2.1 Establishing educational goals
On this page
- Importance of establishing educational goals
1.1 Establishing educational goals
1.2 Focus on establishing qualification
1.3 Starting with establishing educational goals - Two ways to formulate the three domains
2.1 Formulation of three domains by Biesta
2.2 Redefined domains by FFT
2.3 Broad application of domains
2.4 Application of domains in FFT - Dosage
- Trust
- Summary
- Credits
The development of Friendly and Fair Teaching has been informed by Gert Biesta’s work on the purpose of education. Biesta has identified the ‘domains of purpose’ of education as Qualification, Socialisation and Subjectivation. A skilled teacher applies these three domains in the right dosage. Teachers who, in addition to Qualification, also focus on Socialization and Subjectivation allow their students to emerge as unique individuals. The three domains give them guidance when composing and delivering lessons.
I involve Biesta’s three domains when preparing my lessons. With different types of activities that connect to these domains, I make my lessons varied and challenging.
Introduction video
For more information check out our other introductory videos here.
Current approach:
What goals am I pursuing with my teaching now?
Future approach
What goals am I pursuing with my teaching in the future?
Introduction
‘Establishing educational goals’ is one of the three modules of the perspective ‘Establishing fairness‘ of Friendly and Fair Teaching (FFT).
Figure 27: Establishing fairness (overview)
This module focuses on the three domains of Gert Biesta. Read more about the general goal of FFT at our tutorial. Read more about the effect FFT wants to achieve and the impact on society at our introduction.
With this module, you will make clear to both yourself and your students what education is all about, and in doing so, you create a positive learning environment.
By including Biesta’s three domains in your preparation, you broaden the activities of the lesson for your students. With the three domains, your lessons will focus on Qualification, Socialization and Subjectivation. FFT advocates working on these educational goals in a peaceful manner.
- If you focus mostly on Qualification and centralized assessment, the result will be more or less qualified students who adopt your subject knowledge.
- If you focus not only on Qualification, but also on Socialization and Subjectivation, you will prepare your students for their role in society. Your approaches to teaching will help them emerge as unique adults.
At this site, we consistently write the three domains with a capital letter to indicate that Friendly and Fair Teaching has slightly changed the definition of these terms to make them broadly applicable (Professional language)
1. Importance of establishing educational goals
1.1 Establishing educational goals
By working on the three domains in a peaceful manner, you broaden your offerings, make your lessons interesting for your students and allow them to concentrate well. With the Subjectivation, you enable a student to determine (by trial and error) their own course. By paying attention to the educational goal:
- Qualification you ensure that your students have necessary knowledge and skills.
- Socialization you ensure that your students can collaborate and take responsibility at school and hopefully beyond.
- Subjectivation you give your students opportunity to discover who they are. Subjectivation cannot be forced. See ‘The beautiful risk of education’ by Biesta.
1.2 Focus on establishing qualification
If you limit your teaching to mostly uniform assignments that culminate in joint, central, individual testing, then the only incentive for students to get to work is the grade. You reward with high grades and punish with low grades.
If you limit yourself to qualification, the question is whether students can develop sufficiently socially and personally within that limitation.
1.3 Starting with establishing educational goals
If you want your students to meet the educational goal of Subjectivation, it is necessary that your students can make choices. This requires some preparation. Preparing multiple assignments takes time. If you let students choose between a number of assignments, it is advisable to think about how you assess in a way that encourages students’ own responsibility (Assessment).
2. Two ways to formulate the three domains
Gert Biesta defines three domains for education. Friendly and Fair Teaching (FFT) has slightly modified the formulation of these domains with Gert Biesta’s knowledge.
The original formulation states a target group: children and adolescents. FFT omits the target group when formulating the domains. This makes the three domains relevant to teachers as well.
By also omitting the term “education” from the original wording, the domains gain validity in society as a whole.
Compare the original to the new wording:
2.1 Formulation of three domains by Biesta
Original formulation (Biesta 2013):
Qualification – This has to do with transmission and acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that qualify children and young people to do “something,” both for a profession and for life in a complex modern society.
