Philosophy of Education

The Aims of Dr. John Dewey’s Educational Philosophy, Applied in Philippine Setting 1

The Importance of Dr. John Dewey’s Educational

Philosophy

Applied in Philippine Setting

This term paper was prepared for:

DR. GLORIA T. BAYSA

Prepared By:

ALTHA FELINA R. DAMIAN

For the completion of the requirements in:

EDU 640 Foundation of Education

Master in Educational Management


Introduction

Dr. John Dewey (1859-1950) is an outstanding

American Philosopher and educator. He was born on

October 20, 1859 and graduated from the University of

Vermont in 1879 and received his Ph.D. Degree from John

Hopkins University in 1884. He was a professor of

Philosophy in University of Minnesota in 1868 and at

the University of Michigan from 1889 -1894.1

He had authored several philosophies of education

which are proven tested and applied by most educational

institutions. His philosophies provided great effects

and changes in the field of education not only in the

Philippines but also in other countries. As a

philosopher, he is an expert pragmatist, and as

educator, he is known as progressivist or democratic

educator. His philosophical beliefs have been described

as (1) Empiricism or naturalism which means that


everything begins and ends with an experience and

nature. (2) Experimentalism which stresses the

importance of experiment in achieving the truth (3)

Instrumentalism means that man can think and can

discover new ways in of responding to a new changed of

environment.

_______________________________1 Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. Garotech Publishing. 2007

(4) Pragmatism asserts that man and nature are

inter-independent. Nature is not something merely to be

accepted and enjoyed by man, it is something to be

modified and experimentally controlled. 2

There are several concepts also derived from these

philosophies which influenced the educational system

and contributed in improving and directing the

education to a new level of understanding. Dewey

provided a strong foundation in the process of

developing education. His educational philosophy


recognizes the importance of the principle of transfer

in training or the use of past experiences in

developing the continuous growth of the learners.

Philippines as one of the countries that put emphasis

in the educational philosophies by Dewey brought

positive outcomes and results through experimentation

and experience. His philosophies became an integral

part of the educational system in the country.

_______________________

2Acero,Victorina. Javier, Evelyn. Castro, Herminia. Principles and Strategies of Teaching. Rex Bookstore,

Inc. 2000

Background of Education, Philosophy and Educational

Philosophy


Education according to Webster Dictionary is the

sum of the qualities acquired through individual

maturation and social training. In the dictionary of

education, it is defined as the social process in which

people are subjected to the influence of a selected and

controlled environment, especially that of the school,

so that they obtain competence and optimum

development. Education is also defined in the same

reference as the aggregate of all processes by which a

person develops ability, attitude and behaviour of

practical values in the society in which he lives.

In the fundamental sense, education is a cultural

process by which successive generations of men take

their places in history. Nature has assigned essential

role to take education through the proclamation of

human infancy, and through the emergence of human

facilities. By nature man is not equipped with

capacities that enable him to learn how to live.

Basically acquired characteristics are not inherited,


education portray the full responsibility of developing

men.

While Dr. John Dewey explained that, “since life

means growth, a living creature lives truly and

positively at one stage at another, with the same

intrinsic fullness and the same absolute claims. Hence,

Education means the enterprise of supplying the

conditions which guarantee growth or adequacy of life

irrespective of age. The process of education is a

continuous adjustment of, having as its aim at every

stage an added capacity for growth”.3

Education develops with the growth of humanity,

like human history in which it is applied and education

is a continuous process because it is a source of life.

The word philosophy comes from the Greek word –

philo and sophio, which together means love and

wisdom. Philosophy is sometimes considered as a group

of theories or system of thoughts by which it sought to

understand the world, its meaning and its values.


