Purpose of Education

Miha Lee

1. Dewey, Hutchins and Adler are Philosophers. What is their method of knowing? What do they
add to the discussion of the purpose of education?

Philosophers method of knowing the purpose of education

Dewey  active learning through concrete  Social, emotional, and mental
(Progressivism) social experience such as development
(Pragmatism) problem-solving, discovery  full experiential growth of the
learning or inquiry approach individual to meet immediate
needs and desires of students
Hutchins  acquisition of knowledge of the  Liberal education
(Liberal most important subjects such as  Development of intellectual
education) philosophy, history, literature, powers to realize human potential
(Essentialism) and art  Improvement of human by help
 learning by having experiences students understand, establish, and
to fully understand the subject live by a hierarchy of values
matter that require experiences  Provision of the habits, ideas, and
techniques that students need to
continue to educate themselves
throughout their lives
 Promotion of political freedom or
social reform by development of
understanding and judgment
Adler  Active learning with the whole  General and liberal education
(Perennialism) mind  Providing ample opportunity for
 Didactic instruction, lecturing, personal development
and textbooks  Preparing students for the political
 Coaching, exercises, supervised duties and responsibilities of
practice citizenship with all the trained
 Maieutic or Socratic questioning intelligence
and active participation  Preparing students for earning a
living, not by specific training for
specific job.

2. Are the ideas of these three alive in schools today? Where? What concepts?

 Dewey’s idea of social experience is still alive in science education where inquiry or
project based learning are emphasized as learning method. The detracking of curriculum
is another way to implement his idea.
 Hutchins’ idea of liberal education is carried out by imposing such subjects on
elementary education and requisites on college education.
 Adler’ idea of curriculum based on standards exists in the National Educational
Standards.
3. Where do Dewey and Hutchins differ the most? On what do they agree?
Both Dewey and Hutchins view organized education as a tool of adaptation and preparation of
the individual for future life. What they agree on is the primary purpose of the organized
education that is to prepare the young for future responsibilities and for success in life, by means
of acquisition of the organized bodies of information and prepared forms of skill which
comprehend the material of instruction. They value the maintenance and reform of society by
providing public education. Thus, both of them acknowledge the importance of subject matter,
organization of educational system, and guidance by the mature (teacher).

Where Dewey and Hutchins differ the most is their view point of realm of school education.
Dewey saw the goal of education as social-emotional-metal growth. By contrast, Hutchins only
focused on intellectual training.

They also differ in their standpoint of the nature of human and society. Dewey thought of human
to have natural endowment to learn from his/her experiences. So, he stressed the student-
centered learning. He criticized the traditional education as imposition from above and outside of
adult standards and methods on those who are only growing slowly toward maturity. Instead, he
suggested that students actively participate in the development of what is taught. From his
perspective, education is a development within, by, and for experience.
In addition, he saw the nature of society as change from a perspective of relativism. Thus, every
society has its own needs that require different roles of its members as acitizen. Thus, he insisted
that experiences provided by schools should be meaningful extensions of the normal social
activities of learners. He contended that we may reject knowledge of the past as the “end” of
education and thereby only emphasize its importance as a “means.” He was concerned about the
selection of kinds of present experiences that live fruitfully and creatively in subsequent
experiences. Educative experiences should be connected and organized

On the other hand, Hutchins sees that human nature is constant and functions as a free man the
same in every society. He focused on improvement of human as a free individual, not a citizen in
a current society. Good moral and intellectual habits are required for the fullest development of
the nature of man. However, he thought of the role of schools as dealing with only intellectual
powers of men. The moral and spiritual powers are the spheres of the family and the church. He
insisted that the intellectual power can be improved by acquiring knowledge of the most
important subjects including philosophy, history, literature, and art.
Moreover, he believed that there is a hierarchy of values as a man in every society. Our
democratic society requires its member to maintain his/her political freedom by acquiring
knowledge to improve his/her understanding and judgment in social affairs.

4. What does Adler recommend? How does it differ from Dewey and Hutchins?

Adler contended that basic schooling should promote the principle of equal educational
opportunity by providing a completely on-track system of schooling. He also cared about the
quality of education, criticizing deplorable deterioration of schooling. He pointed out the
necessity of improving the quality of basic schooling for all and the quality of advanced schooling
for some. So, he suggested the idea of uniform standard which requires certain subject matters as
media for teaching universal qualities that promote metal and characterological development. He
recommended a single, required, 12-year course of study for all, with mo electives except foreign
language. He also suggested that teacher education should provide the same general, liberal
learning at advanced levels for preservice teacher students.
His idea of three different kinds of learning and teaching depending on the goals of education is
totally unique from the ideas of Dewey and Hutchins who insisted mainly one method.
Adler is different from Dewey in that Adler denied incidental learning and student choice.
However, Adler’s idea of active, aided discovery learning is very similar to Dewey’s idea of active
learning.