Ask a question about Dewey/pragmatism. Ask another question that the chapter provoked related to educational research. If you are able, comment on someone else’s question (note: this was posted late, so this last step is not required).
Mitchell Waters - Pragmatism, known for its practical implications, has received criticism by other philosophers for the reason that it may give way to a sort of “make-believe” concept of reality where every idea is warranted, even if it has not been tested against a “hard” or objective truth.
My question is this: How well does a pragmatic philosophy integrate with postmodernist views? Furthermore, when it comes to educational research, are there any real objective truths? Educational practice is versatile and teachers and counselors, like myself, have had to become adept at adapting to the culture of a classroom or the goals/worldview of a client. If educational research is supposed to generate knowledge to inform educational practice, is it even possible to measure educational research against an objective truth that will hold true across cultures, ages, races, genders, religions and creeds? Pragmatic philosophy is the “practical” philosophy. I would argue that many educational practitioners are pragmatic because emphasis on practical knowledge related to their students or clients is a lot of what makes them an effective educator or psychotherapist.
Amy Jefferson: In response to Mitchell's question: "If educational research is supposed to generate knowledge to inform educational practice, is it even possible to measure educational research against an objective truth that will hold true across cultures, ages, races, genders, religions and creeds?" I have the same question. If one views people as individuals then can you use research to generalize about a specific group. How does background come into the equation? When researching groups are you delving below the surface...for example, the successful white, male business owner who actually grew up in poverty and was the first in his family to go to college, what group would he belong to?
Kori: From our discussions in class it is easy to see each philosophy has good points and drawbacks. Pragmatism seems to have many good points and answers to problems with previous philosophies, breaking down dichotomies and integrating the mind and the environment on knowledge. What are the downfalls? If Dewey is not a positivist, how would he view theories, motivation theories, in educational research that seek to generalize(truth) to across many contexts and groups of people?
Amy Taloma: The questions that I had were: How would Dewey feel about today's k-12 education and SOLs? Also, Pragmatism seems like a feeder into Malcolm Knowle's andragogy which says adult learners utilize their prior experience, seek relevance and utility, and prefer active learning - does andragogy have pragmatic roots?
Elizabeth Severson-Irby: Amy, I would argue that yes, andragogy does have pragmatic roots. I gather that pragmatism views knowledge as coming from action, which then feeds into future action. Like you stated, one of the assumptions Knowles makes about adults is that adults need practical reasons to learn; they generally see problems they want/need to solve and seek out ways to do this. This can lead to more knowledge, which will then drive future action. Another assumption Knowles makes is that adults are more mature and ready to learn. I think that this connects to Dewey's idea of fallibilism, where one is not certain that past knowledge will be appropriate for the future. If adults did not see the value of gaining knowledge for future endeavors, then learning would stop at some point.
I wondered what makes pragmatism a distinctly American method and how does that influence research? It is noted that the OG pragmatists disagreed with this assertation but how does pragmatism actually deviate from the kind of manifest-destiny commercialism of that characterization? Does pragmatism rely on the American ideal of the possessive individual at all?
Quine seems like a party; I like the post-modern feeling of his philosophy on research and how it would seem to play with the objective :: subjective conversation we’ve been having. Makes me question how one does quantitative, or even qualitative research for that matter, while pluralizing empiricism.
Intersubjectivity seems like a much more realistic to think about the world and meaning-making. The bifurcation of objective :: subjective is a tension that seems labored tediously instead of actually inspiring philosophy. I wonder what oppositions there are to this idea, besides the fallibilism mentioned.
We talked briefly about intersectionality as a feminist method of post-modern research last class, and since this was one of the only times I felt like I knew something in grad school, I thought I'd leave some more info about it here.
We tend to associate the origin of the term to the early 1990s as part of the "third wave" of feminism where post-modernism and post-structuralism are pushing feminists to consider race, class, ability, and the ever-present "etc." when determining what womanhood looks like. While the concept has existed for centuries, we credit Kimberle Crenshaw (a Critical Race theorist, which, Critical Race theory corresponds to a specific late 80s/early 90s legal movement in which lawyers and intellectuals like Richard Delgado, Mari Matsuda, and Derrick Bell are theorizing about racism in our legal systems and community accountability) with first coining the term in the article below.
Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins” (if my links work)
BUT, intersectionality is specifically a paradigm of Black feminism, which is a school of thought and not just simply feminist who happen to be Black (and different still from womanism, which has evolved into more of a theological study). Intersectionality then is specifically the study of the social positions of Black women as Crenshaw states despite how we articulate it in academia today as the empiric "race PLUS class PLUS gender" equation. Of course, the idea of intersectionality being a colorblind theory gains a comfortable traction but removing Black women from the theory is harmful in a number of ways, beyond whitewashing Black intellectuals and reinstating naturalized (and invisible) presumptive whiteness. Feminism is largely a study of social power, epistemology, and the dualistic bifurcating rhetoric we find in social structures that is integral to studying who is disenfranchised and who is privileged by systems; in this sense, if the white male is the ideal citizen, then the false opposite of that reflection is the Black woman. Bifurcating race and gender establishes a false logic in which Black women are articulated as the ultimate non-human. This is integral to understanding intersectionality despite the ways we try to whitewash the theory to fit without controversy in academia. This also does not mean that intersectionality does not apply to non-Black people of color, white people, or men and trans folks; instead, it reminds us of the ways we rank and hierarchize oppression.
Like we discussed in class, some argue intersectionality is more divisive than constructive, and have began writing about a new, similar way to theorize called "assemblage," a school of thought characterized in Jasbir Puar's article below:
Puar, “I Would Rather Be a Cyborg Than a Goddess”
Assemblage functions much of the same way as intersectionality, though its followers argue that the theory is less easily coopted by whitewashing. In reality, the theory is very much the same, conveniently removes Black women its focus (opposed to centralizing neutrality/invisible whiteness) making the theory more susceptible to racism, and the foundations of the theory are tied to white men like Deleuze and Guattari instead of the Black women like Crenshaw and Sojourner Truth at the foundations of intersectionality.
Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman” (safe reminder that the transcript and performances of this speech lend themselves to a certain gazed voyeurism).
One of my favorite intersectional pieces that addresses the divisive nature of feminist academia rendering intersectionality is titled below and can be found in the digital VCU library archives. Its a hard read, but I force it on my students, who love it. It is a beautiful companion piece the film "Moonlight," another stunning example of intersectional art.
Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley, “Black Atlantic, Queer Atlantic: Queer Imaginings of the Middle Passage”
Amy Jefferson: 1. Regarding pragmatism, if Dewey believes that knowledge and action are not separate domains can one truly have knowledge of an object or subject with which there has been no interaction? What about the knowledge of History teachers or Geography teachers who have not traveled the world?
2. Thinking of Dewey’s belief that knowledge and action are connected can an educational researcher be effective without prior classroom experience?
Alison Dossick 1. There is also theorical physics to consider as well as multiverse theory which one can speculate on but will most likely never experience firsthand. 2. A person without prior classroom experience may be able to offer insights that one with experience may not be able to "see" anymore. A fresh perspective can always add to a conversation.
Elizabeth Severson-Irby: If we gain knowledge through action, does that action need to be derived from our own experiences? Can we gain as much knowledge through the action of others? If knowledge is gained through action does a common knowledge ever form?
My question: Quine believes that observation does not give us knowledge, but rather our interpretation of observation is what gives us knowledge. How would he explain "harder" sciences where interpretation is not as heavily involved? This is not to say that there is not interpretation, but interpretation generally has some subjectivity. If most people are interpreting an observation the same way is it because that observation gave knowledge or that all the observers had the same "web of beliefs" that led to the same conclusion (p. 7)?
1. How would Dewey and other pragmatists view the role of technology in the classroom? Being agents of more connections and interactions? Or those of increased isolation, limiting those crucial interactions? And furthermore, could their views of connecting to the world be broadened to include that of the global, technological world?
2. I deeply agree with the following sentiments from the chapter: -Educators crave to deeply understand their students and the ways they learn -The scientific method is an extremely powerful tool for constructing knowledge -Pragmatism makes sense for educators to be drawn to
With those statements, why is it not more highly integrated into Administration and Supervision programs to adequately provide training/support to their future teachers to construct knowledge about their students in their classrooms this way? This seems like a natural step for the Administrators to want to take, allowing their teachers to feel empowered with those tools. Is there research on the Admin level showing the effects of pragmatism and professional development?
I think you brought up really interesting questions. I really resonated with your first question as the school system I had worked for really pushed technology but in a maker space concept. So using technology like 3D printers, but also other more hands on tools, to create a product. I also think you bring up a good point, does tech actually isolate us more from interacting or does it facilitate? Can it do both?
