NEW HORIZONS IN PEDAGOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY

Abstract

Today, the construct of knowledge society or learning society is embodied as an ontic need rather than ideal, while the strategy of lifelong learning makes an aspect of its reification. Social transformation where we live has been launched by a radical change in the meaning of knowledge as a phenomenon. Both in the West and in the East, knowledge has always been perceived as something which is related to being, to existence; today, knowledge implies action, doing. It has become a resource and useful goods, namely public goods. In this respect, the new paradigm in education promotes the soundness of acting, rather than perfection of knowledge. So far, the interaction of the world of work and the world of education has been metaphorically reflected through making the status of schools equal to that of factories (authoritarian hierarchical system, bureaucracy, excessive division of labour, direct operating instructions, control in all segments, etc.). Modern social discourse calls for a new school metaphor – perhaps as a professional learning community.

            In the first part of the paper, the author considers the assumptions of discourse of knowledge society and their implications for pedagogical reflection from the aspect of interpretative paradigm. The second part highlights the importance of a critical attitude toward neglecting the essential prerequisites of knowledge society for educational reality, as well as the need for redefining the pedagogical responsibility of teachers in educational practice of knowledge society.