Authentic Education: More Recent Times

Authentic pedagogy is an educational approach where learning experiences are deeply connected to the real world, encouraging students to use knowledge in meaningful ways and construct understanding through disciplined inquiry. It emphasizes higher-order thinking, deeper disciplinary knowledge, substantive conversations, and connections to students' lives and the broader community. The goal is for students to produce work that has value and impact beyond the classroom, fostering deep learning and problem-solving skills.

Authentic pedagogy movements emerged in the 20th century, in part as a reaction to the culture of order and control characteristics of didactic education. The major principles of authentic education are that learners should take a more active part in their learning, and that this learning should be closely and practically connected to their life experiences. Authentic education is more child-centered, focusing on internalized understanding rather than formal repetition of the ‘right’ answers. 

Overall, the main purpose of education is to educate young learners so they'll become functional adults in their families and communities.