This was my first exploration of the Dewey/Pragmatism philosophy. I had no prior experience with this way of viewing knowledge and how it is attained in the world. I found it refreshing that it approached the nature of how to gain knowledge from a dialectical strand, and detached itself from the mind/matter philosophical dualism found within most traditional European Philosophy. I agree with much of Dewey's framework, specifically how actions are what mediate our organism/environment condition, along with the idea of symbols or "thinking", as cognitive simulations that help us go through this world with trial and error. I will attempt to approach my question from my discipline (counseling/therapy). Pragmatism (from what I understand), posits that action provides a self-corrective feedback loop, as the organism consistently interacts with the environment and learns (through a scientific method), how to work through various problems that the organism encounters. My question is, what happens to an organism that *doesn't learn* through consistent action on how to move through the environment? Or, what if the actions are self-destructive or self-defeating, yet the organism continues to make the same "mistakes". In this interpretation, what would the organisms purpose in this environment be, if it does not learn lessons of wellness and continues to engage in patterns that defeat the organism's self interests? Would love to hear the pragmatic take on this question. I believe the pragmatic perspective would allow one to equip teachers will skills that would give them a progressive outlook on pupils' education. Specifically, one that would allow the teacher to guide a pupils's inccolation as one that interacts and learns consistently with the environment through trial and error.
Alison Dossick: An organism whose brain has been wired incorrectly due to trauma, drug use or other negative experiences receives a reward even when making the same mistakes, thus they have a very difficult time unlearning bad behavior. "Persistent changes in behavior and psychological function that occur as a function of experience, such those associated with learning and memory, are thought to be due to the reorganization of synaptic connections (structural plasticity) in relevant brain circuits." Robinson, T. E., & Kolb, B. (2004). Structural plasticity associated with exposure to drugs of abuse. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15464124
Alison Dossick September 18…Biesta and Burbules Ask a question about Dewey/pragmatism. Can you generalize that all Dewey supporters are liberals? I fell into the Dewey camp when earning my MT 20 years ago. I know his philosophies have influenced both my teaching and leadership styles. While not a "bleeding heart" liberal, I do read the Washington Post daily. I also love me some Bernie and Elizabeth. Are there any Dewey flunkies who lean more conservative? Ask another question that the chapter provoked related to educational research. Why would Dewey’s “worship of natural sciences” make it impossible for him to for him to take a critical stance? (Horkheimer, 1946) Can't one be worshipful and critical of an idea at the same time? Maybe one becomes enamored of an idea after critically analyzing it.
Also, if we assume that Dewey’s feelings that the interactions between knowledge and the object of the knowledge change the dynamic between the two, how can we conduct research without changing either the knowledge or the object?
Question 1: Would pragmatism “look” differently if it was not an American movement? How so? And then I wonder how that would have affected the various philosophies that followed it…
Question 2: I’ve been interested lately in more indigenous and anti-oppressive research and assessment approaches. I still know virtually nothing about them in the grand scheme of things, but I’m working on it. So, I wonder as I learn more about these inclusive research methods how pragmatism and other Western ways of thought contribute to that, and how do I consider something so traditional as I try to un-Westernize my work? (I realize that I’m most likely in charge of answering this question for myself, so I look forward to spending time in this PhD program doing exactly that)
I thought a lot about this "American movement" question as well, Jaime; the "typical American mentality." Would it look different if it wasn't only white males who were the ones adding to knowledge as we knew it at that time? Who was considered a "typical American" at that time? Many voices and much knowledge has been ignored, erased, censored. How would it look if all voices were invited to speak? -Robyn Lyn
From my understanding of Dewey and Pragmatism, it seems to approach the idea of gaining knowledge through the interaction of a human organism and its environment. I liked the claim Dewey made that "knowledge lives first 'in the muscles'-and not in the mind". From a classroom teaching approach, would "maker space" and "deeper learning" classrooms align with this philosophy? These teaching approaches utilize creating lessons that are more life ready and allow students to create. I also wonder how Dewey would recommend assessing students?
Pragmatism is noted as the practical approach. I am currently in an evaluation course as well and we have explored what evaluations look like depending on what paradigm the evaluator is using to evaluate a program. What does this look like with research? I also understand that philosophies have built off of what is viewed as the shortcomings of others. What are the shortcomings of taking a pragmatic approach to research?
Erica, I think the questions you bring up about assessment are so interesting. I have to think that these would be formative, global observations in the classroom and his thinking could be as long as meaningful interactions are taking place, then learning is taking place. Now how that aligns with curriculum and standards is beyond me, but it's really complex to think about.
