Dewey Personal Reflection Paper

Carol Donlon

ColoradoStateUniversity

EDAE 520

Dr. Leann Kaiser, Ph.D

November 28, 2011

Critics of the “Great Books” mention how these books are difficult to read and require workwhile supporters propose that “struggling with one of these texts, improves

one’s reasoning and critical skills” (Hafner, 1991, p. 1063). I was not at all surprised to find John Dewey’s book, Experience & Education, was on the revised list of “Great Books”. Initially I read the book prior to starting my courses in Adult Education.I struggled with it asI was only minimally able to relate it to it.However, after learning from my adult education courses, and reflecting on my experience and the principles of adult education,I have read it a second time with a greater understanding and ability to make meaning of it. I also have a new appreciation for not only the book, but the importance of Dewey and his theories on education. This provides personal support and evidence “…found in the idea that there is an intimate and necessary relation between the process of actual experience and education” (Dewey, 1938, p. 20).

Traditional vs. Progressive Education

Throughout this book, Dewey discusses the differences between traditional and progressive education and the inadequacies of both. He starts in chapter one by stating that, “mankind likes to think in terms of extreme opposites. It is given to formulating its beliefs in terms of Either-Ors, between which it recognizes no intermediate possibilities” (Dewey, 1938, p. 17). I could not agree more! I feel that this is at the root of so many conflicts that we experience in our interpersonal, educational, vocational and societal lives. As in life, so has education been viewed in terms of either-ors. I have outlined the two approaches as indicated by Dewey on the following page. I will also be addressing some of these as they relate to my experience and adult education and training concepts.

TraditionalProgressive

Imposition from above Expression and cultivation of

individuality

External disciplineFree activity

Learning from texts and teachersLearning through experience

Acquisition of isolated skills andAcquisition of them as means of

techniques by drill attaining ends which make direct

vital appeal

Preparation for a more or less Making the most of opportunities

remote future of present life

Static aims and materialsAcquaintance with a changing world

(Dewey, 1938, p. 19)

In comparing the two approaches to education,it is evident that I am a product of a traditional education where I developed the habit of being a passive and empty vessel, waiting to be filled with information including what to think. Essentially, my experience was similar to what Freire referred to as, the banking concept, where,

The teacher “fills” students with contents of his narration. The student

records, memorizes, and repeats the contents without fully

understanding all concepts of what is taught. Students become

“receptacles” of information, “filled” by the teacher”

(Freire, 1993, p. 071, as cited inWinstead, 2011).

This started from elementary school, to high school and continued into university until I was first introduced to adult learning principles. I did not enjoy school as a child and youth and I did not feel well prepared for life, as this approach claims to do. In fact, it is rather the opposite. I found that my education trained me to do what was expected without question and please authority figures no matter what.I would take in and memorize information that was presented to me and then recall facts for tests. I operated on automatic pilot, where what I learned was often forgotten, not applied and seemed more like trivia. It is somewhat comforting to know that I am not alone in this type of experience. According to Dewey,

Almost everyone has had occasion to look back upon his school days

and wonder what has become of the knowledge he was supposed to

have amassed during his years of schooling, and why it is that the

technical skills he acquired have to be learned over again in changed

form in order to stand him in good stead. Indeed, he is lucky who does

not find that in order to make progress, in order to go ahead intellectually,

he does not have to unlearn much of what he learned (Dewey, 1928, p. 47).

Thankfully, as a result of my more recent educational pursuits, I am starting to cure myself of habitual passivity. Having an opportunity as an adult, to experience more progressive and humanistic approaches to education, I am developing more in depth critical thinking skills and develop my own conclusions. What was missing in my traditional education was the application, the doing /experiencing and the reflecting on that experience.

Initially when I reviewed the features of a progressive education, listed on the previous page, I thought that this would be a ready solution to the problems associated with a traditional approach. It has promise but still has some areas to work on. Dewey states that,

“the general philosophy of the new education may be sound, and yet….

the danger in a new movement that in rejecting the aims and methods

of that which it would supplant, it may develop its principles negatively

rather than positively and constructively” (Dewey, 1938, p. 20).

I agree with Dewey that this is not the way to develop a new approach and it fails to ask important questions such as “What is the place and meaning of subject matter and of organization within experience”(Dewey, 1938, p. 20)? As with so many either-orapproaches, it often results in not only the pendulum being swung too far in the opposite direction, it may even cause it to be off kilter. It is reactionary rather than proactive.

In designing education and educational activities, oneneeds to understand thereason behind their methods and activities and it can not just be that it is opposite toanother method. This only adds to the either-or thinking that Dewey mentions and it is a knee jerk reaction. One way to understand our reasoning is to develop a theory of experience which Dewey discusses in chapter two of this book. He cautions that “the belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative” (Dewey, 1938, p. 25). In fact, some experiences can hinder growth. Dewey discusses that traditional education is filled with students having experiences however, of the wrong kind. For instance, he asks, “how many acquired special skills by means of automatic drill so that their power of judgment and capacity to act intelligently in new situations was limited” (Dewey, 1938, p. 27)? As mentioned previously, I was one of those students.

A theory or philosophy can guide us on how we want to design and deliver instruction. In the case of Dewey, his philosophies on educationare in line with a progressive perspective. “It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem solver and thinker who makes meaning through his or her individual experience in the physical and cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing” (Cohen, 1999, p. 4). Given the importance of experience in relation to learning, it is apparent that one needs to select methods and activities wisely. I agree with Dewey that “it is, accordingly a much more difficult task to work out the kinds of materials, of methods, and of social relationships that are appropriate to the new education than is the case with traditional education” (Dewey, 1938, p. 29). For one thing, it requires much more thought and analysis as well as knowledge of the learners and the effectiveness of various techniques to create experiences that will be meaningful. It is also not surprising, that some may resist a move away from traditional methods including teachers themselves. Traditional methods are teacher driven whereas progressive is learner centered.

I agree that non all experiences are educative, so the question becomes, how do we select experiences that will be meaningful and educative? Dewey addresses this with the criteria of experience, which comes into play “…in every attempt to discriminate between experiences that are worth while educationally and those that are not” (Dewey, 1938, p. 33). This takes some careful analysis, planning, knowing the learners, their interests, their experiences and it requires a lot more work. However, the payoffs are well worth it. To me, you need to look at not only what experiences will be more educative but also when to have them. There needs to be a progression of experience. For instance, writing this Dewey reflection paper is an educative experience. I am able to draw upon not only my personal experience but also everything that I have learned in this course.

After our historical presentations and being introduced to Freire, the features of a traditional education and their similarity to the banking concept, just jumped off the page to me. If I was writing this reflection on Dewey’s book, in the early part of the course, it would not be as meaningful. My experience with this book both before and after our course work and synthesizing how everything connects, supports the statement that “…the principle of continuity of experience means that every experience both takes up something from those which have gone before and modifies in some way the quality of those which come after” (Dewey, 1938, p. 35).

In addition to continuity in the theory of experience, Dewey also points out that there needs to be interaction. Learners are social and need to interact and to share and discuss their experiences. “Learning from experience is an act of meaning making mediated through communication” (Boucouvalas, M & Lawrence, R. L. 2010, p. 39). Learners also learn about how to interact in groups where control comes more from how the activities are set up rather than external discipline and teacher control from above, Dewey proposes that,

The educator is responsible for a knowledge of subject matter that will

enable activities to be selected which lend themselves to social organization,

an organization in which all individuals have an opportunity to contribute

something, and in which all participate are the chief carrier of control.

(Dewey, 1938, p. 56).

This idea was in stark contrast to what I experienced in school. However, I feel that with planning, practice and skill, it is a good one. Otherwise, we teach people to either be obedient or rebellious. Traditional education to me teaches one to rely on external control rather than self control and as such does not prepare them for future interactions in life and in their work. This can have an impact in the future in terms of either having a good work ethic and team spirit or not. For instance, how many occasions have I witnessed students or employees appearing to be diligently working for the eyes of superiors, yet in fact, they were doing something else. I feel that we need people to develop self-control, take initiative, and to be able to interact with each other collaboratively. What really struck a chord with me was Dewey’s comment, “… a failure in education, a failure to learn one of the most important lessons in life, that of mutual accommodation and adaptation” (Dewey, 1938, p. 60).

I have experienced and been a product of a traditional education and I found that it did not provide a safe, nurturing and learning environment where I developed the critical skills and abilities needed to live well. I have also talked to many others with similar stories. Fortunately, unlike many, my prior experience did not dissuade me from pursuing higher education. I have had the refreshing pleasure of experiencing good adult education principles through formal, non-formal and informal learning, Many of the principles of progressive education are similar and as such, I would tend to favor this approach in educating our children, youth and adults. I agree with Dewey, however, that in order for this approach or any to be successful, you need an educational theory to guide you, along with good planning, analysis, organization and sequencing of activities and experiences that will lead to growth and the development of critical thinking skills.

As mentioned previously, I find progressive education is in line with good adult learning and teaching principles. In my class on processes and methods of adult teaching, we have discussed positive and negative learning experiences and what makes a an effective adult learning facilitator. In reflecting on those conversations, the negative experiences whether as a child or adult, resembled more of the traditional, teacher centered approach. Much of the positive experiences were more in line with progressive education. For example, recognizing the value of experiences, engaging learners, having learners as active participants, applying learning to real life. Adult learning principles utilize learner’s interests and experience.

In reading Experience & Education,and the contrast between traditional and progressive education, the words of Lindeman regarding adult education, came to mind. He states,

…the approach to adult education will be via the route of situations, not

subjects. Our academic system has grown in reverse order; subjects and

teachers constitute the starting-point, students are secondary. In conventional

education the student is required to adjust himself to an established

curriculum; in adult education the curriculum is build around the student’s

needs and interests. (Lindeman, 1926 as cited in Smith, 1997, 2004, p. 4).

Progressive education just as in adult education is learner centered and curriculum

is based on the learner. This is more in line with my philosophies and style of teaching.

I agree with Dewey and those whom he has influence in developing their theories on adult learning such as Lindeman and Kolb. “For example,Kolb’s (1984) cyclical model included concrete experience of and reflective observation on the experience, forming abstract conceptualization and generalization, and active experimentation or application of the experience to new situations.” (Boucouvalas, M & Lawrence, R. L. 2010, p. 39).

I feel that there is great potential in progressive education, if educators follow Dewey’s suggestions in terms of developing a theory of education that utilizes, plans and sequences activities that are meaningful and educative thus promoting growth. This is true for adult education as well as in educating children.

References

Boucouvalas, M & Lawrence, R. L. (2010) In C.E. Kasworm, A.D. Rose, & J.M. Ross-

Gordon (eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp.35-48). Thousand

Oaks, California: Sage publications, inc.

Cohen, L.M. (1999) Philosophical Perspectives in Education.

Retrieved from

Dewey, J. (1939). Experience & Education.New York, Touchtone.

Hafner, A.W. (1991). On my mind: in defense of the great books. American Libraries, 22

(11), 1062-1063.

Knowles, M.S., Holton, E.F., & Swanson, R.A. (2011) The Adult Learner, Kidlington,

UK: Butterworth-Heinemann publications.

Smith, M.K. (1997, 2004) Eduard Lindeman and the Meaning of Adult Education, The

encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http:

Windstead, S. (2011, September 25) Re: Pedagogy of the Oppressed Historical Topic

[Online posting presentation].

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