Dewey's Ideas On Activist Style Of Learning

Thinking on the value of ideas can be very different to any individuals. Someone believes that active learning is very beneficial to students. Some, however, prefers passive learning. In DeweyÐŽ¦s ÐŽ§Thinking in Education,ЎЁ he strongly supports the idea of active learning. Dewey explains his belief in four sub-categories.

First, Dewey says: ÐŽ§The initial stage of that developing experience which is called thinking is experience. In this, Dewey emphasizes the importance of thinking with activity, saying that it is the method of an educative experience. He reinforces this statement by saying that one must be associated with experience and activity to achieve the true thinking. Dewey provides a relevant example: in the classroom, a group of children made discoveries on their school materials.

Secondly, Dewey writes, ÐŽ§There must be data at command to supply the considerations required in dealing with the specific difficulty which has presented itself.ЎЁ Dewey explains that a real problem can be an efficient stimulus to thoughts. One often encounters problems and obtains knowledge from memory, observation, reading, and communication. With these various resources, one owns a well-trained mind with his/her past experiences. These are stimulus to thoughts.

Thirdly, Dewey writes: ÐŽ§The correlate in thinking of facts, data knowledge already acquired is suggestions, inferences, conjectured meanings, supposition, tentative explanations.ЎЁ He explains that our thoughts are incomplete. He suggests that at best they are tentative. Dewey also points out that teachers can also be the learner. With thinking, each person can stimulate one another with his/her thinking.

Fourth and lastly, Dewey writes, ÐŽ§Ideas, as we have seen, whether they be humble guesses or dignified theories, are anticipation of possible solution. Dewey argues that all educational institutions must be