TheoryofValue:Whatknowledgeandskillsareworthwhilelearning?

Whatarethe
goalsofeducation?
D.E:Theterm"value"hastwoquitedifferentmeanings.Ontheonehand,itdenotes
theattitudeofprizingathing,findingitworthwhile,foritsownsake,orintrinsically
Thisisanameforafullorcompleteexperience.Tovalueinthissenseisto
appreciate.Buttovaluealsomeansadistinctlyintellectualactanoperationof
comparingandjudgingtoevaluate.Thisoccurswhendirectfullexperienceislacking,
andthequestionariseswhichofthevariouspossibilitiesofasituationistobe
preferredinordertoreachafullrealization,orvitalexperience.291292
P.M:Valuesthatare"extrinsic"orinstrumentalmayberationallyestimated.Forthey
areonlymeans;arenotendsinanygenuinesense.Asmeanstheirefficacymaybe
determinedbymethodsthatwillstandscientificinspection.Butthe"ends"theyserve
(endswhicharetrulyends)arejustmattersofwhatgroups,classes,sects,races,or
whatever,happenirrationallytolikeordislike.9
Q.C:Ofthemanyconsequencesthatresult,thestateofeducationisperhapsthemost
significant.Asthemeansofthegeneralinstitutionofintelligentaction,itholdsthe
keytoorderlysocialreconstruction.252
DE2-- 239: We cannot establish a hierarchy of values among studies. In so far as any
study has a unique or irreplaceable function in experience, in so far as it marks a
characteristic enrichment of life, its worth is intrinsic or incomparable. Since
education is not a means to living, but is identical with the operation of living a life
which is fruitful and inherently significant, the only ultimate value which can be set
up is just the process of living itself. And this is not an end to which studies and
activities are subordinate means; it is the whole of which they are ingredients. 359: the
absence of a social environment in connection with which learning is a need and a
reward is the chief reason for the isolation of the school; and this isolation renders
school knowledge inapplicable to life and so infertile in character
TheoryofKnowledge:Whatisknowledge?Howisitdifferentfrombelief?Whatis
amistake?Alie?
D.E:Knowledgeisthetoolformanagingexperiencenosuchthingasgenuine
knowledgeandfruitfulunderstandingexceptastheoffspringofdoing.321322
R.P:Knowledgeispowerandknowledgeisachievedbysendingthemindtoschool
ofnaturetolearnherprocessesofchange.42

Q.C:Onthesideofknowledge,thedivisioncarriedwithitadifferencebetween
knowledge,initsfullsense,andbelief.Theformerisdemonstrative,necessarythatis
sure.Beliefonthecontraryisonlyopinion;initsuncertaintyandmereprobability,it
relatestotheworldofchangeasknowledgecorrespondstotherealmoftruereality18
L.T.1:Butinpopularusage,beliefalsomeansapersonalmatter;somethingthatsome
humanbeingentertainsorholds;aposition,.whichundertheinfluenceofpsychology,
isconvertedintothenotionthatbeliefismerelyamentalorpsychicalstate.7
Thereisnotbeliefsosettledasnottobeexposedtofurtherinquiry.8
R.P:Thegreatthingisnottoavoidmistakesbuttohavethemtakeplaceunder
conditionssuchthattheycanbeutilizedtoincreaseintelligenceinthefuture.175
DE2 -- 340: Knowledge is a perception of those connections of an object which
determine its applicability in a given situation. 338: our beliefs are only hypotheses,
theories, suggestions, guesses, and are to be entertained tentatively and to be utilized
as indications of experiments to be tried. 197: making mistakes is an incidental
requirement. appliances which forbid a chance for mistakes to occur, restricts
initiative, reduces judgment to a minimum, and compels the use of methods which are
so remote from the complex situations of life that the power gained is of little
availability. 176: Intellectual integrity, honesty, and sincerity are at bottom not matters
of conscious purpose by of quality of active response
TheoryofHumanNature:Whatisahumanbeing?Howdoesitdifferfromother
species?Whatarethelimitsofhumanpotential?
C.C:Humannaturebeingwhatitis,however,ittendstoseekitsmotivationinthe
agreeableratherthaninthedisagreeable,indirectpleasureratherthaninalternative
pain.29
P.P:Everythingwhichisdistinctivelyhumanislearned,notnative,eventhoughit
couldnotbelearnedwithoutnativestructureswhichmarkmanofffromother
animals.24
EXTheinteractionofhumanbeings,namely,association,isnotdifferentinorigin
fromothermodesofinteraction....Everythingthatexistsinasfarasitisknownand
knowableisininteractionwithotherthings....Thesignificantconsiderationisthat
assemblageoforganichumanbeingstransformssequenceandcoexistenceinto
participation.145

