Ivan Illich's Thoughts On Deschooling Education And The Enlightenment On The Construction Of China's Learning Society

Ivan Illich, American educational critic, is one of the most important representative figures of "Deschooling Movement". Based on the theories of Society-criticism, New Marx's Socialism, Existentialism and "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", Illich reflected on the social and educational problems which America were facing in 1970s, and thought it was the school education that aggravated the poverty and caused the inequality, so he put forward that schools should be abolished, and the "learning webs" should be built to take place of the schools. This thesis explored the history background and the derivation of Illich's thoughts, and then made a systematic exposition on the main idea of Illich's thoughts on deschooling education, and analyzed the significance of Illich's thoughts. In the respect of evaluating Illich's thoughts, the thesis not only set a high value on the positive factors in his thoughts, but also delineated the limitations and insufficiencies in it. Meanwhile, based on analyzing the school educational problems in our country, the thesis combined Illich educational thoughts to gain the following enlightenment on the construction of learning society: firstly, transform the traditional school educational system, which is too closed, monopolized and ultimate, and build up a crisscross and integration educational system. Secondly, elaborate social educational function fully and realize the whole social educational value. Thirdly, establish the learners' subjected position and entrust the learners learning rights. Fourthly, transform the educators' traditional roles and carry out the new functional orientation to educators' roles.