Submitted by: CESARIO M. LABAJO, JR.

E-mail Address: [email protected]

Central Luzon State University

Science City of Muñoz 3120
Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Instructional Module for the Course

ED804: SOCIO-CULTURAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

Module 4
Topic 4:
FOUR PILLARS OF EDUCATION

Education is one of the major institutions that constitute society. It aims to mold the students to become law abiding

citizens, and to be the best leaders of tomorrow who will contribute to the economic growth of the country. According

to Vega, Prieto, and Carreon (2009), “each individual must be equipped to seize learning opportunities throughout

life, both to broaden knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and adapt to a changing, complex and interdependent world”.

For this goal to be successfully achieved, the UNESCO together with the International Commission for Education

advocates the four pillars of education.

The four pillars of education consist of the following: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and

learning to be. These pillars of education, stated GroepT (2013), “cannot be defined separately; they form an

integrated whole, complementing and strengthening each other. Education is, after all, a total experience.”
 ED804 (Socio-cultural Foundations of Education)

SOCIOLOGICAL TEMPLATE 3

ISSUES FOR DISCOURSE:

QUESTION 1: How do the following statements relate with the four pillars of education?

Response: a. Learning by doing. - John Dewey

- This statement is related “Learning to Do” This implies that we are not only learning to
know ( to develop intellectual skills) but we are also learning to do things out of the skills
that we have developed.

b. Progress should come from a voluntary activity fulfilled by the child himself.- Froebel
- This statement is linked with “Learning to Be” This pillar supports education in
developing the total development of and individual. When we say total development, it
does not only include the intellectual aspect but also its physical, emotional, social, moral
and spiritual which an individual is made up of.

c. What the teacher does is not the most important, but what he makes done. – Dupanloup
This statement is linked with “Learning to Be” It focuses on the individual himself and his
personality; what are his attitudes how does he behave, his beliefs, his interest and so on.

d. To understand is to invent – Piaget

- This statement is related “Learning to Do” this implies that we do not isolate skills on
ourselves but we try to be more effective and productive by applying skills to develop
personal competence, qualities, aptitudes and attitudes.

e. Thinking is an internalized action. – Piaget

- This statement is related “Learning to Know” This means that understanding from what
we learn, we have to develop first the skills that are needed to understand these things. So
this pillar focuses on the well-known side of education which is the developing of
intellectual skills in particular.

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f. You do not help people if you do the things for them which they themselves can do.
-Abraham Lincoln
- This statement is related “Learning to Live Together” it means that it is not only about
knowledge, the application of skills or about the personality but it is the help of the other
three Pillars that would be able to live harmoniously. This implies that it does not refer to
mere interaction and communication made by the members of the society because even if
we have this communication, there are still inevitable conflict that could occur.

g. Man can live individually, but can survive collectively. - Veda

- This statement is related “Learning to Live Together” meaning we have to know and
respect everyone’s beliefs, traditions and values which in turn they will respect ours. In
this way, it can create a strong bond to understand each other’s differences. We were taught
to live together with people who have different personality, different beliefs and traditions
and cultures because we are not the only person in this world; we have to participate and
cooperate to have peace and a just society.

h. Education is about travelling through life. – Unknown

- This statement is related “Learning to Be” meaning we do not only learn to know or
develop skills nor utilized these skills/ knowledge but we also learn to be a better individual
not just for our family but for the society as well.

QUESTION 2: Do you agree that humanism is the best philosophy to develop the students of the 21st century?
Explain. What other philosophy could possibly address the needs of the 21't century learners?

Response:
- I can say that like other philosophy, humanism has its essential contribution to develop the students
of the 21st century. I couldn’t say that it’s the best but instead I can say its one of the best because it
asserts the worth of the individual, the human essentially. Each human is gifted with the ability to
think (rationality) and to make rational determinations, like differentiating bad from good, so that
all persons have dignity and worth. True humanism must concern with the achievement of the
highest concept of human welfare, freedom and dignity.
- I believed that philosophy that the 21st century needed is Scholasticism it implies that every man is
incline toward good by nature. Because I know that human has natural potentials to choose good
rather than evil because God is the ‘ultimate good and final end of every man. The same thing what
is happening today to our learners, as what I have observe they’re been easily discourage and
because of that they tend to do evil deeds. However, we should still believe in them because we have

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seen potential in them. Scholasticism aims to direct man whole development. The total aspect of
man life must be developed.

QUESTION 3: Which of the four pillars of learning is most useful in your personal life as a student? Why?
What specific "roadmap" will you take to develop yourself using this pillar of learning?

