PHILOSOPHY OF

EDUCATION: JOHN
DEWEY
 THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHER JOHN DEWEY
(1859-1952) IS THE ONLY THINKER WHO HAS A
CONSTRUCTED A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
COMPARABLE IN SCOPE AND DEPTH TO THAT OF PLATO
 A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ACCORDING TO DEWEY IS ONE
“WHICH MAKES PROVISION FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE
GOOD OF ALL ITS MEMBERS ON EQUAL TERMS AND WHICH
SECURES FLEXIBLE READJUSTMENT OF ITS INSTITUTIONS
THROUGH INTERACTION OF THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF
ASSOCIATED LIFE.”
 DEWEY CONSIDERS SCIENTIFIC METHOD TO CONSIST IN
“OBSERVATION, REFLECTION, AND TESTING...DELIBERATELY
ADOPTED TO SECURE A SETTLED, ASSURED SUBJECT
MATTER.”
 MISINTERPRETATION

• His actual view, which he stated on numerous

occasions is that “it is...fatal...to permit
capricious or discontinuous action in the name
of spontaneous self-expressiona.”

• Dewey wrote, “it is true of arithmetic, as it is

poetry that...it ought to be good to be
appreciated on its own account-just as an
enjoyable experience...Every subject at some
phase of its development should possess,
what is for the individual concerned wit it, an
aesthetic quality.” 
 THE CHILD AND THE CURRICULUM

• The child lives in a somewhat narrow world of  

       personal contacts. 

• The child world is a world of persons with their

personal interests rather than realm of facts
and law
 IN THE SUBJECT-MATTER CURRICULUM

•  the child is simply the immature being who is to be

matured;

•  he is the superficial being who is to be deepened;

•  his is narrow experience which is to be widened

•  It is his to receive, to accept

•  His part is fulfilled when he is ductile and docile

 DEMOCRATIC CONCEPTION IN EDUCATION

Since education is a social process, and there

are many kinds of societies, a criterion for
educational criticism and construction implies
a particular social ideal. The two points
selected by which to measure the worth of a
form of social life are the extent in which the
interests of a group are shared by all its
members, and the fullness and freedom with
which it interacts with other groups. 
 A SOCIETY WHICH MAKES PROVISION FOR PARTICIPATION
IN ITS GOOD OF ALL ITS MEMBERS ON EQUAL TERMS AND
WHICH SECURES FLEXIBLE READJUSTMENT OF ITS
INSTITUTIONS THROUGH INTERACTION OF THE DIFFERENT
FORMS OF ASSOCIATED LIFE IS IN SO FAR DEMOCRATIC. 
 
 SUCH A SOCIETY MUST HAVE A TYPE OF EDUCATION
WHICH GIVES INDIVIDUALS A PERSONAL INTEREST IN
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTROL, AND THE HABITS
OF MIND WHICH SECURE SOCIAL CHANGES WITHOUT
INTRODUCING DISORDER. THREE TYPICAL HISTORIC
PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION WERE CONSIDERED FROM
THIS POINT OF VIEW. 
THE PLATONIC WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN IDEAL FORMALLY
QUITE SIMILAR TO THAT STATED, BUT WHICH WAS
COMPROMISED IN ITS WORKING OUT BY MAKING A CLASS
RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL THE SOCIAL UNIT. 
 THE SO-CALLED INDIVIDUALISM OF THE EIGHTEENTH-
CENTURY ENLIGHTENMENT WAS FOUND TO INVOLVE THE
NOTION OF A SOCIETY AS BROAD AS HUMANITY, OF WHOSE
PROGRESS THE INDIVIDUAL WAS TO BE THE ORGAN. BUT IT
LACKED ANY AGENCY FOR SECURING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF ITS IDEAL AS WAS EVIDENCED IN ITS FALLING BACK
UPON NATURE.
 THE INSTITUTIONAL IDEALISTIC PHILOSOPHIES OF THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY SUPPLIED THIS LACK BY MAKING
THE NATIONAL STATE THE AGENCY, BUT IN SO DOING
NARROWED THE CONCEPTION OF THE SOCIAL AIM TO
THOSE WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE SAME POLITICAL
UNIT, AND REINTRODUCED THE IDEA OF THE
SUBORDINATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE INSTITUTION. 
 AIMS IN EDUCATION

OUR FIRST QUESTION IS TO DEFINE THE

NATURE OF AN AIM.

