Tasks for Philosophy of Education in Ukraine in the Light of the Theory of Generations

Abstract

The article analyzes the development of the education system of Ukraine from the point of view of the theory of generations by American researchers William Strauss and Neil Howe. Theoretical substantiation of the hypothesis concerning the transitional character of the whole Ukrainian society from the Soviet cycle of generational change to the national cycle of generational change is given. The subjects of education providing are the middle and older generations, while the subjects of education are mostly the younger generation – the sociological and historical definition of these generations, specifying their characteristics as stable social groups in a society should be the next step. The tasks of the philosophy of education, which for some time were devoted to reflecting on the development of the national education system in general, must now should be specified now as tasks for a certain generation of Ukrainian (and not Soviet or post-Soviet) society. In this context, it is time for both the Institute of Higher Education and the philosophy of education to summarize, revise the initial vision of institutional tasks, clarify them, expand, supplement with new tasks and in general – create a new vision of the philosophy of education and philosophy of higher education in Ukraine. Overcoming the current crisis of the education system of Ukraine is possible through a clear definition of the goals and basic values of education for specific participants of the educational process – only in this way, systemic goals and values become the values and goals of individual educational communities. Teachers, professors and other subjects of education appear then as specific pedagogical teams, united by explicit educational values and goals, which are clearly correlated, on the one hand, with the tasks of development of the national educational system, and on the other – with the motivation of educational activities of specific teachers. The inevitable competition in education, which is particularly dramatic in overcoming its systemic crisis, has positive consequences if it is carried out as a competition for the best embodiment of virtues, for excellence in the providing and gaining of education.