DE2 -- 12: Even dogs and horses have their actions modified by association with
human beings; they form different habits because human beings are concerned with
what they do. There was no complete discussion related to the distinctions between
animal and man in this resource. 197: limitation of capacity is one of the things which
has to be learned; like other things, it is learned through the experience of
consequences.
TheoryofLearning:Whatislearning?Howareskillsandknowledgeacquired?
C.C:Learningisactive.Itinvolvesreachingoutofthemind.Itinvolvesorganic
assimilationstartingfromwithin.Literally,wemusttakeourstandwiththechildand
ourdeparturefromhim.Itisheandnotthesubjectmatterwhichdeterminesboth
qualityandquantityoflearning.9
D.E:...learningmeanssomethingwhichtheindividualdoeswhenhestudies.390He
learnsinconsequenceofhisdirectactivities.199Thinkingisthemethodofintelligent
learning,oflearningthatemploysandrewardsthemind.171
DE2 -- 334: there are two senses of the word learning; (1) the sum total of what is
known, as that is handed down by books and learned men, and (2) something which
the individual does when he studies; an active, personally conducted affair. 3: This
transmission occurs by means of communication of habits of doing, thinking, and
feeling from the older to the younger
TheoryofTransmission:Whoistoteach?Bywhatmethods?Whatwillthe
curriculumbe?
C.C:Asateacherheisconcernedwiththesubjectmatterofthescienceas
representingagivenstageandphaseofthedevelopmentofexperience.Hisproblemis
thatofinducingavitalandpersonalexperiencing.Hence,whatconcernshim,as
teacher,isthewaysinwhichthatsubjectmaybecomeapartofexperience.23
D.E:Thisdoesnotmeantheteacheristostandoffandlookon;thealternativeto
furnishingreadymadesubjectmatterandlisteningtotheaccuracywithwhichitis
reproducedisnotquiescence,butparticipation,sharing,inaactivity188
M.P.C:...everyteachershouldrealizethedignityofhiscalling;thatheisthesocial
servantset
apartforthemaintenanceofpropersocialorderandthesecuringoftherightsocial
growth.

...thequestionofmethodisultimatelyreducibletothequestionoforderor
developmentofthechild'spowersandinterests.435
...thesubjectmatteroftheschoolcurriculumshouldmarkgradualdifferentiationout
oftheprimitiveunconsciousunityofsociallife.432
...thetruecenterofcorrelationontheschoolsubjectsisnotscience,norliterature,nor
history,norgeography,butthechild'sownsocialactivities.433
DE2 -- 3: adult members (of society) who possess the knowledge and customs of the
group through communication. 163: student is systematically led to utilize his earlier
lessons to help understand the present one, and also to use the present to throw
additional light upon what has already been acquired. The best type of teaching bears
in mind the desirability of affecting interconnection. 249: The tendency to assign
separate values to each study and to regard the curriculum in its entirety as a kind of
composite made by the aggregation of segregated values is a result of the isolation of
social groups and classes.
TheoryofSociety:Whatissociety?Whatinstitutionsareinvolvedintheeducational
process?
RRSocietyisoneword,butinfinitelymanythings.Itcoversallthewaysinwhichby
associatingtogethermensharetheirexperiences,andbuildupcommoninterestsand
aims.200
D.E:Anyeducationgivenbyagrouptendstosocializeitsmembers,butthequality
andvalueofthesocializationdependsuponthehabitsandaimsofthegroup.96
Associetiesbecomemorecomplexinstructureandresources,theneedofformalor
intentionalteachingandlearningincreases.11
P.M:Allinstitutionsareeducationalinthesensethattheyoperatetoformthe
attitudes,dispositions,abilitiesanddisabilitiesthatconstituteaconcretepersonality.
62
DE2 -- 22: The social environment consists of all the activities of fellow beings that
are bound up in the carrying on of the activities of any one of its members. 6: Social
institutions including economic, domestic, political, legal and religious all enlarge and
improve experience.
TheoryofOpportunityWhoistobeeducated?Whoistobeschooled?

