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The challenges above will, hopefully, make teachers find strategies to reduce the negative effects of the modern age on education and to
improve the present state of education. One of the ways to do these is that after becoming aware of what post-modern views try to offer to us, we do
something accordingly, for example, by making our English instruction prioritize fairness, reduce commercialization of education, and promote
equity and creativity.
B. Major Principles of Self-Actualization Education
Summarized from a number of references dealing with self- actualization, post-modern education Bismoko, 2011; Brooks and Brooks,
1993; Cobussen, 2011; Finch, 2010; Fahim Pishghadam, 2009, the following educational principles make up the educational viewpoint of the
development of self-actualization learning model, which is basically post- modern and in line with constructivist education.
1. Constructivism The past and present events influence outcomes. This general
principle results in the adoption of constructivism as the basic learning theory. Knowledge is not discovered but it is constructed in the learner’s
minds based on the patterns or knowledge constructed in the past. The learner is viewed as a thinking human being whose points of view are
respected. Heshe is not an empty vessel into which the teacher transfers knowledge. Much of what is happening in classes in most schools and other
educational institutes is far from being constructivist See Appendix A. 2. Creativity
In education, as a result of the adoption of constructivism, creativity should be encouraged. Education should motivate the learners to create
their own ideas, for example, not just reproduce statements from the “experts” the teachers and textbook writers. Each learner is encouraged
to ask questions and to elaborate hisher responses. HeShe should be encouraged to engage in a dialog, not just to give a correct answer.
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3. Learner-centeredness In education, learner centeredness should be more seriously
developed because most of the educational principles suggested here require a high degree of learner-centeredness in class. In a learner-
centered education, sooner or later the teacherthe educational practitioner should be able to develop a learner-centered curriculum. This is an obvious
consequence because learner-centeredness is essentially localized and individualized; hence, the problematic policy of a centralized national
curriculum and national examination. 4. Equity
Every learner should receive fair, equal equitable treatment from the teacher and from each other. Consequently, nobody in the class should
dominate the others. The teacher is not the superior being who decides the fate of each student. Similarly, no student should dominate hisher
classmates. The interaction between the teacher and the learner should be of dialogue or negotiation type, in which they influence each other.
5. Empowerment Instead of domination of the superior, there must be empowerment
of the learner. The learner should be empowered so that heshe can step by step develop fully in order to achieve hisher self-actualization. The
teacher is also empowered because he has the right to develop hisher own contextual local material, plan strategies and activities and do class
action research. 6. Diversity
Diversity should be welcomed. It is often found that in a classroom learners come from different ethnic, religious, socio-cultural, and academic
backgrounds. The teacher, who may also come from another background different from that of the majority of the learners, respects differences and
encourages hisher students to have diverse interpretations. Heshe lets “other voices” speak.
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7. Tolerance A great degree of tolerance should be promoted because of the
acceptance of the diversity principle. A learner always faces other learners who have different cultural, religious, and educational backgrounds. Each
learner is encouraged to appreciate various types of differences. Each is
encouraged to learn and work together with different types of learners. 8. Locality
To support the principle of learner-centeredness, local material and contextual activities designed by the class teacher become essential. The
teacher cannot solely depend on the teaching-learning material published by foreign or national publishers. Material from outside must be adapted
and contextualized. Local content and form should be developed. 9. Freedom of Expression
Freedom of expression should be encouraged, not suppressed, because of the logical consequence of the learner-centeredness and
creativity principles. Learners have the right to express their opinions and feelings. Their freedom of expressions is stimulated and nurtured.
Developing and using art in class music, poetry, drama, visual art becomes very important because in it the learners can practice expressing
themselves freely and, therefore, they are geared to achieving their self- actualization.
10. Emotional Development The learner’s emotional development should go hand in hand with
their intellectually academic development. Activities that are directly or indirectly related to learners’ emotional sides should be given to keep a
balance between the cognitive and affectiveemotional sides. Teaching and learning activities making use of music, poetry, drama, and visual art
should be encouraged. This principle is closely connected to the learner’s
freedom of expression.
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11. Assessment The above self-actualization principles require that the teacher use
different types of evaluation. Classroom-based assessment using portfolios, journals, self-assessment and peer-assessment is used. Traditional testing
in which learners show their ability to reproduce knowledge is discouraged. Testing that emphasizes studying result or product only is discouraged
because learning process is considered as important as learning outcome.
C. The Learning Designer’s Awareness of Self-Actualization