According to J.A. Leighton, “a complete philosophy

includes a world view, doctrine of values, meanings and

purpose of human life. “ To E. S. Amos, “ It is the

endeavour to achieve a comprehensive view of life and

its meaning upon the basis of the results of basic

sciences.” While Dewey assumed that philosophy could

never be defined in terms of subject matter. The

purpose of philosophy is to identify problems and

suggest ways in handling these problems. 4

The study of Philosophy will provide an individual

a strong foundation in meeting the demands of his

profession and in coping with the problems brought

about by multifarious activities of man.5

Educational philosophy is perceived as personal

effort to arrive at solutions for educational problems

based upon the experience of the

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3 Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. GarotechPublishing. 20074Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. GarotechPublishing. 20075 Zulueta,Francisco.Maglaya, Elda.Foundations of Education. National Bookstore. Reprint 2005


thinker. Philosophy in education is an attempt to

formulate a critically-built general outlook upon life

in the light of the evaluation of values which people

prize in the educative process.

“The educational philosophy is like a cleaning

house where relative values in education and the

relative validity of different claims on the school are

weighed. Any philosophy must be based upon and

supported by the careers, individuals, school, nation

and civilization.”6

History of education reveals that the importance of

philosophy in education was not realized by educators

until the beginning of World War II, hence, educational

philosophy is essential in the curriculum formulation,

training of teachers and the administration of school.

An attitude of open-mindedness and a readiness to

evaluate critically the concepts of educational

philosophy must be stressed. The comprehension of the

relationship among the various elements in educative


provide an important knowledge of the whole of

education.

The Philippines education started before the

“ninunos” or aborigines arrived in the Philippines. It

was Dr. Robert Fox, an anthropologist who discovered

remains and artefacts of the very first Filipinos in

the Palawan Cave, who believed that the very first

people in the Philippines have their

________________________________________

6Zulueta,Francisco.Maglaya, Elda.Foundations of Education. National Bookstore. Reprint 2005

own culture and system of living. So education in the

Philippines existed as early as the Negritos came.

Knowing that education is a continuous process and a

source of life, education had been practiced

unconsciously by the early inhabitants of the country.

The Asian and western countries invasion of Malay,

India, Chinese, Spaniards and Americans in our

countries brought influences to the Philippines.

Reforms began, people learned to discuss literature,


music, religion, politics, democracy, justice, science

and technology and the rest is history. Education and

culture worked side by side as the civilization ages

and innovates. Significant changes in the educational

system were marked by the ideas of different

philosophers particularly Dr. John Dewey.

Dr. John Dewey’s Educational Philosophy in the

Philippine Setting

Dr. John Dewey’s principle was actually an

outgrowth or product of Rousseau’s principles of

growth, pupil activity and individualism; Pestalozzi’s

philosophy of discipline of sympathy and his principle

that learning proceeds from the known to the unknown

and his doctrine of interest; Froebel’s idea of

learning by doing which depended upon self-principled

activities or creative development; Findings in the

study of G. Stanley hall which stimulated an interest

in child nature.


Under the Martial Law the schools, public and

private, have been vitally affected in many other

significant ways. After Marcos regime, there were

reorganization in the government structure and even in

the functions of the educational system. There were

several revisions and improvements, new orders and laws

that made the education better and uplift the aims of

the education.

Under the presidential Decree No. 6-A, it is hereby

declared a policy of the state to maintain the highest

quality of education for purposes of national

development. The P.D. No. 6-A states to be the policy

of the government to insure, within the context of a

free and democratic system, maximum contribution of

the educational system to the

attainment of national goals.7

In relation to this, the educational philosophy of

Dr. John Dewey is expressed in the following terms:


(a) Education is life and not preparation for life

which is based on the idea that education is not

learning alone but it is living.

(b) Promoting the total growth of the child is made the

aim of education which is based on the philosophy that

growth means growth in knowledge, habits, skills, and

abilities. It is a continuous process.

(c) Learning by experiencing or reacting or doing in

which learning and teaching must utilize the theory of

self activity.

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7Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. GarotechPublishing. 2007

(d) Recognizes individual differences based on the

principle that each individual is unique in which calls

for the adjustment of subject matter and activities

given to learners.

(e) Evaluation is made an important part of teaching

and learning.


(f) Thinking and reasoning are stressed in classroom

activities based on the theory of self-activity.

(g) Use of academic freedom in the classroom

activities. This concept calls for the use of

democratic principle in teaching and learning.

