| Abstract [eng] |
Freedom is one of the essential elements of human existence. According to some of the most well-known existentialist philosophers - Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre - the highest expression of individual freedom is one's individuality and uniqueness, based on their morality and values. Human beings are inevitably free to choose, even when they rid themselves of choice, and this is still a human choice - the choice not to choose. From an existentialist perspective, human freedom is both a duty and a pursuit - a pursuit to break free from the existing context if one feels constrained in expressing their individuality and a duty to become one's true self together with their moral norms and values. Additionally, there are sources of power and control in contemporary society that affect individual freedom. Looking at the context of education on a global scale, it promotes the globalization and standardization of education, while the educational documents in Lithuania declare a humanistic approach to education, which is based on the education of free individuals. This work explores the understanding of freedom by students and teachers and their understanding of freedom within schools. Research problematic: Freedom in existential philosophy is one of the essential questions and foundations of human existence and aspirations. As time changes, various power mechanisms - both visible and hidden - that control human existence are increasingly discussed in scientific literature. It is important to reconsider the perception of freedom in the perspective of each era in order to evaluate the essential elements of our freedom and to glimpse the desired goal. Western global educational reforms, which standardize and orient educational activities toward capitalist efficiency, have also affected Lithuanian education, which, in the national concept of "Good School," mentions education based on humanistic ideas. The essential problematic question is how teachers and students - two of the most important participants in the education system - understand freedom within schools. Research object: the perception of freedom by teachers and students and perception of freedom within schools. Research purpose: to reveal the perception of freedom by teachers and students and perception of freedom within schools. Research methodology: Both existentialist philosophy, which highlights the notions of a free individual, and phenomenology, which examines concrete individual experiences, are relevant to this study. This work employs a descriptive phenomenological research method because the phenomenon being examined - freedom - is an inseparable and complex part of each person's life. The aim is to understand the meanings attributed to freedom today by teachers and students, how they understand and experience freedom in general and within schools. The essence of phenomenological research lies in the attempt to understand hidden experiential essences and meanings. The study aims to explore human experience (Žydžiūnaitė, Sabaliauskas, 2017, p. 89-90). For this research, individual in-depth interviews were chosen. Interviews are the main qualitative data collection method in phenomenological research (ibid, p. 120). Through individual interviews, interaction between the researcher and the participant takes place, and the conversation focuses on the research subject. The questions posed should help reveal the essence rather than impose the researcher's alternatives or preconceptions (Gaižauskaitė, Valavičienė, 2016). The research revealed the concept of freedom for teachers and students, including the essential elements of their understanding of freedom, and highlighted key questions that can be raised when comparing this concept with scientific literature. |