Jia For Dewey, pragmatism is reality and experience. What about foreign language teachers who had never been abroad, never experienced the subject language culture in person, never communicated with native speakers? Are their inexperienced pure textbook knowledge imparted to students convincing? Further, are those educational research based on the above-mentioned teachers and their students yield research values？Because this is a common issue in most of Chinese educational context.
In regards to mental health and people with cognitive related disabilities, how are their constructed realities related to their transactional processes? Would a pragmatist consider their experiences as realities if the experiences are considered irrational?
Question 2: Within the article, it is inferred that modern science constructs our realities. What facets of modern science would constitute human realities in educational research?
Martinique Sealy: John Dewey is one of the primary founders of the concept of pragmatism. Pragmatism relates to organizing words and thoughts in order to problem solve, create, and have discourse. Pragmatism is one of life’s biggest lessons in order to understand and produce higher thought. If pragmatism is required in order to understand any aspect of knowledge, why is it not an explicit focus in the classroom? A good teacher or parent implicitly teaches children how to use pragmatism and meta-cognition, but the process is not explicitly mentioned.
“The phenomena of education are so discrete, complex, and related to one another that they readily provide a valid and sufficient content for an academic discipline…..why have we not developed a respectable academic discipline of education?” Education, and specifically pragmatism, is used as a tool to understand life’s events and phenomenon, but is education simply a tool or an actual subject that should be taught from an early age? Also since John Dewey’s concept of pragmatism integrates philosophy and education, can philosophy be taught or used in the classroom starting at an earlier age in life?
Catina Are there things we can't know, meaning things we can't qualify or quantify via scientific methods? ....Things that defy a pragmatic process? Learning styles for example, have been consistently debunked in research but if the belief in them works for someone or if someone has figured out how to make them work, how would we know it if the possibility of its efficacy can't be quantified via systemic processes? How does belief factor into knowing? If the belief guides to the same outcome as the "knowing" where/how is that harmful?
Robyn Lyn: Binaries. Knowledge has been constructed to make us believe the world is built around binaries, or dualities. Men or women. Hot or cold. Good or bad. Right or wrong. There is no room for the continuum, the “grey” of our existence, to be addressed scientifically. There is no center, critical values determining where the line is when working within the limits of binaries. In actuality, our worlds are lived entirely in the grey in different realities; we simply don’t consciously recognize other’s worlds or their reality. We think they live in ours. We live on auto-pilot parroting what we’ve been conditioned to believe and think. Dewey appears to have tried to explain the continuum between extremes and move away from an “either/or” to a “both/and” with his human rationality theory; a third way to comprehend how we construct knowledge, how we make meaning, and how we address uncertainty.
In educational research, where we are dealing with human beings and all of their complexities, isn’t Dewey’s theory a no-brainer? Do people believe we can box up educational research into one nice little package applicable to all human beings when, 1. people’s culture and upbringings impact learning and comprehending; 2. people’s belief systems and religion impact understanding and accepting; 3. people’s relationships are a factor, to trusting and comprehending; etc.? Aren’t there too many complexities, too much grey matter, when researching educational areas of concern, to make a simplistic argument for a “one size fits all” result?
I could be misunderstanding pragmatism entirely, but, to me, it seems like pragmatism could fill some of the holes in higher education. Much like Erica mentioned with pragmatism being a natural step for administrative roles, it also seems like a logical step for those looking to go into academia, and thus gate keep the profession that they look over. How can faculty embrace pragmatism within their departments to better develop the individuals who move through them and thus construct a more solid profession?
It also seems like pragmatism and service learning could go hand in hand. Is service learning inherently a pragmatic concept? If so, it seems like a more digestible way to embrace pragmatism for those who may be hesitant to change/shift beliefs.
Dewey’s limited discussion of race and lack of involvement in attacking racism in American society is very problematic. As one of the most influential American pragmatists why would Dewey work toward solving certain problems within American society but negate the foundational problem of race in education?
Pragmatism involved a pattern of habits developed through the constant transactions with the environment which are a process of trial and error Therefore, how many problems has pragmatism really solved?
Mitchell Waters - Pragmatism, known for its practical implications, has received criticism by other philosophers for the reason that it may give way to a sort of “make-believe” concept of reality where every idea is warranted, even if it has not been tested against a “hard” or objective truth.