(h) Education is more practical and functional. The

instructional method must also gear in the social,

political and economic aspect of the individual’s life.8

Dr. John Dewey, who is an advocate of the philosophy of

pragmatism, might simply be called experimentalist

because he insists that ideas must always be tested by

experiment. He believed that no knowledge is ever

certain that is not subject to new evidence which might

result from experimentation and experience. He applied

these basic concepts to nearly every aspect of

philosophy and education. His experimental belief which

was carried over into his educational philosophy became

the basis for what is usually described as progressive


education. His influence on public schools has been

great in the Philippines.

_____________________8Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. GarotechPublishing. 2007

In addition the aims of education under the New

Society are based on pragmatic , experimentalism or

approach of Dr. Dewey. The school under the New Society

utilizes the following educational concepts of the said

philosopher:

(1) The nature of the child is made the center of

educative process. This means that the child’s needs,

interests, abilities and purposes must be taken into

consideration. The child is viewed as an active element

whose purpose is to live and grow.

(2) The theory of self activity is made the center

or basis of learning. The new education stresses

learning by doing or experiencing and experimenting.


The school is converted into a living and creative

influence , producing self directed reference.

(3) The development of personality is made the

primary aim of the New Education. The aim of the new

education is to produce a well-balanced, well

integrated and socially adjusted personality. The

cooperation between the teacher and the student are

important element in the development of personality.

(4) Activity program is the core of the curriculum.

This is based on Dr. John Dewey’s concept that

education is life and a social process. Example of

school activities are field trip, report, group

activity, games, observation, experiments, cultural

activities, on–the-job training, programs and project.

(5) Socialized teaching and learning are utilized.

This is patterned from the concept that education is a

social process. Teacher and student work together to

execute classroom activities.


(6) Individual differences of the pupils are

recognized not by sectioning students according to IQ

but by adjusting the subject matter to the abilities of

the students. This is based on the concept that each

individual is unique or individual differences.

(7) Thinking and reasoning are emphasized in the

educative process. Effective teaching, thought

provoking activities and good questioning stimulate

thinking and reasoning in which the abilities of a

child are maximized.

(8) Evaluation with flexible standards is utilized

in teaching and learning. This is based on the

principle that evaluation completes the learning.

(9) Students are free from emotional tension or

fear of the teacher. A law about corporal punishment

has already implemented in the Philippine to prevent

emotional and devastation of the learners. The

Philippine society promotes not blind obedience but

intelligent self-discipline.


(10) Close relationship between the school and the

community. School activities are related to the

awareness of community improvement, participation in

cultural activities and projects. As Dewey emphasized

that Education is a social process.9

The philosophy of Dr. John Dewey focuses on the

practical and useful events of a child. The assertive

factors of empiricism or naturalism, experimentalism,

instrumentalism and pragmatism had vital influence in

the field of education in the Philippines. Attention

is placed on the child’s activities and the value of

learning by living, that growth is more important in

learning and is applicable to the educational system in

the Philippines.

It can be said that the nature of educational

philosophy suggests the necessity for all other

educational disciplines to follow the goal and

direction of philosophy. The bright ideas and

reflective thought of the philosopher provided a frame

of reference which must operate. Education must deal


with the nature of learner, the teaching process,

curriculums, duties and responsibilities of teachers

and the administration likewise must be considered.

Aims of Education under the Philippines New Society

Based on Dr. John Dewey’s Philosophy

The system of education in the Philippines is

directed toward the total

development of individual, family, school, community

and the nation.

_____________________9Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. GarotechPublishing. 2007

The general aims of the New Constitution (1973) are

designed to accelerate the individual growth or self-

discipline, social growth, economic development,

political awareness and values –oriented. It is also

the new aims of the new education to achieve a high


moral regeneration and improve the people’s character

and attitude necessary in national development.10

During the Marcos regime, the aims of education under

the Constitution of 1973, Article XV Sec. 8 states

that:

All educational institutions shall be under the

supervision and subject to the regulation by the

State.

