John Dewey was a prominent American philosopher and education reformer. Some key aspects of his philosophy included: 1) He believed that education should be centered around the interests and experiences of the child through hands-on, experiential learning rather than rote memorization. 2) Knowledge is derived from action and problem-solving, not separate from it. The process of thinking involves identifying a problem, gathering information, developing potential solutions, and testing those solutions. 3) He advocated for an integrated, flexible curriculum organized around the child's activities and interests rather than rigidly separated subjects.

1. John Dewey
Sandeep Lopez

2. Dewey’s Basic Philosophy
• Dewey was a great educationist, because he
was a great philosopher.
• Philosophy - it is the theory education in its
most general phases.
• Philosophy needs to define what education is,
moreover, any “ideal that is a genuine help in
carrying on activity must rest upon a prior
knowledge of concrete actual occurrences”

3. Views on Mind and Knowledge

4. MIND
• Evolution of mind and intelligence takes place
naturally
• Daily activities are involved in solving various
practical and social problems of life.
• Mind as an instrument includes 3 aspects, i.e.,
thinking, feeling, and willing
• Ideas are developed by the individual in the
process of controlling the objects of the
environment for avoiding, pain and obtaining
satisfaction

5. KNOWLEDGE
• Dewey does not believe that knowledge
precedes action. It is only as a result of action
that knowledge is inferred
• He believes that the knowledge accumulated till
now is due to the activities of the individuals in
their struggle for existence.
• Dewey thinks that the natural play of these
tendencies should be considered as the starting
point of the educational process of the child.
• People believe that knowledge has independent
existence, does not depend on action. Dewey
does not agree with this.

6. PROCESS OF THINKING
• Dewey holds that thinking does not take place
in vaccum i.e., Pure contemplation cannot be its
basis. Nor does it originated from mass of
sensations.
• In the process of thinking, one undergoes
series of experimentations in order to needed
solution of the problem
• This method is the base of project method,
problem method and the activity programme.

7. Dewey mentions 5 logical steps in the process of
thinking:-
• The feeling of a doubt, hesitation, difficulty, or
problem.
• Taking the whole situation in view by analyzing
the various elements, and then locating the
heart of the problem.
• Arising of the suggestion and following the
same to find out the possible solutions.
• The bearings of each solution are developed
and subjection the most possible solution to
experimentation.
• To observe and experiment further in order to
accept or reject the solution

8. Dewey’s Concept of Curriculum
• No fixed curriculum
• Centred around child’s activities
• Integrated curriculum
 Play period from 4-8yr of age
 Period of spontaneous attention from 8-12
 Period of reflective attention from 12 onwards

9. Dewey's Method of Teaching
• He is of the opinion that direct experience is the
basis of all method. Knowledge takes place
from concrete and meaningful situations.
• He is of the opinion that direct experience is the
basis of all method
• The project or problem method which Dewey
advocated, the child's interests and purposes
are the most important things

10. • Dewey laid down the following five steps as
essential.
 The pupil should have a genuine situation of
experiences.
 A genuine problem should arise from this
situation and should stimulate the thinking of the
child.
 The child should obtain information or make
observation needed to deal with the problems.
 The suggested solution(s) should occur to him.
 He should have an opportunity to test his ideas
by application.

11. Dewey's contribution to Educational
Thought and Practice
• In the development of modern education
practices.
• The child is no longer regarded as a passive
subject meant for the imposition of external
information but is considered an active living
being.
• to introduce a more human touch in the
processes of education
• The supreme contribution of Dewey to a
philosophy of education is the theory of scientific
democratic humanism
• The supreme contribution of Dewey to a
philosophy of education is the theory of scientific
democratic humanism

12. Dewey’s contribution to modern education:
• Original thinker:
• Practical educational philosophy:
• His progressive outlook to education
• His views about aims, curriculum etc.

13. Dewey has influenced educational practices in the
following ways
• Good educational requirements:
 The initiative should be with children
 Children should be allowed to build certain attitudes
 Learning that is necessary for activity only should be
allowed
 Such learning should be properly guided
• Curriculum should be flexible, based on experience:
subjects should be organized according to utility and
curriculum should be determined according to instinctive
urges and native endowment.
• Teacher’s role is to be a friend, philosopher and guide to
the child. He is only to arrange the situations and
opportunities, which may enable them to learn

14. • Methods should involve the following steps:
 Activity
 Problem
 Data
 Hypothesis
 Testing
 The project method is emphaisised
• Regarding discipline, only social discipline is
stressed. Main purpose is to cultivate pupils
social attitudes, habits and ideas of co-
operative conduct through the conjoint activities
of the school.

15. Dewey’s Criticism
• Realists: He wants to understand it .He does
not mean to transform it as the pragmatist (or
Dewey) wants to do. The realists want to
understand the nature’s law so that he may be
adjusted to the existing scheme of things.
• Dewey thinks that philosophy should concern
itself with social conflicts arising from the
interaction of industry, science and democracy.