INTRODUCTION (DRAFT)

John Dewey is an American philosopher who is very influential and prominent

with his theories and philosophies about education and social reform that brought a big
impact on today’s generation. The John Dewey theory is all about his various points of
view, ideologies, and radically different notions of what constitutes good education and
a better society. This indicates that society, education, and learning are interconnected
with one another. We are being shaped in school for us to be an effective citizen, we
learn through socializing with different personalities, and we, ourselves are part of the
society that can make a progress and change. Learning constantly with our
surroundings can be a useful knowledge that we can apply in society that will lead to its
prosperity. In school, we are not just learning but we are also acquiring a life-long
learning that can be a key for change and prosperity of everyone inside the society. By
socializing we learn, we became educated, and we build a good society that can make
us an effective learner and a citizen.
In the field of education and learning, John Dewey has a great contribution by his
different theories and views. His philosophies and ideologies gave idea on how good
learning and effective education should take place where it also recommends an
interdisciplinary curriculum. This includes the theory of Learning by Doing (Pragmatism)
where students learn effectively through experience and doing an on-hand activities.
The John Dewey Theory also talks about the Reformation of the Educational System
where he opposed many popular theories.. These perspectives and views of Dewey are
mainly concerned on education but on the other hand, The John Dewey Theory also
shows his concern toward the society. This includes his vision of democracy and society
and shows a controversial view about the role of the woman in society. Basically, The
John Dewey Theory is a broad theory about education and society where in we can use
his theories as a basis on how we should learn in school and act on society.
As a result, John Dewey's theory had an effect on the field of education in
general. He was the first to suggest and put into practice the concept of practical
learning, often known as experiential education, which was an innovative method of
instruction that improved a person's capacity for learning. Because of his interest in
philosophy and psychology, he was inspired to reach out to his ideas and apply them for
experiential purposes. This led to a positive change in the curriculum that is used today
as well as how we think about learning and education. He was a man of great
accomplishment who put in a lot of effort.
ANALYSIS
John Dewey was a famous American philosopher whose educational theories
are often regarded as the cornerstone of progressive education. According to Dewey,
education is the most suitable foundation upon which to build social and economic
revolution. Education and learning, in Dewey's view, should be regarded as participatory
processes that bring about change on both the social and economic levels (Boisvert,
1997). According to this theory, the most efficient way to improve the standard of
instruction provided in classrooms and other academic settings is for teachers to
encourage students to take an active role in their own education. It is essential that
students have the opportunity to engage with the content of the curriculum that is taught
in schools. According to Dewey, the primary goal of education should not be to cram
students' heads with factual information but rather to teach them useful skills that can be
applied in real life. The development of skills that are predetermined in educational
institutions is insufficient to provide pupils with the tools necessary to live successful
and meaningful lives
The idea of learning by doing is being popularized by John Dewey, an
American philosopher. For Dewey, this meant putting a lot of weight on getting students
involved. This method turned on its head the idea that people learn through lectures and
memorization. Experiential education, which encourages students to have a key role in
academic study and for which Dewey is an advocate, was developed by Dewey
(Boisvert, 1997). For the purpose of mental stimulation, project-based learning often
makes use of things found in nature. This hypothesis can be used in various fields of
study, including scientific research and intellectual inquiry. The primary responsibility of
educators at any given educational establishment is to help pupils find positive models
and role models in their lives (Garrison, 1995). Dewey is convinced that teaching pupils’
information and behaviors that are not naturally theirs is detrimental to their education
(Garrison, 1995). Students are turned into passive learners who are wholly reliant on
their instructors when the curriculum is organized around content-based models of
instruction. Dewey became well-known for saying that we learn best when we are really
interested in what we are learning. He thought that the best way to do that was to make
a curriculum that was relevant to the lives and experiences of the students. Recent
studies have shown that learning by doing is effective when it is incorporated into the
learning process at the appropriate time. It is essential to emphasize that education is a
process that takes place over time. Learning is a process that builds upon itself, and
when people try to learn by doing too soon, they become overwhelmed, and they do not
acquire knowledge. Understanding the "limitations" of short-term memory helps explain
why experiential learning cannot begin too soon. To learn, we must break down
knowledge and skills into manageable chunks and focus on discrete mastery
components. Learning by doing is effective when you are already familiar with the
subject matter. It is effective because the technique requires you to actively engage with
the material and generate your own knowledge, step by step and chord by chord. Giving
students lots of low-stakes quizzes is one way to use the "learning by doing" method in
the classroom. The way these quizzes are made, they don't really measure
performance. Instead, they ask students to interact with the content and come up with
their own ways to remember what they have learned. In fact, research shows that the
act of getting this kind of information improves understanding, makes it easier to
remember, and helps "transfer" knowledge to new situations. In other words, it makes
learning something you must do, something you have to work at.