D.E:Thedominantvocationofallhumanbeingsatalltimesislivingintellectualand
moralgrowth.362
Sincegrowthisthecharacteristicoflife,educationisallonewithgrowing;ithasno
endbeyonditself.Thecriterionofthevalueofschooleducationistheextentinwhich
itcreatesadesireforcontinuedgrowthandsuppliesmeansformakingthedesire
effectiveinfact.62
Theinclinationtolearnfromlifeitselfandtomaketheconditionsoflifesuchthatall
willlearnintheprocessoflivingisthefinestproductofschooling.60
M.P.C:Ibelievethateducationisthefundamentalmethodofsocialprogressand
reform....Bylawandpunishment,bysocialagitationanddiscussion,societycan
regulateandformitselfinamoreorlesshaphazardandchanceway.Butthrough
educationsocietycanformulateitsownpurpose,canorganizeitsownmeansand
resources,andthusshapeitselfwithdefinitenessandeconomyinthedirectionin
whichitwishestomove....Educationthusconceivedmarksthemostperfectand
intimateunionofscienceandartconceivableinhumanexperience.437438
DE2 -- 3: there is the necessity that these immature members (of society) be not
merely physically preserved in adequate numbers, but that they be initiated into
interests, purposes, information, skill, and practices of the mature members: otherwise
the group will cease its characteristic life. 51: The inclination to learn from life itself
and to make the conditions of life such that all will learn in the process of living is the
finest product of schooling.
TheoryofConsensus:Whydopeopledisagree?Howisconsensusachieved?Whose
opiniontakesprecedence?
C.C:Solutionsofproblemscomesonlybygettingawayfromthemeaningofterms
thatisalreadyfixeduponandcomingtoseetheconditionsfromanotherpointof
view,andhenceinafreshlight.3
Opinionsshouldbetreatedasafactorinaproblemneedingadjustment.3
D.E:ConsensusdemandscommunicationTheexperiencehastobeformulatedin
ordertobecommunicated.Toformulaterequiresgettingoutsideofit,seeingitas
anotherwouldseeit,
Consideringwhatpointsofcontactithaswiththelifeofanothersothatitmaybegot
intosuchformthathecanappreciateitsmeaning.Exceptindealingwith

commonplacesandcatchphrasesonehastoassimilateimaginatively,somethingof
another'sexperienceinordertotellhimintelligentlyofone'sownexperience.67
DE2 -- 5: Consensus demands communication. To be a recipient of a communication
is to have an enlarged and changed experience. The experience has to be formulated in
order to be communicated.

Sources:
C.C.Dewey,J.TheChildandtheCurriculum.

Chicago:UniversityofChicago
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D.E..DemocracyandEducation.

NewYork:MacmillanCompany,1924.
DE2 - Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education
(NY :Free Press, 1916)
E.N.ExperienceandNature.

Chicago:OpenCourtPub.Co.,1958
L.T.1..Logic:TheTheoryofInquiry.

NewYork:HoltRinehart&Winston,1938.
M.P.C.MyPedagogicCreed.InR.D.Archambault(Ed.)John
DeweyonEducation:SelectedWritings.NewYork:TheModernLibrary,1964.
P.M.ProblemsofMen.NewYork:GreenwoodPress,1946.
P.PThePublicandItsProblems.

Chicago:SwallowPressInc.,1954.
R.P.ReconstructioninPhilosophyBostonTheBeaconPress,1957.
Q.C..TheQuestforCertainty.

NewYork:G.P.Putnam'sSons,1929.