Response: As a married student I can say that “Learning to Live Together” is the most useful in my life
today. Because I am always thinking in society I should be aware and sensitive of the different
issues, norms, and cultures specially that I am teaching in different countries. In this way I could
create a strong bond to understand each other’s differences. With all the not good things happening
in the world today learning to live together is very essential. It prevent conflicts in the society.

QUESTION 4: To what extent do you think your school can use the four pillars of leaming in ensuring the
knowledge and skills needed by the 21st century learners? What external and internal forces may
exert pressure in the realization of the four pillars of learning? Why?

Response: Theories of learning traditionally arise from the disciplines of philosophy, sociology, and
psychology. Technological advancements and scientific development led to cognitive neuroscience,
which produces its own theories of how humans learn. One professor of experimental cognitive
psychology. My school use the four pillars of learning by; taking the four pillars as the key to
providing quality education to students, thus, in these four pillars must anchor the teaching
approaches to be able to develop students holistically for them to be able to thrive in their life and
career in the 21st century society as they step out from the portals of the school. E-learning is also
introduced to eased the missed the lesson due to pandemic where different approaches given and
utilized to make sure that the supplemental educational aid can be delivered effectively in every
learners and thus the learning will be effective. It is important to note that the four pillars of learning
relate to all phases and areas of education. They support and interpenetrate one another and should
therefore be applied as basic principles, cross-cutting themes and generic competencies for
integration in and across subject areas or learning domains.
The internal forces that exert pressure are school administrator and teachers. Teacher its because if
all teachers in the different stages of a child’s life will be anchoring to these four pillars of learning,
then, it’s not impossible that we will be producing productive and competitive citizens of the 21st
century society and even beyond wherein these individual could thrive well in their life and career
for they were well prepared and developed holistically. Indeed, learning, the treasure within that
nobody gets it from an individual person. Administrators are the one that should support the teacher
not to neglect their needs.
The outer forces are parents. We should remember that the basic unit of society is the family and
learning started at home. Therefore, the first teachers of the learners are the parent who would mould
them in different aspects of life to be better person.

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QUESTION 5: Would you say that the four pillars of education is a good formula to ensure complete or total
education of the students? Why?

Response: I would say that this is a good formula to ensure complete or total education of the students.
Because, I personally think this four pillar pillars of education can equip the students with learning
opportunities guided by the teachers only if the mentor knows how to anchor his strategies to these
pillars. The teacher can equip students with various learning opportunities. The mood of the
classroom is controlled by the teacher. His pedagogy identifies the various ways to give the students
the maximum learning opportunities.

QUESTION 6: In your own opinion, is the pillar leaming to live together the most difficult to achieve among
the four pillars? Why?

Response: Yes, I agree that it is the most difficult to achieve because As a teacher, you are expected to be an
instructional leader in your school, who, among other things, helps ensure that the school is a safe
and conducive venue for learning. Creating a safe and comfortable learning environment in schools
means that students feel accepted, respected, and heard. They must also feel that they have a right
to express themselves and be respected for their opinions and for who and what they are. Since the
last decade, more and more educators are seeing classrooms that have a diverse profile of students.
Because of migration, social change, globalization and other events, students in a single classroom
may now come from various backgrounds and culture. As a 21st century teacher, you are challenged
to provide a safe and accepting learning environment for your students. The diversity inside the
classrooms also poses some difficulties to other students and school personnel. Students may find it
difficult to relate with classmates who come from another country or cultural background, or who
may have different needs. The school staff may also have concerns in adjusting to the cultural
differences of the students. Addressing cultural diversity in schools and in communities is a real
challenge in the 21st century. How does one participate in and cooperate with other people in all
human activities in a multiculturally diverse world? Among the four pillars of education, Learning
to Live Together has been given greater emphasis because this is the very foundation of education
(Delors, 1996). After all, isn’t it one of education’s aims to produce people who will be able to work
and live in environments characterized by peace, tolerance, understanding, and respect.

QUESTION 7: What paradigm shift of the 21st century education do you find to be the most challenging?
Why?

Response: The most challenging paradigm that I think most challenging is the “Structure of Knowledge” it
is because there’s a gap between 21st century learners and seasoned teachers where some of the
teachers need to adopt the ways on how technology works inside the classrooms to aid the learning.
Fifteen years into the 21st century, educators across the country are still working on shifting
education paradigms to include the skills students will need to succeed and thrive in life. I’d be
willing to guess that if you asked most teachers to name 21st century skills, you would hear words

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like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity (the 4 Cs), as well as technology.
These certainly have a place in our schools right now, but these skills incorporate much more than
this. Unlike, before that teaching is isolated manner without connections or interdisciplinary to other
subjects. And using the technology such as laptops, Ipads, white screen, projector, etc. is not really
utilized by the season teacher.

