Question- Explain the impact of Dewey on Educational thought and classroom practices.

Answer -

Impact of John Dewey (1857-1950)

Dewey’s philosophy and programme in education have variously been termed as ‘Experimentalism’, ‘Functionalism’, ‘Instrumentalism’, ‘Operationalism’, ‘Practicalism’ and above all ‘PRAGMATISM’. All these terms indicate his stress on the dynamic and ever-changing character of life and education. Dewey’s philosophy and practices of education grew out of his experiments in the University Laboratory School, founded at Chicago in 1896.

In his book “My Pedagogic Creed”, Dewey observes, “Education must begin with a psychological insight into the child’s capacities, interests, and habits.”

Dewey tells us that only through the continual and sympathetic observation of childhood’s interests the teacher can enter into the child’s life and see what it is ready for, and upon what material it could work most readily and fruitfully.

Meaning of Education

1. Experiment: Dewey’s general philosophy finds expression in his philosophy of education. Reflective inquiry is as central for education, in his view, as for any other phase of life or experience. Indeed, education is a problem-solving process, and we learn by doing, by having an opportunity to react in real-life situations.

2. Reconstruction: The reconstructive purpose is as much at work in education as anywhere else in experience. As he says in Democracy and Education, "Education is a constant reorganizing and reconstructing of experience".

3. Growth: Dewey equated education and growth. As teachers, we start with the child where he now is, with his present stock of interests and knowledge. He learns to work responsibly for his own development and for social conditions which will encourage a similar development for all other members of his society.

Progressive Education: Dewey himself had considerable reservations over some features of “progressive education” but he continued to emphasize some of the strengths of the newer education as compared with the traditional outlook. His humanism and meliorism are richly exemplified in his account of the theory and practice of education. His philosophy of education stresses the social nature of education, its intimate and multiple relations to democracy, and its cultural significance.

Objectives of Education

1. Development of Powers & Abilities : According to Dewey, the aim of education is the development of the child’s powers and abilities. It is impossible to lay down any definite principle for a particular kind of development. The educator should guide the child according to the abilities and powers he observes in it.

2. Democratic Atmosphere : It is better, in Dewey’s opinion, to leave the question of educational objectives unAnswer -ed. If a definite aim is ascribed to education, it may do very great harm by compelling the teacher to guide the educand in a particular direction, not in keeping with the innate abilities of the child.

3. Creating Social Efficiency : From the pragmatic standpoint, education aims at creating social efficiency in the child. Man is a social being who must develop within the confines of society, outside which he cannot develop at all.

4. Instilling Democratic Values : Pragmatic education aims at instilling democratic values and ideals in the individual, at creating a democratic society in which there is no distinction between one individual and another, each individual is completely independent and willing to cooperate with others.

Hence, education should create cooperation and harmony among individuals, instilling democratic values in school-going children. Morality can be developed through active participation because such participation in the activities of the school trains the child in shouldering responsibility. This develops the individual’s character and grants him social skill.

5. Preparing for Future : Pragmatic education is basically practical in as much as it aims at preparing the individual for future life in such a manner that he can fulfil his requirements and achieve contentment. Future life in the pragmatic sense implies not merely individual life but also social life. Dewey was critical of the contemporary modes of education because they tend to drive the child away from democratic life by giving advantages to a small section of society.

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