Explores the concept of quality in education, by means of a dialogue. Discusses different conceptions and dimensions of quality, and shows how they are largely contingent on…
Abstract
Explores the concept of quality in education, by means of a dialogue. Discusses different conceptions and dimensions of quality, and shows how they are largely contingent on different views of what education is all about. Attempts to transcend commonly encountered dichotomies by proposing an alternative approach, taking the notions of arête and phronesis as points of departure. Assessing educational quality implies high complexity if the approach is going to be comprehensive and holistic, and take both external and internal factors into account. The framework of the discussion is the political context, on the assumption that this is the right context for questions concerning the worthwhileness, values in and quality of education. The authors hope that this dialogue illustrates the irenic mode of communication briefly discussed in the paper.