PRAGMATISM

 Derived from Greek word ‘pragma’ which means work, practice,

 action or activity.

 It is the philosophy of practical experience.

 Pragmatism is an educational philosophy that says that education should be about life and
growth. That is, teachers should be teaching students things that are practical for life and
encourage them to grow into better people. Many famous educators, including John
Dewey, were pragmatists.

 Pragmatism offers us a theory of meaning, a theory of truth of knowledge, and a theory of

reality - Gomes. B. Prett

 Pragmatist believe that reality is constantly changing and that we learn best through
applying our experiences and thoughts to problems, as they arise.

PRAGMATISM ON EDUCATION

Pragmatism believe that aims are always determined by individual not by organization or any structure.
The best statement of what might be the educational aims of pragmatism can be found in the writings of
John Dewey:

The aim for education is to teach children to be comfortable in their learning environment to an extent
that children are living their life.

Dewey believed in this type of environment that is not considered a preparation for life, but life itself. He
believed that educators should know the things that motivate and interest the children and plan
accordingly. Dewey believed that aims should grow out of existing conditions, be tentative and have an
end view.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PRAGMATISM

 Gives importance to action

 Gives importance to experience
 Believes in change. No belief in permanent values
 Belief in practical philosophy
 Believe that growth and development takes place through interaction and environment
 FORMS OF PRAGMATISM

1. HUMANISTIC PRAGMATISM-

This type of pragmatism is particularly

found in social sciences. According to it
the satisfaction of human nature is the
criterion of utility. In philosophy, in
religion and even in science man is the
aim of all thinking and everything else
is a means to achieve human
satisfaction.

2. EXPERIMENTAL
PRAGMATISM-
Modern science is based upon
experimental method. The fact that can
be ascertained by experiment is true.
No truth is final, truth is known only to
the extent it is useful in practice. The
pragmatists use this criterion of truth in
every field of life. The human problems
can be solved only through experiment.

3. BIOLOGICAL PRAGMATISM-
Experimentalism of John Dewey is based upon this biological pragmatism according to which the
ultimate aim of all knowledge is harmony of the man with the environment. Education develops social
skill which facilitates one’s life. The school is a miniature society which prepares the child for future life.

EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

1. EDUCATION AS LIFE- Pragmatists firmly believe that old and traditional education is dead and
lifeless. Education is a continuous re-organizing, reconstructing and integrating the experience and
activities of race. They want to conserve the worthwhile culture of the past, think out the solutions to
meet the new situations and then integrate the two. Real knowledge can be gained only be activity,
experiments and real life experiences.

2. EDUCATION AS GROWTH- Thus education will be useful if it brings about the growth and
development of the individual as well as the society in which he lives. Education is meant for the child
and child is not meant for education and child is not empty bottle to be filled up by outside knowledge.
Each child is born with inherent capacities, tendencies and aptitudes which are drawn out and developed
by education. One of the aims of education is to develop all the inherent capacities of the child to the
fullest extent.
3. EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL PROCESS- To pragmatism, man is a social being. He gains more and
more knowledge through personal experiences than he gets from books. According to pragmatism, the
education of the child should be through the medium of society so that develops in him socially desirable
qualities which promote his welfare and happiness. John Dewey rightly speaks out – Education is the
social continuity of life.

4. EDUCATION A CONTINUOUS RESTRUCTURING OF EXPERIENCE- Education is a process

of development. Knowledge is gained by experiences and experiments, conducted by the learner himself.
One exercise leads to another and so on and the area of knowledge is widened by the child. The process
of reconstruction of experience goes on and leads to adjustment and development of personality. For
pragmatists educational process has no end beyond itself. In addition to the individual, it is continuous
reorganizing restructuring and integrating the experience and activities of the race.

5. EDUCATION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE - Education is the birth right of each individual
and may not be within the right of the individual, so the state should shoulder the responsibility. The
refusal of the state to do so may not lead the nation to suffering. It is for the state to make the child
capable and confident to meet the problems and challenges of life successfully.

PRAGMATISM AND AIMS OF EDUCATION

Pragmatism does not lay down any aims of education in advance. It believes that there can be no fixed
aims of education. Life is dynamic and subject to constant change, and hence the aims of education are
bound to be dynamic. Education deals with human life. It must help the children to fulfill their biological
and social needs. The pragmatist educator aims at the harmonious development of the educand —
physical, intellectual, social and aesthetic. The aim of education, therefore, is to direct “the impulses,
interests, desires and abilities towards ‘the satisfaction of the felt wants of the child in his environment.”
The children should be so trained that they may be able to solve their present-day problems efficiency and
to adjust themselves to their social environment. They should be creative and effective members of the
society. Their outlook should be so dynamic that they can change with the changing situations.

PRAGMATISM AND CURRICULUM

1. PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY - According to this principle, only those subjects, activities and
experiences should be included in the curriculum which are useful to the present needs of the child and
also meet the future expectations of adult life as well. As such Language, physical well-being, physical
training, Geography, History, Science, Agriculture and Home science for girls should be included in the
curriculum.

2. PRINCIPLE OF INTEREST - According to this principle, only those activities and experiences
where in the child takes interest should be included in the curriculum. According to John Dewey these
interests are of four varieties namely-interest in conversation, interest in investigation, interest in
construction and interest in creative expression. Keeping these varieties of interests in view, at the
primary stage, the curriculum should include Reading, Writing, Counting, Art, Craft-work, Natural
science and other practical work of simple nature.
3. PRINCIPLE OF EXPERIENCE - The third principle of pragmatic curriculum is the child’s activity,
vocation and experience. All these three should be closely integrated. The curriculum should consist of
such varieties of learning experiences which promote original thinking and freedom to develop social and
purposeful attitudes.

4. PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRATION - Pragmatic curriculum deals with the integration of subjects and
activities. According to pragmatism knowledge is one unit. Pragmatists want to construct flexible,
dynamic and integrated curriculum which aids the developing child and the changing society more and
more as the needs, demands and situation require.

PRAGMATISM AND TEACHER:

 A teacher should be adult and train

 Pragmatism regard as a helper guide and philosopher.
 Teachers should focus on experimenting a teacher should encourage student to focus on
experiment
 Teacher should be imaginative in his efforts.
 Teacher should believe in democratic values.
 Teacher should not be overshadowing the personality of a pupil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEACHER:

 Well dressed
 Confident
 Sufficient Knowledge
 Helper
 Good personality
 Polite Equality

PRAGMATISM AND METHODS OF TEACHING

The method employed by the pragmatist teacher is experimental. The pupil is required to discover the
truth for himself. To facilitate this discovery the application of the inductive and heuristic methods of
teaching is necessary. Experiences should, therefore, be planned to arouse the curiosity of children to
acquire knowledge. Textbooks and teachers are not so much important in pragmatic education. Their
position is secondary in the teaching- learning process. They are required to suggest and prompt only. The
teacher suggests problems, indicates the lines of active solution and then leaves the students to
experiment for themselves. The child learns for himself. Pragmatic education is thus auto-education or
self-education.
PRAGMATISM AND STUDENT:

The pragmatism is an educational philosophy that says education should be teaching students the things
that are practical for life; encourages them to grow into better people; to emerge as good student into
community and society. Many renowned educators including John Dewey, William James, W.H
Kirkpatrick, J.L Childratners and many more were pragmatists

PRAGMATISM AND SCHOOL:

School for Dewey is a social organization designed to provide social experience to the learners. School
mimics the organization of society itself. Accordingly, in a school learners gain real experiences of actual
life which develops in them a sense of duty towards society. It is not only a center of education but a
center of community. School is a true representative of a society.