Question- Estimate the contribution of pragmatism to educational thought and classroom practice. Which aspects of present Indian education may be ascribed to the influence of pragmatism ?

Related Short Answer - Questions
Explain the meaning of Pragmatism in Education.

Answer -

Pragmatism in Education

(i) Importance of Human Effort : Pragmatists believe that education depends upon the active participation of the child. The entire form of the universe is based on human effort and man is the architect of his destiny.

(ii) Faith in the Future : The pragmatic thinker is convinced of the brilliant and prosperous future of the human race. He believes that by making continuous and dedicated effort in the sphere of education, man can create a better adjusted and more powerful generation.

(iii) Empiricism : It is suggested that, at every stage of education, the educator and the educand should refer every fact to his own experience and interpret it in that light. Only then can the new piece of information become a part of his life. Hence, only vocal or verbal education is not enough. It cannot be sufficient until it is based on related experience. For this reason, pragmatist believe that the child should be given oral instruction, but this instruction should be supplemented by experience in the fields related to each particular subject.

(iv) Experimentation : Pragmatic philosophy believes in continuous experimentation in every aspect of the educator-educand relationship and in every sphere of education. These experiments will reveal many new facts which can be useful in modifying the curricula, educational methods, aims of education, etc. seen from this viewpoint, the school itself is a laboratory in which the educator is continuously experimenting. This approach of the pragmatic thinkers has given immense encouragement of educational psychology and child psychology, both of which have experienced remarkable progress.

(v) Dualism : Concerning the aims, methods, curricula, etc., of education, pragmatism adopts a dualistic approach. It demands that every educator is to base his education on his own experience and philosophy, while every educand is required to acquire an education in keeping with his own specific inclinations, interests and abilities.

(vi) Stress on Practical Success : The only criterion of the propriety of teaching methods, aims and curricula is the individual's success in later life. Only those principles of education are connected which take the educand to success. Our only aim is to satisfy our natural desires and to develop life. All that assists in this process is true and good, and knowledge of this truth can be obtained only through experience and experimentation.

(vii) Humanitarianism : Pragmatism aims to create humanitarian values in every sphere of education, the methods of teaching, aims, curricula, etc. Education of all kinds should aim at evolving human values.

(viii) Democracy : Pragmatists are fundamentally democratic because democratic society is the best means of achieving humanitarian ideals.

They want to utilise education to create democratic values and ideals in education so that they can be trained to occupy a responsible place in a democratic society.

(ix) Emphasis on Human Personality : Pragmatists attach the greatest importance to the human personality, because they consider it the most significant element in the process of education.

(x) Social Function of Education : Brubacher points out that the pragmatic conception of education is based on two fundamental principles, the first that education has a social function and the second is that it must provide experience to the child. Knowledge for its own sake is a principle which the pragmatists do not accept. Pragmatist stress the importance of social values. Society is composed of man’s social experience.

(xi) Comprehensive Education : Pragmatists believe that the aim of education is a comprehensive practical education, a concept of education which is based on the philosophy of liberal education. The aim of education is to achieve the educand’s intellectual, moral, aesthetic, physical and spiritual, in fact, every kind of development. They are only means to satisfy certain human needs, just as education is intended to facilitate human life.

2. Objectives of Education : The various characteristics of the pragmatic concept of education clearly indicate the aims of education as conceived by pragmatists. Pragmatic thinking is opposed to all kinds of dogmatism, blind faith, narrow minded, etc. It objects to imposing some particular ideals on the child against his wish. Besides, it is not prepared to accept an ideal as correct or good merely because it has been so accepted in the past. Pragmatism favours frequent experimentation in the field of education in order to determine more modern ideals.

It is apparent, thus, that pragmatists accept growth or development as the aim of education. According to pragmatists, the educational aim must possess the following three elements in order to be a good or proper aim:
(i) Such aims are based on the educand’s actions and needs.
(ii) They elicit the educand’s co-operation.
(iii) They are specific and temporary, not permanent and general.

3. Principles Determining Curriculum : As has already been pointed out, pragmatists favour an educational curriculum which permits the educand to develop all his qualities and obtain all knowledge that he can use fruitfully in future life. They have suggested the perusal of the following guidelines in determining a curriculum:

(i) Pragmatists are utilitarian who believe that utility lies in facilitating human adjustment and adaptation.

(ii) The child’s own interest plays a significant role in the process of learning and in this process three kinds of interests are involved viz-a-viz.

(iii) Being empiricists, the pragmatic thinkers insist on teaching through providing the child with actual experience rather than role learning. Thus, teaching through books should be supplemented by programme.

(iv) Pragmatists believe that knowledge and intelligence are same all over the world, and that is why integration is of special importance in education.

4. The Educator : The pragmatic methodology of education is based on psychological facts, and in direct contrast to the naturalist method. And as such it grants far greater importance to the educator. In fact, the educator is the most important element in the school’s social environment.

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