WE APPROACH THE DEFINITION BY A

CONTRAST OF MERERESULTS WITHENDS.
 HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR TO US THAT EDUCATION
AS SUCH HAS NO AIMS,
ONLY PERSONS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS, ECT., HAVE AIMS,
NOT AN ABTRACT IDEA LIKE EDUCATION.
 THE CRITERIA OF GOOD AIMS

1) THE AIM SET UP MUST BE AN OUT-

GROWTH OF EXISTING CONDITIONS.

2) AN AIM MUST BE FLEXIBLE; IT MUST BE

CAPABLE OF ALTERATION TO MEET
CIRCUMSTANCES.

3) THE AIM MUST ALWAYS REPRESENT A

FREEING OF ACTIVITIES.
 APPLICATION IN EDUCATION

THERE IS NOTHING PECULIAR ABOUT EDUCATIONAL AIMS. THEY

ARE JUST LIKE AIMS IN ANY DIRECTED OCCUPATION.
TEACHER FARMER

(BASICALLY SOIL, SEED, CLIMATE

EVERYTHING THAT A CHANGE,
CONDITIONS CHILD/STUDENT NEEDS CHARACTERISTICS OF
TO MAXIMIZE HIS PLANT GROWTH ETC.
CAPACITY TO LEARN)

BOTH OF THEIR AIM IS TO UTILIZE THERE VARIOUS CONDITIONS TO MAKE BOTH OF

THEIR ACTIVITIES AND ENERGIES WORK TOGETHER, INSTEAD OF AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

TEACHER - STUDENT FARMER - CROP

 THINKING IN EDUCATION

1) THINKING AS EXPERIENCE.

2) PROBLEM DEVELOPED WITH SITUATION TO STIMUS

THOUGHT.

3) HE ALREADY POSSES THE INFORMATION "DATA" TO

CORRESPOND BASE ON WHAT IS NEEDED TO DEAL WITH

4) "IDEA" THAT SUGGEST SOLUTION OCCUR TO HIM WITH HE

SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING IN ORDERLY WAY.

5) APPLICATION OF "IDEA" TO MAKE THEIR MEANING CLEAR.

 TRADITIONAL VS PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

TRADITIONAL
TO IMPOSITION FROM ABOVE
TO EXTERNAL DISCIPLINE
LEARNING FROM TEXT AND
TEACHERS
TO PREPARE FOR MORE OR LESS
REMOTE FUTURE
TO STATIC AIMS AND MATERIALS
PROGRESSIVE
EXPRESSION AND CULTIVATION OF
INDIVIDUALITY
FREE ACTIVITY
LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE
MAKING THE MOST OF
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF PRESENT
LIFE
ACQUINTANCE WITH A CHANGING
WORLD

"LET US SAY THAT THE NEW EDUCATION EMPHASIZES

THE FREEDOM OF THE LEARNER."
  
THE NEED OF A THEORY OF EXPERIENCE

Dewey’s Argument
 The rejection of the philosophy and practice of traditional
education sets a new type of educational problems for those
who hope and believe in a new type of education.

Meaning, this hasn’t solve the problem of education

particularly the old type of education but rather, raised more
questions that needs answers.
 
WE SHALL OPERATE BLINDLY AND IN CONFUSION IN ORDER
TO HAVE THE REALIZATION THAT THE DEPARTURE FROM
THE OLD  EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM SOLVES NO PROBLEMS.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Upon all these confusions and uncertainties, there is one permanent and certain
reference, which is the relationship between education itself and personal
experience.

This means that this new philosophical education will be experimental and some
kind if empirical philosophy .

BUT….

Experience and experimental are not self-explanatory ideas and their meanings are
hidden as the exploration goes on.

This will also mean that this philosophical education will be some sort of a ‘’trial and
error’’ series.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS UPON WHAT TYPE AND QUALITY OF
EXPERIENCE WHICH IS HAD .

THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE HAS TWO ASPECTS. THE

IMMEDIATE ASPECT OF AGREEABLENESS AND
DISAGREEABLENESS.
 THE NEED OF A THEORY OF EXPERIENCE

Why is there a need?

