Dewey’s Concept

of Experience &

Thinking

John DeweyOctober 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952

Burlington, Vermont

an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer

How We Think Democracy and Education Experience and Education A Common Faith

Experience and Education is an analysis of "traditional" and

"progressive" education, it is also a clear and concise statement of Dewey's basic criteria of experience. He uses continuity and interaction to describe the latitudinal and longitudinal aspects of experience

Experience is not a object known, but rather, an action performed

Thinking arises as a means of dealing with these disturbing situations by working out hypotheses or guides to future actions.

Thought, especially scientific thought is instrumental in problem-solving

The occurrence of problems sets off a chain reaction of mental activities directed towards discovering functional solutions to the difficulties that confronts an organism

Problem-Solving

Realm of Education

Educational system should try to develop methods to problem solving Would train the citizens for living in an

organized and democratic society Strengthen the development of type of

social, economical and political institution

Student will be able to be an active citizen of such a society

Dewey referred to his philosophy as Instrumentalism.

Instrumentalism: is a doctrine that ideas or theories are

instrument of action and that their application and usefulness will determine the truth

PHILOSOPHY:

Students need to learn practical, pragmatic daily-life skills in order to build a better society.

Dewey wanted students to learn through experience and to think and reflect critically on their experiences.

For Dewey:

Truth is a satisfaction of the need and conditions of the problem out of which the ideas, the purpose and appropriate method of action arises.

Knowledge is not an end but an instrument which an individual can utilize to attain the desired goal.

Dewey asserts that the test of validity of ideaslism in accomplishing the work.

If people succeed, they are reliable, sound valid, good and true.

If they fail, they are false.