Dewey’s Educational Principles and Purposes

University of the People

EDUC 5010: Education In Context

Written Assignment

Dr Alison Binger

June, 2021
John Dewey was a 20th Century academic philosopher and educator who is admired for his

revolutionary approach to the purpose of education not only in American education but the world

at large. This paper seeks to explain Dewey’s purpose of education, analyze three principles of

Dewey’s philosophy and their influence on education, and assess how these principles align with

the principle of an IB education.

Dewey’s Purpose of Education

Dewey proposes learning by doing rather than learning by passively receiving. Dewey believed

that every child is active, inquisitive and ready to explore. (Davis, 2017). According Mintz

(2017, as cited in Dewey, 1916), Dewey proposes an education which will allow individuals to

grow, and/or be enlightened citizens who can utilize their skills and interests to secure social

efficiency. According to Dawson (1961), the purpose of education for Dewey is not

communication of knowledge but rather the sharing of social experience in order for the child to

become integrated into the democratic community.

Therefore, Dewey believed that education should be child-centered and also provide serene

environment where there can be space and guidance for them to grow in character, social, and

moral understanding. (Dewey, 1986).

Again, unlike the traditional philosophy which has its purpose of education solely for

memorizing knowledge or vocational skills, Dewey is of the view that the purpose of education

should be helping students to learn how to live with social competence or citizens with ethical

participation in society. (Talebi, 2015).

Dewey’s Principles of Education

The first principle of Dewey’s philosophy is learning through personal experience. Dewey is the

most famous advocator of progressive educational approach which emphasizes the need to learn

by doing. For Dewey, human beings learn through a 'hands-on' approach. Dewey believed that

education is all about experience rather than passively taking in fixed information from

textbooks and teachers. (Dewey, 1986). For Dewey, education must be child-centered where the

interest, needs, and experiences of the child are emphasized. For example, if a child is interested

about a particular topic, a sound environment must be created in order to acquire knowledge in a

meaningful way. This means that it is the responsibility of the teacher to make education

appealing to the child by keenly involving him/her in the process rather than passive information.

(Dewey, 1986).

This principle of learning through personal experience has influence on the Montessori model

schools which is mainly based on child-centered/learner-centered education. In the Montessori

model schools, students are seen working independently and in groups, often with specially

designed learning materials to engage them. According to Williams (2017), students are inspired

in the Montessori model school to take charge of their own studies, identifying, and doing

projects that interest them with teachers serving as guides to their learning.

The second principle of Dewey’s philosophy is social efficiency. The school is a social

institution which should be organized in a way that the outer world activities are reflected. In the

educational principle of social efficiency, students are urged to gain their interests and

capabilities around like-minded persons, to allow adaptation to change and a broader view of
their work and its impact. (Mintz, 2017; Drost, 1977). According to Dewey (1986), a student

must be allowed to participate in social activities and relationships with others which will give

him or her social consciousness. In so doing, the school can direct, guide, and control the inborn

propensities of the child in socially desirable channels. For Dewey, the schools have to offer

lessons that combine the needs and interest of a student and those of society (Talebi, 2015).

This principle of social efficiency has great influence on Problem-Based Learning (PBL).

Problem Based Learning is a model of teaching and learning by which students can obtain the

content knowledge and skills so that they can answer questions based on an authentic challenge,

need, problem or concern. Here the learner applies knowledge learned to real-world problems by

working with others to provide solutions to real-life problems. The role of the teacher in PBL is

to be a guide who governs the educational journey of the student so that he/she can fully examine

the social impact of his/her decision in order to apply past experiences to the present problem for

a workable solution in future. (Yew & Goh, 2016).

The third principle of Dewey’s philosophy is that education is life. Dewey sees education as life

but not a preparation for life because the child lives in the present but not the future. (Shawal,

n.d.). For Dewey, educative process must be naturally based on the present needs and interests of

the students since they live in the present. Therefore, the school has to train students to

participate in social life effectively because the basic purpose of the school is to guide them in

cooperative living in order to live in a democratic society, so that they can gain deeper

understanding of life since education is life. (Shawal, n.d.). Thus, the day-to-day activities of

students are also learning experiences to equip them.

This principle has greater influence on our school curriculum. The school curriculum is always

deigned to give students all-round experiences. Therefore, this principle helps curriculum

designers to relate school curriculum with students’ day-to-day experiences in society.

How these principles align with the principles of an IB education

The International Baccalaureate education focuses on child-centered approach where students are

offered the means to think critically and independently, and how to inquire with care and logic.

(IBO, 2013). This is similar to Dewey’s philosophy of child-centered education where the

interest, needs, and experiences of the child are emphasized. Again, Dewey’s philosophy of

democratic education is been practiced by the IB where learners development is based their own

interests and experiences. Further, just as Dewey believed that if a child is interested about a

particular topic, a sound environment must be created in order to acquire knowledge in a

meaningful way, IB promotes that learning should occur in environments that can promote

collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose and belonging. (IBO, 2018). IB learning process

which advocates for participation, advocacy, social justice, social entrepreneurship, or lifestyle

choice (IBO, 2018) is very well aligned with Dewey’s theory of utilizing learnt skills and

knowledge for social reform.

References

Davis, A. (2017, July 8). D is for John Dewey: His approach to education. Retrived

from https://www.thepositiveencourager.global/john-deweys-approach-to-doing-positive-

work/ 

Dawson, C. (1961). The Crisis of Western Civilization, Washington, D.C., pp. 62-63.

Dewey, J. (1986). Experience and Education. The Educational Forum, 50(3), 241-252.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00131728609335764

Drost, W. H. (1977). Social efficiency reexamined: The Dewey-Snedden controversy.

Curriculum inquiry, 7, 19-32. https://doi:10.1080/03626784.1977.11076201

International Baccalaureate Organisation (2013.). About the IB. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/

IBO (2018). The learning community. Retrieved from

https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/works/pyp_11162-51464?root=1.6.2.14.5.3&lang=en

Mintz, A. (2017). What is the purpose of education? Dewey’s challenge to his contemporaries. In

In L. Waks & A. English, (Eds.), John Dewey's democracy and education: A centennial

handbook (pp. 81-88). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Shawal, M. (n.d.). 4 main aims of education as advocated by John Dewy. Retrieved June 22,

2021 from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/education/4-main-aims-of-education-as-

advocated-by-john-dewey/69151

Talebi, K. (2015). John Dewey - Philosopher and educational reformer. European Journal of

Educational Studies. [pdf]. Retrieved June 20, 2021 from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED564712.pdf
Williams, M. K. (2017). John Dewey in the 21st Century. Journal of inquiry and action in

education, 9,91-102. Retrieved June 21, 2021 from

https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/jiae/vol9/iss1/7/

Yew, E. H. J. & Goh, K. (2016). Problem-based learning: An overview of its process and impact

on learning. Health Professions Education, 2, 75-79. Retrieved June 21, 2021 from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452301116300062