A mis-educative experience prevents the growth of further
experience.

Educators must be radical in their thinking and planning of the

experiential continuum.

It  is to emphasize the fact that young people in traditional schools

do have experiences.
 
The problem  is not the absence of experience, but their defective
and wrong character.
 THE NEED OF A THEORY OF EXPERIENCE

Why is there a need?

A mis-educative experience prevents the growth of further
experience.

Educators must be radical in their thinking and planning of the

experiential continuum.

It  is to emphasize the fact that young people in traditional schools

do have experiences.
 
The problem  is not the absence of experience, but their defective
and wrong character.
 CRITERIA OF EXPERIENCE

In order to present the truth about the need of forming a

theory of experience, the next thing will be the
presentation of the principles that are essential in forming
this theory. 
 
 PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT
IS MORE HUMANE THAN THAT OF THE TRADITIONAL.

WHY DO THE PROGRESSIVIST MOVEMENT PREFER

DEMOCRATIC AND HUMANE ARRANGEMENTS?

THEY’VE BEEN THOUGHT NOT ONLY IN SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO

IN PULPITS, LAWS AND LAWMAKING INSTITUTIONS.
THEIR FACILITATING ENVIRONMENT.
POWERFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES ARE A RESULT OF
TWO FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES:CONTINUITY AND
INTERACTION. 
 SOCIAL CONTROL

The analogy of "The Game".

   - rules of the game

Moving spirit of the whole

group
   - Unity

"The Good Citizen"

 
The ‘’general’’ principle.
 THE NATURE OF FREEDOM

Another problem of social control.

Subjective learning

The nature of humans.

 APPLICATION
DEWY THINKS THAT THE COMMONEST MISTAKE MADE
ABOUT FREEDOM IS TO IDENTIFY IT WITH FREEDOM OF
MOVEMENT, OR THE EXTERNAL OR PHYSICAL SIDE OF
ACTIVITY. THIS EXTERNAL SIDE OF ACTIVITY IS
INSEPERABLE FROM INTERNAL SIDE OF ACTIVITY.
 GROWTH OF INDIVIDUALS

There is no assurance of genuine and continued

normal growth in the intellectual springs of
freedom.

A factor of this is an individuals environment.

 WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR THE NATURE OF FREEDOM?

To prevent….
I.Disclosing of pupils real nature
Pupils are being disclosed in their real natures because of
enforced quietness and acquiescence.

II.Artificial Uniformity
The union of the students aren’t genuine.
IV. Rebellion
Individual tendencies operate in irregular and more or less
forbidden ways.
 THERE IS NO INTELLECTUAL GROWTH WITHOUT SOME
RECONSTRUCTION,SOME REMAKING, OF IMPULSES AND
DESIRES IN THE FORM IN WHICH THEY FIRST SHOW
THEMSELVES.
 THE MEANING OF PURPOSES

Is not self-evident and self-explanatory

Always starts with an impulse. Obstruction of the

immediate execution of an impulse converts into a
desire (Craving).
 
 FORMATION OF PURPOSES

I. Observation of surrounding conditions.

II. Knowledge of what has happened in similar

situations in the past, a knowledge obtained partly by
recollection and partly from the information, advice,
and warning of those who had a wider experience.

III. Judgment which puts together what’s observed and

what is recalled to see what they signify.

VII.Progressive Organization of Subject-Matter

 IN THE FINAL CHAPTER OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION ,
DEWEY COMMENTS UPON THE NEED TO REVISE THE ILL-
DIGESTIBLE FORMAT OF STANDARDIZE SUBJECT MATTER
IN SCHOOLS AND REPLACE IT WITH A MORE EXPERIENCED-
BASED PROCESS OF LEARNING. 
 THE TWO STEPS IN DEVELOPING SUBJECT MATTER IN ACCORDANCE
WITH DEWEY’S THEORY OF EXPERIENCE 

1) The beginning of all instruction must start from and/

and.
or within the experiences that learners already have 
.

2) There must be “an orderly development toward

expansion and organization of subject-matter through
growth of experience” (74). This step involves using
existing experience “as a means of carrying learners on
to a wide, more refined, and better organized
environing world…” (82).