In relation to oneself. Relational thinking in educational theory

Abstract

Educational theory is dominated by a mode of thinking which asks for the essence of a matter. As an alternative, a relational mode of thinking is proposed and explained in its anthropological importance. Man is seen as a being who must handle three qualitatively different relationships: a relation to things, a relation to other (human) beings and a relation to himself. Utilizing two examples, the usefulness of the self-relationship as a scheme for the analysis of educational situations is shown. In conclusion, the benefits of relational thinking for the development of a post-technological theory of pedagogical action are pointed out.
The article aims at contributing to the clarification of the concept «situated learning».