The Noddings Center

Caring for Human-Made World

“The human-made world is, obviously, a center of care—of fascination, genius, corruption, remedy, and concern” (Noddings, 2005b, p. 144).

 

Utility

Studying the utility of human-made objects involves researching the history of an object, the way an object is to be used and maintained, the problems solved and created. Students with different interests and capacities can study the utility of human-made objects in ways that are meaningful to them. Students with mathematical interests can research computing devices. If a student’s interest is in interpersonal relationships, then they may want to study objects used in rituals. “The technological world of objects, instruments, and energy is, like the natural world, awe-inspiring , and our awe increases as we learn to use objects properly” (Noddings, 2005b, p. 142).

 

Physical Arrangements

The study of human-made objects can involve looking at small physical spaces, such as a table setting or operating room or as large as urban areas. Physical arrangements of human-made objects is cultural in nature and the studying how different cultures arrange objects is part of this center of care. The study of infrastructure systems from Roman roads to today’s high speed transit systems is but one possible unit of study. “The appropriate arrangement of objects, buildings, and all sorts of human artifacts is part of their utility, and it may also be important to our health as well as our aesthetic sense” (Noddings, 2005b, p. 142).

 

Maintaining and Conserving

“Keeping the place clean is indeed one of the first conscious contributions a child can make to the environment” (Noddings, 2005b, p. 145). Contrary to current thinking that a good education will result with a life that allows one to not have to do the ‘menial’ jobs that involve maintenance such as cleaning a home, students will learn that maintenance of objects is important to insure future effective use of human-made objects.

 

Making and Repairing

All children should learn how to repair and test simple household objects. The storage and use of kitchen objects and proper routine maintenance of automobiles are examples. Making objects from raw or basic materials is another way to expose children to understanding the evolution and history of objects. This center of care is important so that we don’t “become too clumsy to make things for ourselves, and … fail to appreciate the world of crafts and technology” (Noddings, 2005b, p. 147).

 

Understanding and Appreciating

An in-depth unit on the history, function, and purpose of a single object will require that students create a process that not only results in appreciation for an object, but will also develop a process useful for studying other objects, natural and human-made. Noddings (2005b) credited Johann Pestalozzi (1746-1827) for naming this process an “object lesson” (p. 148). “…object lessons give us an opportunity to focus our care on objects in the environment and then on whatever else seems to be connected in a way that matters to us” (p. 148).