Failure of Competence-based Education and the Demand for Bildung

This book contrasts two prominent models of education, Competence-Based Education (CBE) which is the dominant model in most school systems of the world, and Bildung-Oriented Education (BOE), once the basis of school systems of Northern Europe. CBE interprets learning as the acquisition of clearly definable and allegedly measurable competences, and it is supported by supranational organisations, such as the OECD. BOE characterises learning holistically, aimed at the progressive articulation of a meaningful ‘big picture’ in the student’s mind. Moretti and Marabini argue that, in spite of its celebrated ‘scientificity’, CBE is incoherent and unreliable, and contributes to structural forms of oppression and injustice, fosters social pathologies, and fails to provide students with the kind of intellectual autonomy they need in our complex post-industrial societies. They defend BOE from objections made by critical theorists, poststructuralists and postcolonial thinkers, and argue that it is a coherent and flexible model of education that endows students with autonomy and responsibility, and can help heal social pathologies. The book builds analytical bridges and explores connections between philosophy of education and important issues currently debated in critical theory, political philosophy and social epistemology.

Luca Moretti (PhD, Kings College London) is Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy. His research interests are general epistemology, philosophy of education, and social ontology. He has two monographs: Seemings and Epistemic Justification (2020) and Appearance and Explanation (2021) co-edited by Kevin McCain.

Alessia Marabini (PhD, Bologna) is a teacher of Italian language and culture and history in Italy, and a member of the Francis Bacon Foundation. Previously, she was a member of the Centre for Knowledge and Society at the University of Aberdeen. Her research interests are philosophy of education, philosophy of language, and epistemology. In epistemology of education, she has published articles in the Journal of Philosophy of Education, and the monograph, Critical Thinking and Epistemic Injustice: Essay in Epistemology of Education (2022).

PAUL STANDISH is Professor of Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK.