PRAGMATISMBACKGROUND AND MEANINGBASIC ASSUMPTIONSPRAGMATISM AND EDUCATION

Pragmatism It emerged in 19th century in America out of

empiricist view, that knowledge is acquired through experience.

Philosophers: William James, Charles Pierce and J. Dewey

A movement against traditional philosophies; realism and idealism based on too much speculation which is difficult to verify.

Background Pragmatists concentrated more on

epistemological issues. Their emphasis was on daily practical

experiences that produce testable and verifiable knowledge

Meaning Pragmatism, borrowed from Greek language and

was first used by Charles Pierce to mean ‘to make things done’.

According to Popkin and Stroll;1981:265 taken from William James), pragmatism is a method for solving or evaluating intellectual problems, and a theory about the kinds of knowledge that we are able to acquire

Meaning Pragmatism is concerned with: Evaluating and solving practical problems through

the process of thinking. Doing, experiencing, practicing, experimenting and

engaging in solving problems. In relation to epistemology it assumes that

knowledge is acquired through practice or action.

Basic assumptionsBelief in the process of change The universe is always in the process of

change, evolution and development. Nothing remains the same, fixed, static or

eternal. Ideas and everything else are in the process of

development. Truth and values are the result of evolving

human experience and knowledge

Assumptions J. Dewey (1915):all aspects of universe can be

properly understood in terms of a continuous state of evolution.

W. James in Kelly (1986): Change is the essence of reality. Truth is not static and unchangeable. It grows and develops with time. Human engagement in inquiries that lead to new

discoveries is the only way to cope with the universe successfully.

Every one should be prepared for that.

Assumptions Inherent or innate knowledge in human beings is a

fallacy. New born children are only privileged with the

physical and mental ability to allow them to participate in the world around them and to obtain what is relevant and meaningful.

There is no universal truth since everyone experiences his own world and environment in his own way at his own time in a variety of situations

Assumptions Truth and values are measured through

consequences of actions/practice or experimentation.

Charles Sanders in Kelly (1986) believes that meaning is a matter of consequences, what is meaningful is what is useful productively.

Behavior is good if it yields good result. Our moral actions and behavior can be judged in that way.

Assumptions Truth and meaning can be judged as tentative or

hypothetical, subject to change until they are tested through practice, experiment or experience.

J. Dewey in Kneller, G. (1971): knowledge develops through framing and testing of hypotheses. In this way we can attain knowledge in any field; science, moral, political, educational or aesthetical.

Assumptions Interdependence of theory and practice. Ideas

are developed through practice and experience.

Ideas are used for understanding practice, for testing or verifying theories.

Pragmatism and education Goal of education: adjustment to change by

teaching democratic values, scientific ways of problem solving and encouraging curiosity and creativity.

Adaptation to the changing circumstances or conditions of learners’ environment

Pragmatism and educationCurriculum: More concerned with the process rather than the

content, the means rather than the end of learning. Built around pressing and current issues, needs and

experiences of the learner, to be taught in the form of problem solving rather than through dry subject matter

Pragmatism and education Activities chosen should focus on the learner; needs,

ability, interest, experience and background knowledge.

School activities should harmonize with learner’s experiences outside the school.

School programmes should focus on practice, working with problems common to the learner’s experiences for facilitating the development of problem solving skills.

Pragmatism and educationThe teacher: Facilitator of learning or colleague acknowledging

learners’ ideas and their unique experiences. Since there is no absolute truth, learners and teachers

both need to verify the truth. A guide, a leader and advisor as he/she is more

experienced. Manager of change and a helper of learners to learn

how to learn.

Pragmatism and educationApproach: Learner-centred

Method: Give learners adequate freedom of choice, interact

with their environment, discover, solve problems, use their intelligence, hypothesize, test and develop ideas.

Learners to practice democratic ideals; cooperation, sharing and respecting ideas and opinions, share materials in learning.