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Overview
Faculty
Certificate
Programs
Courses
Online
Resources
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| Steven
R. Loomis
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Assistant
Professor of Education
On faculty since 2003
Office (630) 752-5042
Fax (630) 752-5555
E-Mail: Steven.Loomis@wheaton.edu
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| Education |
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Ph.
D., Philosophy of Education, Claremont Graduate
University, 2002
M. A., Philosophy of Education, Biola University,
1998
M. A., Theology, Talbot School of Theology, 1996
B. A., Political Science, California State University,
Long Beach, 1989
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Professional and Personal Interests
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The 21st century is a critical time for human development. At a time in which the institution of education is standardizing and globalizing, where economies and political systems are shifting, where the demos is giving way to a new form of public, it is widely thought that expanding access to education increases the social welfare. In fact, the growth of scale requires the division (trade-off) of information, which is inconsistent with equilibrium necessary for high quality education. The present challenge for educationists, economists, and other social theorists is to resolve real and persistent institutional risks inherent to social choice and the technical framework of education. Among these is the rationalization of ends to means in educational production, the under-development of human capital in the schools, the progressive loss of academic freedom, increasing central control, the rise of technique and loss of virtue, the re-emergence of positivism in assessment regimes, and general problems related to social inequality.
Combining theoretic analysis and research methodologies from philosophy, the social sciences (e.g., economics), and theology, Dr. Loomis's research, teaching, mentoring, and consulting focus on interdisciplinary questions related to the direction of higher education and schools, U. S. and internationally, and other social institutions. His strong record of research and publication covers a wide range of aspects in the educational philosophy and economics. Recent research questions include: What are the normative and non-normative constraints to the ordering and functioning of social institutions? What is the best institutional framework for education? Are there information patterns and practices that substitute one institutional vision of reality for another? Are there models and philosophies of education that reflect truer structures of reality? What are the effects of institutional expansion (scale and scarcity) on information, knowledge, human and social capital development? Can there be in the 21st century a specifically Christian or Christian-influenced theory of reform of the institution of education in the U.S. and worldwide? If so, what are its theoretic elements, distinctives and legitimacy? If not, what are the theoretic or practical barriers and how might these be overcome?
Steven Loomis is a Californian who enjoys ocean kayaking, hiking in the eastern Sierras, and rock climbing in national monuments such as Joshua Tree.
| Courses
Taught |
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- Philosophical Foundations of Education
- The School and Society
- Psychology of Human Learning
- Ethics in Teaching
- Senior Seminar
- Curriculum Integration and Classroom Communication
- Student Teaching Supervision
- MAT Thesis Research (Theoretic and Applied)
- Independent Tutorial or Study: Philosophy, Theology, and Economics of Education
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Membership in Professional Societies
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- Various learned societies, research groups and institutes
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Research
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- Philosophical foundations of education and social institutions
- The will, character development, and human agency
- Moral education and professional ethics
- Educational economics and policy
- The information economy of education as an institution
- C. S. Lewis's and John Dewey's theories of education and social institutions
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Published and/or Presented |
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Select Books and Papers Published and/or Presented
- Loomis, S. & Rodriguez, J. (forthcoming in 2009). The individual-collective problem in education: The special cases of John Dewey and human capital theory. Oxford Review of Education, 35 (4).
- Loomis, S., Rodriquez, J., Tillman, R., & Gunderson, J. (2008). The logic of convergence and uniformity in teacher production. Teaching Education, 19 (1), 1-10.
- Rodriguez, J., Loomis, S., & Weeres, J. (2007). The cost of institutions. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan.
- Rodriguez, J. & Loomis, S. (2007). A new view of institutions, human capital, and market standardisation. Education, Knowledge and Economy, 1 (1), 1-13.
Next Faculty: Dr. Sally Morrison
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