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ERIC Number: EJ1219953
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1857
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
"Wuwei", Self-Organization, and Classroom Dynamics
Educational Philosophy and Theory, v51 n11 p1141-1151 2019
This article juxtaposes the notion of "wuwei" in Daoism and philosophical principles of self-organization in systems theory to re-imagine classroom dynamics in which pedagogical relationships, students' interactions with texts, and peer interplay come together to enable an open system of education, learning, and growth. "Wuwei" is a way of governing and leadership, while self-organization is the emergence of new structures at the global level as a result of local interactions. The combination of top-down and bottom-up processes contributes to create a dynamic classroom. The contemporary Neo-Daoists' concerns with creating conditions for "wuwei" to happen can be addressed by principles of self-organization, while "wuwei" provides a philosophical underpinning that is informative to systems theories. This article first introduces the Daoist notion of "wuwei," then articulate important principles of self-organization theory, and further juxtapose the two in both resonance and dissonance in four aspects: the role of change, the role of diversity, the role of the individual person, and the role of the teacher's "wuwei" leadership in the self-organizing classroom. In the last section, the article discusses how to shift classroom dynamics toward emergent, relational, and creative pathways, including creating conditions for self-organization and "wuwei" to happen in the classroom.
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A