Research On Lawrence Cremin Thought Of Educational Ecology

Educational Ecology is one of the new discipline springing up from the second half of the twentieth century. Based on the principles of ecology, it studies various educational phenomena and their causes, as well as the rules and mechanism of the interaction between education and its surrounding eco-environment. In1976, Cremin (Lawrence Archur Cremin)first proposed "Educational Ecology" theories in his Public education, in which he applied the concept of ecology to the field of education. Such a new view has an important reference both on the development of American educational science and on the study of modern education.This paper is divided into four parts. The first part expounds the formation of Cremin’s educational ecology thoughts. After World War Ⅱ, the competition between the two super powers-the United States and the Soviet Union-makes people targeted their contradiction to American progressive education. The changes of social education ecological environment drived Cremin attempt to apply the ecological methods into education study creatively. Besides, he made historical and objective summary and analysis of American progressive education campaign and its theories.The second part discusses the main content of Cremin’s educational ecology thoughts. First of all, starting with his ecological research on public education, the multiple comprehensive of education is realized. Second, considering the study on teacher education ecology, it explores the new mode of educator education, and then expands to the ecological study on the education history. And at last, it is the studies on the thought of education reform, grasping the essence and meaning of Cremin’s educational ecology thoughts as a whole.The third part illustrates the scientific evaluation of Cremin’s educational ecology thoughts. With the progressive significance of scientific theories and guiding value in practical research, educational ecology theories have their theoretical defects inevitably, including limitations of their studying time, location, methods and other aspects. With educational ecology thoughts, Cremin expanded the content of American education history to extreme, however, their methodology is relatively static.The fourth part elaborates the value of Cremin’s educational ecology thoughts on China’s educational reforms. On account of China’s educational ecological problems, the last part comes up with how to view the development history of Chinese progressive education correctly and objectively, and finally realize the sustainable development of Chinese education.