QUESTION 8: Explain the view of UNESCO Commission on Education: "Education is above all an inner
journey."

Response: This statement reflects the changes in which education will bring in one’s life. In other words, as
people become more educated, they seem to take more logical and calculated risks in their lives,
thus, education in general provides an alternative way of thinking and living. Both Learning to Live
Together and Learning to Be need to be considered as background elements, when the pedagogy
modelling for science-based subjects is being constructed, which provides broader philosophy.

QUESTION 9: Why is the four pillars of education very essential in the 21st century? Do you think
UNESCO will realize its goal for international peace through these pillars? Why?

Response: Yes I believed that the four pillar of education is very essential on the 21st century. Because, the
world is changing so it is necessary for people to understand with each other. It is important for
people not only to understand with each other, but also to interchange ideas in a peaceful way and
live in harmony. Today is a lack of values that is not permitting human beings to live peacefully and
with joy, so is very important the instruction of the four pillars of education in order to gain it.
The four pillars of education are important and necessary to acquire knowledge and obtain values
lost in society by the uncontrolled enlargement of the world. I agree that the pillar “Learning to live
together” is fundamental to gain values for living in peace and in harmony, because it develops the
understanding of others and their history, traditions, religion etc. Basically on this pillar people learn
to tolerate people and to respect others doesn´t matter their traditions, celebrations, beliefs, and
thoughts. But to get this pillar we need to go through the others three pillars because they sustain
the pillar of learning to live together.
In my opinion the base for all the pillars is the pillar “Learning to know”. This pillar basically
introduces all what people need to know in order to grow and live in this world with so many changes
and challenges. The other two pillars “Learning to do” and “Learning to be” are also important for
the search of peace and harmony between all the people. The first that is related to work and the
second one to the accomplishment of goals are topics that actually are relevant for having people to
have success and to live peacefully.
In the role as teachers these for pillars are very important because it focus us to teach our students
how to behave with others and to tolerate others. Also the way how goals can be achieve and to
accomplish work as an individual an as a group. I consider that some of these pillars are introduced

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first of all at home but can be reinforced at school. So we have a great labour to accomplish with
our students which is not easy.
Yes I would say that UNESCO is realize its goal for international peace through these pillars.
Because, UNESCO identifies four pillars of education as the key for our young generation. Children
should learn to be, learning to know, to live together and learn to do. By learning to be students are
expected to get to know themselves in a way where they can bring about the best from within and
work their way into becoming better human beings. Learning to know will help us understand what
we need to learn and keep our knowledge up-to-date with such a changing technology. Learning to
live together nowadays is one of the most important aspects in our society; we need to learn to
accept, respect and embrace differences regardless of gender, ethnicity, etc. We also need to learn
to resolve and avoid conflict. Learning to do is the skill that helps us be the best that we can be at
what we do, learning to do it well and to precisely know the steps to make it.

QUESTION 10: Conflict theorists argue that the schools' structures, systems, curricula and methodologies
are not responsive to the competencies of the 21st Century. Do you agree or disagree with them
based on your observation and experience? Why?

Response: Yes I agree, because conflict theory fails to capture the way in which economic interactions can
be mutually beneficial to the different classes involved. For example, conflict theory describes the
relationship between employers and employees as one of conflict, in which the employees wish to
pay as little as possible for the employees' labor, while the employees wish to maximize their wages.
In practice, however, employees and employers often have a harmonious relationship. Moreover,
institutions such as pension plans and stock-based compensation can further blur the boundary
between workers and corporations, by giving workers an additional stake in the success of their
employer. The same thing happening in the school system that only those who are rich can easily
avail the benefits of good education, that the competencies is being thoroughly followed. Because
in most of the local schools competencies are not really followed where most of the lower class
students enrolled in public schools. While those who were rich can afford to enrol in private schools
where they will be given enough support to their learning.

CONCLUDING STATEMENT:

The four pillars of education are important in order to achieve mutual understanding and
peace in a particular society. Notice that each pillar is also connected to each other. For one to be
able to do a task, one must first learn to understand how things work. Also, to be able to live together
in peace and harmony, he/she must understand and develop himself/herself first. The role of the
teacher, then, is to make students achieve all these pillars to make them become life-long learners.

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In this way, the torch of education will be passed on from one generation with unity despite the
diversity.

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