John Dewey, Educational Philosopher

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John Dewey, Educational Philosopher
Presented by Wendy Jones and Robert Kennedy
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Outline

• Historical Information
• Pragmatism
• Educational Theory
• Applications for Technology in Education
• References

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Historical Information

• Born in Burlington, Vermont on October 20, 1859.
• Studied Philosophy at University of Vermont and
  Johns Hopkins.
• In 1896, Dewey founded the University Laboratory
  School, near Chicago, to research education.
• In 1900, Dewey published The School and Society
  followed by The Child and The Curriculum.
• In 1904, after controversy over administration,
  Dewey left Chicago for Columbia and became
  involved with the Teachers College.
• In 1910, Dewey published How We Think.
• In 1916, Dewey published Democracy and Education.

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Historical Information

• In 1938, Dewey published Experience and
  Education.
• John Dewey died June 1, 1952 in New York.

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Pragmatism

• Pragmatism is the philosophy that Deweys ideas
  are based upon.
• It is a philosophy which holds that both the
  meaning and truth of any idea is a function of
  its practical outcome (Radical Academy 2003).
• It emphasizes that all principles should be
  regarded as working hypotheses.
• Thus, it is only logical that these hypotheses be
  put to experimentation constantly.
• Deweys vision of Pragmatism is known as
  Instrumentalism. Meaning that inquiry and
  experimentation, not truth or knowledge, is the
  essence of logic.

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Educational Theory

• Believing in Pragmatism, Dewey thought that
  people learn the best through experience.
• Also, Dewey believed that all knowledge could be
  falsified. Thus, it needed to be consistently
  challenged and experimented on.
• The forces that have influenced me have come
  from persons and from situations more than from
  books. John Dewey

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Educational Theory

• In How We Think, Dewey presented his theory of
  inquiry to educators in the format of several
  steps
• Step 1 Occurrence of a problem. Dewey believed
  all inquiry began with doubt.
• Step 2 Specification of the problem. One
  should try to learn about the problem. Teachers
  should reinforce curiosity, orderliness,
  alertness, and flexibility.

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Educational Theory

• Step 3 Form a hypothesis that might solve the
  problem.
• Step 4 Elaborate on the hypothesis. Answer
  questions as how would one measure this
  hypothesis? Would measurement help or hinder?
  Can the hypothesis be generalized?
• Step 5 Experimentation. Find out if the
  hypothesis solves the problem. However, one
  should be wary to accept a correct hypothesis as
  the truth, they should instead think of it as
  having warranted assertibility.

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Application of Technology in Education
It is our hypothesis that Dewey would
accept and encourage the use of technology in
education. Technology is useful as a source of
information. Students could use it to learn about
a problem they might be trying to figure out.
This enhances curiosity, a trait Dewey especially
praised. Dewey also praised orderliness and
flexibility. Technology allows for strict
organization computers follow a very specific
order of operations. Technology also allows one
flexibility by means of software. Technology is
also very useful in experimentation, primarily in
the study of natural science.
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References

• Garrison, J. (1999). John Dewey. Retrieved
  October 13, 2003 from http//www.vusst.hr/EN
  CYCLOPAEDIA/john_dewey.htm
• Kemerling, G. (2002). John Dewey. Retrieved
  October 13, 2003 fromhttp//www.philosophypa
  ges.com/ph/dewe.htm
• The Radical Academy. (2003) American
  Pragmatism. Retrieved October 13, 2003
  fromhttp//radicalacademy.com/amphilosophy7.htm