ReplyDeleteMy question is this: How well does a pragmatic philosophy integrate with postmodernist views? Furthermore, when it comes to educational research, are there any real objective truths? Educational practice is versatile and teachers and counselors, like myself, have had to become adept at adapting to the culture of a classroom or the goals/worldview of a client. If educational research is supposed to generate knowledge to inform educational practice, is it even possible to measure educational research against an objective truth that will hold true across cultures, ages, races, genders, religions and creeds? Pragmatic philosophy is the “practical” philosophy. I would argue that many educational practitioners are pragmatic because emphasis on practical knowledge related to their students or clients is a lot of what makes them an effective educator or psychotherapist.
Amy Jefferson: In response to Mitchell's question: "If educational research is supposed to generate knowledge to inform educational practice, is it even possible to measure educational research against an objective truth that will hold true across cultures, ages, races, genders, religions and creeds?" I have the same question. If one views people as individuals then can you use research to generalize about a specific group. How does background come into the equation? When researching groups are you delving below the surface...for example, the successful white, male business owner who actually grew up in poverty and was the first in his family to go to college, what group would he belong to?
DeleteKori: From our discussions in class it is easy to see each philosophy has good points and drawbacks. Pragmatism seems to have many good points and answers to problems with previous philosophies, breaking down dichotomies and integrating the mind and the environment on knowledge. What are the downfalls? If Dewey is not a positivist, how would he view theories, motivation theories, in educational research that seek to generalize(truth) to across many contexts and groups of people?
ReplyDeleteAmy Taloma: The questions that I had were: How would Dewey feel about today's k-12 education and SOLs? Also, Pragmatism seems like a feeder into Malcolm Knowle's andragogy which says adult learners utilize their prior experience, seek relevance and utility, and prefer active learning - does andragogy have pragmatic roots?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Severson-Irby:
DeleteAmy,
I would argue that yes, andragogy does have pragmatic roots. I gather that pragmatism views knowledge as coming from action, which then feeds into future action. Like you stated, one of the assumptions Knowles makes about adults is that adults need practical reasons to learn; they generally see problems they want/need to solve and seek out ways to do this. This can lead to more knowledge, which will then drive future action. Another assumption Knowles makes is that adults are more mature and ready to learn. I think that this connects to Dewey's idea of fallibilism, where one is not certain that past knowledge will be appropriate for the future. If adults did not see the value of gaining knowledge for future endeavors, then learning would stop at some point.
Tosha Yingling:
ReplyDeleteI wondered what makes pragmatism a distinctly American method and how does that influence
research? It is noted that the OG pragmatists disagreed with this assertation but how does pragmatism
actually deviate from the kind of manifest-destiny commercialism of that characterization? Does
pragmatism rely on the American ideal of the possessive individual at all?
Quine seems like a party; I like the post-modern feeling of his philosophy on research and how it would
seem to play with the objective :: subjective conversation we’ve been having. Makes me question how
one does quantitative, or even qualitative research for that matter, while pluralizing empiricism.
Intersubjectivity seems like a much more realistic to think about the world and meaning-making. The
bifurcation of objective :: subjective is a tension that seems labored tediously instead of actually
inspiring philosophy. I wonder what oppositions there are to this idea, besides the fallibilism mentioned.
Tosha Yingling:
ReplyDelete-grab bag blog-
We talked briefly about intersectionality as a feminist method of post-modern research last class, and since this was one of the only times I felt like I knew something in grad school, I thought I'd leave some more info about it here.
We tend to associate the origin of the term to the early 1990s as part of the "third wave" of feminism
where post-modernism and post-structuralism are pushing feminists to consider race, class, ability, and the ever-present "etc." when determining what womanhood looks like. While the concept has existed for centuries, we credit Kimberle Crenshaw (a Critical Race theorist, which, Critical Race theory
corresponds to a specific late 80s/early 90s legal movement in which lawyers and intellectuals like Richard Delgado, Mari Matsuda, and Derrick Bell are theorizing about racism in our legal systems and community accountability) with first coining the term in the article below.
Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins” (if my links work)
BUT, intersectionality is specifically a paradigm of Black feminism, which is a school of thought and not just simply feminist who happen to be Black (and different still from womanism, which has evolved into more of a theological study). Intersectionality then is specifically the study of the social positions of Black women as Crenshaw states despite how we articulate it in academia today as the empiric "race PLUS class PLUS gender" equation. Of course, the idea of intersectionality being a colorblind theory gains a comfortable traction but removing Black women from the theory is harmful in a number of ways,
beyond whitewashing Black intellectuals and reinstating naturalized (and invisible) presumptive whiteness. Feminism is largely a study of social power, epistemology, and the dualistic bifurcating
rhetoric we find in social structures that is integral to studying who is disenfranchised and who is privileged by systems; in this sense, if the white male is the ideal citizen, then the false opposite of that reflection is the Black woman. Bifurcating race and gender establishes a false logic in which Black women are articulated as the ultimate non-human. This is integral to understanding intersectionality despite the ways we try to whitewash the theory to fit without controversy in academia. This also does not mean that intersectionality does not apply to non-Black people of color, white people, or men and trans folks; instead, it reminds us of the ways we rank and hierarchize oppression.
Like we discussed in class, some argue intersectionality is more divisive than constructive, and have began writing about a new, similar way to theorize called "assemblage," a school of thought
characterized in Jasbir Puar's article below:
Puar, “I Would Rather Be a Cyborg Than a Goddess”
Assemblage functions much of the same way as intersectionality, though its followers argue that the
theory is less easily coopted by whitewashing. In reality, the theory is very much the same, conveniently removes Black women its focus (opposed to centralizing neutrality/invisible whiteness) making the theory more susceptible to racism, and the foundations of the theory are tied to white men like Deleuze and Guattari instead of the Black women like Crenshaw and Sojourner Truth at the foundations of intersectionality.
Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman” (safe reminder that the transcript and performances of this speech lend
themselves to a certain gazed voyeurism).
One of my favorite intersectional pieces that addresses the divisive nature of feminist academia
rendering intersectionality is titled below and can be found in the digital VCU library archives. Its a hard read, but I force it on my students, who love it. It is a beautiful companion piece the film "Moonlight," another stunning example of intersectional art.
Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley, “Black Atlantic, Queer Atlantic: Queer Imaginings of the Middle Passage”
Amy Jefferson: 1. Regarding pragmatism, if Dewey believes that knowledge and action are not separate domains can one truly have knowledge of an object or subject with which there has been no interaction? What about the knowledge of History teachers or Geography teachers who have not traveled the world?
ReplyDelete2. Thinking of Dewey’s belief that knowledge and action are connected can an educational researcher be effective without prior classroom experience?
Alison Dossick
Delete1. There is also theorical physics to consider as well as multiverse theory which one can speculate on but will most likely never experience firsthand.
2. A person without prior classroom experience may be able to offer insights that one with experience may not be able to "see" anymore. A fresh perspective can always add to a conversation.
Elizabeth Severson-Irby: If we gain knowledge through action, does that action need to be derived from our own experiences? Can we gain as much knowledge through the action of others? If knowledge is gained through action does a common knowledge ever form?
ReplyDeleteMy question: Quine believes that observation does not give us knowledge, but rather our interpretation of observation is what gives us knowledge. How would he explain "harder" sciences where interpretation is not as heavily involved? This is not to say that there is not interpretation, but interpretation generally has some subjectivity. If most people are interpreting an observation the same way is it because that observation gave knowledge or that all the observers had the same "web of beliefs" that led to the same conclusion (p. 7)?
Lauren:
ReplyDelete1. How would Dewey and other pragmatists view the role of technology in the classroom? Being agents of more connections and interactions? Or those of increased isolation, limiting those crucial interactions? And furthermore, could their views of connecting to the world be broadened to include that of the global, technological world?
2. I deeply agree with the following sentiments from the chapter:
-Educators crave to deeply understand their students and the ways they learn
-The scientific method is an extremely powerful tool for constructing knowledge
-Pragmatism makes sense for educators to be drawn to
With those statements, why is it not more highly integrated into Administration and Supervision programs to adequately provide training/support to their future teachers to construct knowledge about their students in their classrooms this way? This seems like a natural step for the Administrators to want to take, allowing their teachers to feel empowered with those tools. Is there research on the Admin level showing the effects of pragmatism and professional development?
I think you brought up really interesting questions. I really resonated with your first question as the school system I had worked for really pushed technology but in a maker space concept. So using technology like 3D printers, but also other more hands on tools, to create a product. I also think you bring up a good point, does tech actually isolate us more from interacting or does it facilitate? Can it do both?
