GREAT TRADITION, LITTLE TRADITION, AND FORMAL EDUCATION.

THIS DOCUMENT DISCUSSES THE IMPACT OF TRADITION ON THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE NATURE OF EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES. IT INDICATES RESEARCHES AND ANALYSES IN EDUCATION HAVE ASSUMED THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO STUDY ONLY INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR IN LEARNING SITUATIONS, THAT ALL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND FORMAL EDUCATION ARE SYNONYMOUS, AND THAT THE TEACHER ALONE EDUCATES THE CHILD. MODERN SCHOOL SYSTEMS FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL IN SOCIETY AND THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON INDIVIDUAL LEARNING BEHAVIOR. RESEARCH IN EDUCATION IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOCIAL ROLES IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, OF THE TEACHERS, THE PUPILS, AND THE LAY PUBLIC. TRADITION HAS TWO COMPONENTS. "GREAT TRADITION" IS MANIFESTED IN CURRENT EDUCATIONAL THEORY AND PRACTICE. "LITTLE TRADITION" IS THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION HAVE CLASSED EDUCATION AS ONE OF THE GREAT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, CONSIDERABLE TENSION HAS ARISEN BETWEEN THE "GREAT TRADITIONS" OF THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION AND THE "LITTLE TRADITIONS" OF THE COMMUNITY CONCERNING THE PROCESSES OF CHILD REARING. WHILE CONSIDERABLE EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, LITTLE RECOGNITION IS GIVEN TO SOCIETAL VALUES. (JM)