The School and Society, the pamphlet that made John Dewey famous, was
published in 1899. Within its pages, Dewey promulgated many key principles that would
later be used in education reform. Dewey was confident that the traditional method of
education, in which students learned by sitting in rows and reciting what they had
learned, was unnecessary. Students should not be watchers but rather participants in
class. Instead of lectures, they needed projects that were captivating and applicable.
Students need to learn how to find solutions to problems. According to Dewey, pupils
should be given instruction on how to make the most of their abilities so that they are
better prepared for the future. Students need to learn to take complete responsibility for
their lives if they ever hope to attain their full potential (Garrison, 1995). They need to be
motivated by interest, not fear, in order to succeed. They ought to work together rather
than against one another. "Manual training" was the key to the new education. Before
there were factories and cities grew, children took care of animals, grew crops, and
used tools. "With real things and materials," they were taught by nature. Dewey was sad
that the idyllic village and children's modesty, reverence, and automatic obedience had
gone away. He wasn't a reactionary, though. "The world has changed radically, and
only a radically different education will do." Children who lived in cities had to learn to
sew, cook, and work with metal and wood. But learning how to do things by hand
shouldn't just be a vocational education or a replacement for working on a farm. It
should be based on science and experimentation and be a way to learn about
civilization. The focus of manual training was on learning jobs that helped both the hand
and the mind. It was just as important to know as it was to do. Cooperative learning led
to a more democratic classroom, which led to a more democratic society without elites,
racial divisions, or differences in income. Throughout his life, Dewey thought that people
were social creatures who liked to work together, not selfish people who liked to fight.
Also, he praised democracy as a way of life and scientific intelligence as the key to
change.
Democracy, according to Dewey, is an ethical idea and not just a political
concept. He views the true essence of democracy as a participation rather than a
representation. Moreover, Dewey responded to Lippman and other critics in his book
(The Public and its Problems), published in 1972. Dewey argued that American
democracy should be rebuilt so that government is “by the people” rather than “for the
people,” as Lippman believed. Dewey claims that the established beliefs and theories
about democracy should be critically questioned and revised considering new
developments, pragmatically evolving to meet changing needs. If democracy is to
function, citizens must be informed, knowledgeable, and wise; thus, education serves a
moral purpose. Classroom teachers and schools are responsible for developing
character as well as teaching knowledge and skills. In connection to this, democracy
and education are linked in two ways: first, democracy requires educated citizens to
survive; and second, democratic ideas shape education itself, specifically the
constitutions and process of the public school system (Dewey, 1985). Additionally, he
advocated for women’s suffrage and coeducational experiences, appeared to believe
that men and women should be treated equally no matter what the gender are, and
respected the opinions of women in the society. His views about the democracy and the
role of the woman in the society reveals how broad and beneficial his theory in the
society that we are living in. Whether in education, learning, democracy, and gender
equality that we often encounter wherever we put our eyes on.
The primary concept of Dewey's educational philosophy is that one should make
the most of their educational opportunities in order to actualize their full potential
(Garrison, 1995). John Dewey believes that the individual effort shown by pupils is more
important than the content being taught in order to achieve a decent education. The
school of thought associated with John Dewey has a tendency to downplay the
significance of teachers and content in the educational process. Dewey proposes a
solution to this problem by advocating for a harmony between academic study and the
pursuit of students' individual passions. His philosophies also emphasize the concept of
school in the growth and progress of the society where students learn through
experience and be able to be responsible in their roles in the society that we are living
in. Dewey emphasized that education must prepare students for an uncertain future, so
developing effective habits and the ability to adapt and learn how to learn should be
prioritized. Because of industrialization and mass production, many people had job for
life, and education focused on preparing students for their respective roles in the
society. His theories brought a big impact on today’s generation not only in the concept
of school, learning, and education but also emphasizes the concept of being a
responsible citizen in the society and acquire a life-long learning through experiences
that can be used in everyday scenarios.