DeleteWaleed Sami:
ReplyDeleteThis was my first exploration of the Dewey/Pragmatism philosophy. I had no prior experience with this way of viewing knowledge and how it is attained in the world. I found it refreshing that it approached the nature of how to gain knowledge from a dialectical strand, and detached itself from the mind/matter philosophical dualism found within most traditional European Philosophy. I agree with much of Dewey's framework, specifically how actions are what mediate our organism/environment condition, along with the idea of symbols or "thinking", as cognitive simulations that help us go through this world with trial and error. I will attempt to approach my question from my discipline (counseling/therapy). Pragmatism (from what I understand), posits that action provides a self-corrective feedback loop, as the organism consistently interacts with the environment and learns (through a scientific method), how to work through various problems that the organism encounters. My question is, what happens to an organism that *doesn't learn* through consistent action on how to move through the environment? Or, what if the actions are self-destructive or self-defeating, yet the organism continues to make the same "mistakes". In this interpretation, what would the organisms purpose in this environment be, if it does not learn lessons of wellness and continues to engage in patterns that defeat the organism's self interests? Would love to hear the pragmatic take on this question. I believe the pragmatic perspective would allow one to equip teachers will skills that would give them a progressive outlook on pupils' education. Specifically, one that would allow the teacher to guide a pupils's inccolation as one that interacts and learns consistently with the environment through trial and error.
Alison Dossick:
DeleteAn organism whose brain has been wired incorrectly due to trauma, drug use or other negative experiences receives a reward even when making the same mistakes, thus they have a very difficult time unlearning bad behavior.
"Persistent changes in behavior and psychological function that occur as a function of experience, such those associated with learning and memory, are thought to be due to the reorganization of synaptic connections (structural plasticity) in relevant brain circuits." Robinson, T. E., & Kolb, B. (2004). Structural plasticity associated with exposure to drugs of abuse. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15464124
Alison Dossick
ReplyDeleteSeptember 18…Biesta and Burbules
Ask a question about Dewey/pragmatism.
Can you generalize that all Dewey supporters are liberals?
I fell into the Dewey camp when earning my MT 20 years ago. I know his philosophies have influenced both my teaching and leadership styles. While not a "bleeding heart" liberal, I do read the Washington Post daily. I also love me some Bernie and Elizabeth. Are there any Dewey flunkies who lean more conservative?
Ask another question that the chapter provoked related to educational research.
Why would Dewey’s “worship of natural sciences” make it impossible for him to for him to take a critical stance? (Horkheimer, 1946) Can't one be worshipful and critical of an idea at the same time? Maybe one becomes enamored of an idea after critically analyzing it.
Also, if we assume that Dewey’s feelings that the interactions between knowledge and the object of the knowledge change the dynamic between the two, how can we conduct research without changing either the knowledge or the object?
Jaime Williams
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1: Would pragmatism “look” differently if it was not an American movement? How so? And then I wonder how that would have affected the various philosophies that followed it…
Question 2: I’ve been interested lately in more indigenous and anti-oppressive research and assessment approaches. I still know virtually nothing about them in the grand scheme of things, but I’m working on it. So, I wonder as I learn more about these inclusive research methods how pragmatism and other Western ways of thought contribute to that, and how do I consider something so traditional as I try to un-Westernize my work? (I realize that I’m most likely in charge of answering this question for myself, so I look forward to spending time in this PhD program doing exactly that)
I thought a lot about this "American movement" question as well, Jaime; the "typical American mentality." Would it look different if it wasn't only white males who were the ones adding to knowledge as we knew it at that time? Who was considered a "typical American" at that time? Many voices and much knowledge has been ignored, erased, censored. How would it look if all voices were invited to speak?
Delete-Robyn Lyn
From my understanding of Dewey and Pragmatism, it seems to approach the idea of gaining knowledge through the interaction of a human organism and its environment. I liked the claim Dewey made that "knowledge lives first 'in the muscles'-and not in the mind". From a classroom teaching approach, would "maker space" and "deeper learning" classrooms align with this philosophy? These teaching approaches utilize creating lessons that are more life ready and allow students to create. I also wonder how Dewey would recommend assessing students?
ReplyDeletePragmatism is noted as the practical approach. I am currently in an evaluation course as well and we have explored what evaluations look like depending on what paradigm the evaluator is using to evaluate a program. What does this look like with research? I also understand that philosophies have built off of what is viewed as the shortcomings of others. What are the shortcomings of taking a pragmatic approach to research?
