Waardes in die opvoeding en onderwys: ’n Babelse verwarring

Abstract

Values in education and teaching: a Babylonian confusion

Although the debate on values and values-education has been going on for several years, it is evident from literature that there is, as yet, no unanimity on what is meant by the concept “values”. This article is an attempt to clarify the confusion between various value-education related concepts and to analyse the phenomenon from an ontological perspective and also to demonstrate that man’s choice of terminology depends on presuppositions.

This article was written from a reformational perspective, based on the ground motif of the creation, fall, redemption and restoration. From this perspective it is clear that man was created as a value-driven being and that his/her values are guided by religious convictions and a concomitant world view. It is further argued that “principles” and “values” are neither synonymous nor the same. “Principles” are fixed, unchanged points of departure, whereas values emanate from principles and their application is determined by the demands of the contingent situation.