they choose to follow these roles they will receive money from the government. In the third and fourth grade I attended a small Christian based school. Since this school chose to teach from the bible and did not want to be told by the government what to do they could not be funded by the government. I found this interesting, I understand that the government does not want to be affiliated with a particular religion but a school is still an educational system no matter what it believes. In this case I believe that the government thought “the necessary tool [was] to conserve particular social and cultural values in order to secure the stability of society” (p. 395). They were more interested in keeping the public content then funding a school with particular beliefs.

Simons and Masschelein discuss “knowledge workers” and how ““in a knowledge society, school and life can no longer be separate. They have to be linked in an organic process in which the one feeds back on the other”” (p. 397). Learning is value and those who continue on to further their education or move the cooperate ladder at work are value to the people around them. Learning should be a lifelong thing. My dad is always learning new things and I hope to follow in his footsteps. He is always reading a book on an interesting topic or taking a course for fun or just doing something new and different. Individuals who are not afraid to keep learning are really an inspiration to those around them. We only have one life to live and we should make the most of it. Through self-actualization and self-realization “learning should not be limited to the school or other traditional institutions for education and to a particular time in people’s life” (p. 398).

Simon and Masschelein are spot on when they believe learning is not just education based. We learn are always learning at work and through others around us. I did not learn to bake from taking classes; I did so by helping my mom in the kitchen. Everything we do is learned from others and education is just a way helping to further our learning. The more an individual learns or is willing to learn can put them ahead of the game. That is why when I am in a class and my professor keeps up with current events regarding our class it always intrigues me. By professors constantly learning and sharing their knowledge with us we are all able to grow.                                      Simons, M. & Masschelein, J. (2008). The Governmentalization of Learning and the Assemblage of a Learning Apparatus. Educational Theory, 58(4), 391-415.