Erica,
DeleteI think the questions you bring up about assessment are so interesting. I have to think that these would be formative, global observations in the classroom and his thinking could be as long as meaningful interactions are taking place, then learning is taking place. Now how that aligns with curriculum and standards is beyond me, but it's really complex to think about.
Jia
ReplyDeleteFor Dewey, pragmatism is reality and experience. What about foreign language teachers who had never been abroad, never experienced the subject language culture in person, never communicated with native speakers? Are their inexperienced pure textbook knowledge imparted to students convincing? Further, are those educational research based on the above-mentioned teachers and their students yield research values？Because this is a common issue in most of Chinese educational context.
Jonathan Staylor:
ReplyDeleteIn regards to mental health and people with cognitive related disabilities, how are their constructed realities related to their transactional processes? Would a pragmatist consider their experiences as realities if the experiences are considered irrational?
Question 2: Within the article, it is inferred that modern science constructs our realities. What facets of modern science would constitute human realities in educational research?
Martinique Sealy:
ReplyDeleteJohn Dewey is one of the primary founders of the concept of pragmatism. Pragmatism relates to organizing words and thoughts in order to problem solve, create, and have discourse. Pragmatism is one of life’s biggest lessons in order to understand and produce higher thought. If pragmatism is required in order to understand any aspect of knowledge, why is it not an explicit focus in the classroom? A good teacher or parent implicitly teaches children how to use pragmatism and meta-cognition, but the process is not explicitly mentioned.
“The phenomena of education are so discrete, complex, and related to one another that they readily provide a valid and sufficient content for an academic discipline…..why have we not developed a respectable academic discipline of education?” Education, and specifically pragmatism, is used as a tool to understand life’s events and phenomenon, but is education simply a tool or an actual subject that should be taught from an early age? Also since John Dewey’s concept of pragmatism integrates philosophy and education, can philosophy be taught or used in the classroom starting at an earlier age in life?
Catina
ReplyDeleteAre there things we can't know, meaning things we can't qualify or quantify via scientific methods? ....Things that defy a pragmatic process? Learning styles for example, have been consistently debunked in research but if the belief in them works for someone or if someone has figured out how to make them work, how would we know it if the possibility of its efficacy can't be quantified via systemic processes? How does belief factor into knowing? If the belief guides to the same outcome as the "knowing" where/how is that harmful?
Robyn Lyn:
ReplyDeleteBinaries. Knowledge has been constructed to make us believe the world is built around binaries, or dualities. Men or women. Hot or cold. Good or bad. Right or wrong. There is no room for the continuum, the “grey” of our existence, to be addressed scientifically. There is no center, critical values determining where the line is when working within the limits of binaries. In actuality, our worlds are lived entirely in the grey in different realities; we simply don’t consciously recognize other’s worlds or their reality. We think they live in ours. We live on auto-pilot parroting what we’ve been conditioned to believe and think. Dewey appears to have tried to explain the continuum between extremes and move away from an “either/or” to a “both/and” with his human rationality theory; a third way to comprehend how we construct knowledge, how we make meaning, and how we address uncertainty.
In educational research, where we are dealing with human beings and all of their complexities, isn’t Dewey’s theory a no-brainer? Do people believe we can box up educational research into one nice little package applicable to all human beings when, 1. people’s culture and upbringings impact learning and comprehending; 2. people’s belief systems and religion impact understanding and accepting; 3. people’s relationships are a factor, to trusting and comprehending; etc.? Aren’t there too many complexities, too much grey matter, when researching educational areas of concern, to make a simplistic argument for a “one size fits all” result?
Kristian Robinson -
ReplyDeleteI could be misunderstanding pragmatism entirely, but, to me, it seems like pragmatism could fill some of the holes in higher education. Much like Erica mentioned with pragmatism being a natural step for administrative roles, it also seems like a logical step for those looking to go into academia, and thus gate keep the profession that they look over. How can faculty embrace pragmatism within their departments to better develop the individuals who move through them and thus construct a more solid profession?
It also seems like pragmatism and service learning could go hand in hand. Is service learning inherently a pragmatic concept? If so, it seems like a more digestible way to embrace pragmatism for those who may be hesitant to change/shift beliefs.
Dewey’s limited discussion of race and lack of involvement in attacking racism in American society is very problematic. As one of the most influential American pragmatists why would Dewey work toward solving certain problems within American society but negate the foundational problem of race in education?
ReplyDeletePragmatism involved a pattern of habits developed through the constant transactions with the environment which are a process of trial and error
Therefore, how many problems has pragmatism really solved?