PRAGMATISM
and
EDUCATION
PRESENTERS:
AMADO JR. D. DULAM
MARY ANN B. DULA-OGON
MA. CHONA B. DULAY
INTRODUCTION and BAKGROUND
Pragmatism is one of the most important
schools of philosophy of education.
It is an educational philosophy that says
education should be teaching students the
things that are practical for life and
encourages them to grow into better people.
Its origin can be traced from the Sophists
philosophers of ancient Greece who held that
a man is the measure of all things.
What is Pragmatism?
Derived from the Greek word “pragma” which
means work, practice, action or activity.
The philosophy that encourages people to
find processes that work in order to
achieve their desired ends.
Pragmatists believe that reality is
constantly changing and that we learn
best through applying our experiences
and thoughts to problems, as they arise.
PROPONENTS of PRAGMATISM:
PROPONENTS of PRAGMATISM:
Charles Sanders Peirce (1839 – 1914)
An American philosopher,
logician, mathematician,
and scientist.
“The Father of Pragmatism”
Believed that thought must
produce action, rather than
linger in the mind and lead
to indecisiveness.
PROPONENTS of PRAGMATISM:
William James (1842 – 1910)
The first educator to offer a psychology
course in the United States, was one of
the leading thinkers of the late
nineteenth century and is believed by
many to be one of the most influential
philosophers the United States has ever
produced, while others have labelled him
the “Father of American psychology”.
The author of the Pragmatic Theory,
defines truth in terms of the usefulness of a
belief. He thinks that useful beliefs are true
and useless beliefs are false.
PROPONENTS of PRAGMATISM:
John Dewey (1849 – 1942)
An American philosopher and educator
who was a leading exponent of
philosophical pragmatism and rejected
traditional methods of teaching by rote in
favour of a broad-based system of
practical experience.
Father of Modern Experiential Education
An early proponent of progressive
education, maintained that school’s
should reflect the life of the society.
“Education is not preparation for life;
education is life itself.”
FORMS of PRAGMATISM:
HUMANISTIC PRAGMATISM
- This type of pragmatism is particularly found in social
sciences. According to it the satisfaction of human nature
is the criterion of utility. In philosophy, in religion and
even in science man is the aim of all thinking and
everything else is a means to achieve human satisfaction.
EXPERIMENTAL PRAGMATISM
- Modern science is based upon experimental method. The
fact that can be ascertained by experiment is true. No truth is
final, truth is known only to the extent it is useful in practice.
The pragmatists use this criterion of truth in every field of
life. The human problems can be solved only through
experiment.
FORMS of PRAGMATISM:
NOMINALISTIC PRAGMATISM
- According to nominalistic pragmatism, the results of
an experiment are always particular and concrete,
never general and abstract.
BIOLOGICAL PRAGMATISM
- Experimentalism of John Dewey is based upon this
biological pragmatism according to which the
ultimate aim of all knowledge is harmony of the man
with the environment. Education develops social skill
which facilitates one’s life. The school is a miniature
society which prepares the child for future life.
Pragmatism and Education
• Education should be preparation for life
• Solving problems is important; therefore use
real-life situations
• Teaching methods should be varied and
flexible
• Education should be action oriented
• Needs and interests of students should be
considered
• Project approach to teaching is desirable
• Curriculum is varied
• A broad education is more desirable
Pragmatism & Curriculum
• Principles of Utility
• Principles of interest
• Principle of experience
• Principle of integration
Primary Teaching:
1. Teaching-learning process is social and bi-
polar process.
2. Gives priority to the thought or action.
3. Emphasis on the invention of new methods.
4. Emphasis on the discovery and inquiry
method.
5. Child-center
PRAGMATISM AND TEACHER
The teacher is to create such an
environment in the school were pupils
will have to face different problems
relating to real life and will take
interest in the solution of these
problem.
PRAGMATISM AND DISCIPLINE
1. Opposed against the imposition of rules and
regulations to pupils, they believe in social and
personal discipline.
2. Believe that play and work should be combined.
This combination will perform a mental attitude
and discipline.
3. Discipline cannot be maintain through force and
domination.
6. Children should be left free in order to develop
freely and harmoniously.
5. Rewards and discipline are no significance in the
process of learning.
7. Believes in discipline by freedom and joy.
Contribution of Pragmatism in
Classroom Setting
1. Learning by doing
2. Provision of Real-Life situation
3. Projects Method
4. Experimentation
5. Play way Method
Merit of Pragmatism
1. Importance of child
2. Emphasis of activity
3. Faith in applied life
4. Infusion of new life in education
5. Social and Democratic education
6. Progressive and optimistic attitude
7. Construction of project method
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
1. EDUCATION AS LIFE
Pragmatists firmly believed that old and traditional education is
dead and lifeless.
Education is continuous re-organizing, reconstructing and
integrating the experience and activities of race.
Real knowledge can be gained only be activity, experiments and real
life
experiences.
2. EDUCATION AS GROWTH
Each child is born with inherent capacities, tendencies and
aptitudes
which are drawn out and developed by education. One of the aims of
education is to develop all the inherent capacities of the child to the
fullest extent.
3. EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL PROCESS
Man gains more knowledge through personal
experiences than he gets from books.
4. EDUCATION A CONTINUOUS
RESTRUCTURING OF EXPERIENCE
Knowledge is gained by experiences and experiments,
conducted by the learner himself.
Educational process has no end beyond itself.
5. EDUCATION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE
Education is the birth right of each individual and
may not be within the right of the individual, so the
state should shoulder the responsibility.