Socialization – This has to do with how education introduces and connects children to existing traditions and practices – both socio-cultural, political, religious and philosophical practice, as well as vocational and professional practices.
Subjectivation – This can include qualities such as independence, responsibility and also maturity.
2.2 Redefined domains by FFT
The following are Gert Biesta’s three domains that were redefined by FFT in March 2021:
Qualification – This has to do with transfer and acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that qualify one to do “something,” both for a profession and for life in a complex modern society.
Socialization – This has to do with introduction into and connection with existing traditions and practices – socio-cultural, political, religious and philosophical practice, as well as vocational and professional practices.
Subjectivation – This can include qualities such as independence, responsibility and also maturity.
2.3 Broad application of domains
By omitting the target group in the FFT formulation of the three domains, everyone is part of the target group: teacher, school administration, and education support staff. The three domains are now formulated so broadly that school-wide everyone benefits.
By omitting ‘education’ in the FFT formulation, the domains gain general validity outside of education. With the new wording, everyone is given the opportunity to constantly continue to acquire new knowledge. This is preferably done voluntarily and of their own accord.
The three domains are now formulated so broadly that in every circumstance everyone benefits.
2.4 Application domains in FFT
Modules of FFT focus on one or more of the three domains:
Qualification: ‘Teacher-centred education’ and ‘Assessment‘
Socialization: ‘Building relationships‘ and ‘Collaboration‘
Subjectivation: ‘Student-centred education‘
3. Dosage
Achieving the right balance between the three domains is, in and out of education, a lifelong quest. One-sided focus on Qualification and testing comes at the expense of Socialization and Subjectivation“. Biesta 2012
For Biesta, Qualification has to do with transmission and acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that qualify children and young people to do ‘something’, both for a profession and for life in a complex modern society.
For Biesta, Socialisation has to do with how education introduces children into and connects them to existing traditions and practices – both socio-cultural, political, religious and philosophical practice, as well as vocational and professional practices.
Biesta highlights that subjectification has to do with the existence of the child or student as subject of her or his own life, not as the object of educational interventions. Subjectification thus has to do with the question of freedom. Biesta explains that this is not the freedom to do what one wants to do, but the freedom to act in and with the world in a “grown-up” way.
By paying attention to Subjectivation, you empower students and you will have to deal with contradiction. Take that into account and learn to deal with it. By moving with the wishes of your students, you help them get where they ought to be.
An agreed upon framework (Friendly and Fair) leads to an inclusive environment, where all attention goes to the learning objective and everyone thrives.
4. Trust
If your goal is to hold students accountable for their actions, it starts with trusting your students. Only if you strive to let go of your students (in part) will they develop into unique individuals. You guide the freedom you give your students in two ways:
- You ask your students to adhere to the framework.
- You ask them to deal responsibly with the freedom you offer.
In doing so, FFT gives form, in its own way, to the ideas formulated by Gert Biesta in ‘The wonderful risk of education‘.
If you want to gain the trust of your students, you need to build a good rapport with them. While building relationships it is advisable to avoid a dominant attitude.
A great example of expressing trust is the Liemer List. The compilers of this list do so in the form of seven promises to students.
5. Summary
Taken together, Friendly and Fair Teaching believes that Biesta’s work has important implications for teaching and learning. For example, for Biesta, Subjectification means that the real educational work is for the teacher:
Not to suppress expression and creativity, also not just let it happen but bring what or who expresses itself into dialoque with the world. Arousing the desire for wanting to exist in the world in a grown-up way.” Quote from Biesta in a lecture in Lyon.
By being fair you prepare your students for their role in society in a peaceful and inclusive way. By including the three domains Qualification, Socialization and Subjectivation in your lessons, you broaden your approaches to teaching and make your lessons appealing to students.
6. Credits
Gert Biesta
The development of Friendly and Fair Teaching has been informed by Gert Biesta’s work on the purpose of education. Biesta has identified the ‘domains of purpose’ of education as Qualification, Socialisation and Subjectivation. A skilled teacher applies these three domains in the right dosage.