The State shall establish and maintain a complete,

adequate and integrated system of education

relevant to the goals of national development,

All institutions shall aim to inculcate love for

country, teach the duties of citizenship, and

develop moral character, personal discipline and

scientific and

technological and vocational efficiency.

__________________________


10Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in Philippine Setting. Garotech

Publishing. 2007

The State shall maintain a system of free

public elementary education and in areas where

finances permit, establish and maintain at

least up to the secondary level.

The state shall provide citizenship and

vocational training to adult citizens and out-

of-school youth, and create and maintain

scholarships for poor and deserving students.8

Aside from the Constitutional laws, the development

of the whole man is another aim of Philippine

Education. It means to develop the individual

mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and

spiritually. This is from the concept that education is

a process of growth and development. Growth is the

product of interaction of individual with its

environment.


Another aim of the Philippine educational system is

to upgrade and change its curriculum. The newly

implemented Enhanced K-12 Curriculum is also based on

the philosophy of John Dewey, the pragmatism,

experimentalism, empiricism or naturalism and

instrumentalism principles. According to data

gathered, the objectives of Enhanced K to 12 Basic

Education Program is to create graduates that will:

1.Acquire mastery of basic competencies.

2.Be more emotionally mature.

3. Be socially aware, pro-active, involve in

public and civic affairs.

4. Be adequately prepared for the word of work or

entrepreneurship or higher education.

5.Be legally employable with potential for better

earnings.

6.Be globally competitive.

7. Every graduate of the Enhanced K to 12 Basic

Education program is an empowered individual

who has learned, through a program that is


rooted on sound educational principles and

geared towards excellence, the foundations for

learning throughout life, the competence to

engage in work and be productive, the ability

to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and

global communities, the capability to engage in

autonomous critical thinking, and the capacity

to transform others and one’s self.11

The aims of the New Enhanced K-12 Curriculum are

acquired and influenced by the different philosophies

of several philosophers. The approaches built by Dr.

John Dewey are very visible in the New Enhanced K-12

Curriculum.

This proves again that aims of the education in the

Philippines originated and influenced by the

Philosophy of Dr. John Dewey.

Conclusion


The leaders of the Philippines are building a

nation for the citizens of the future. The Philippines

keeps on reorganizing the school system so that it may

prepare young men and women to have promising future.

The Department of Education wanted to meet the needs

and aims of the New Society in education even in the

complexity of time, economic aspects, advanced

technology, environment, social forms and political

change. Its goal to improve and focus on the student as

the focus of education remains the first priority.

History shows that Philippines has taken education

as one of its priorities and considered it as a

requirement of individual to act morally, live

responsibly, socially aware of his/her environment,

participate and exercise his/her rights politically and

grow productively in the society where he /she belongs.

A child must grow productively in the society where

he /she belongs. Education served as an integral part

of the society in elevating the lives of every

Filipinos.


Department of Education underwent several changes –

new system, new curriculum, new laws and ordinances or

Republic Act. Although the styles and techniques of

teaching or systems and forms have changed, the role

of school in the society will always be vital in the

growth of individual. It is very transparent that the

principles formulated by the Philosopher Dr. John Dewey

influenced the Philippines education in all areas and

aspects. Present curriculum shows several thoughts of

the philosopher has been applied and accounted to be

the guiding patterns of the system.

According to de Montaigne, famous philosopher and

education advocate, “Learning is a good medicine: but

no medicine is powerful enough to preserve itself from

taint and corruption independently of defects in the

jar that it is kept in. One man sees clearly but does

not see straight: consequently he sees what is good but

fails to follow it; he sees knowledge and does not use

it.“11 So continuous training and revisions must be

modified from time to time, rigid monitoring in the


implementation of the principles and ceaseless support

and effort from the different sectors of the society to

completely achieve the ideals of the principles.

The attainment of the objectives of education will

always depend on

the cooperation and total participation among the

students, teachers,

school administrators and the country’s officials. They

are the instruments and tools of education. They are

needed to implement the system and to continually

adjust and adapt to the changes that the computer age

will bring. None the less the philosophies no matter

how great or effective will become senseless and futile

if not applied properly in the learning process.

To this day, school has retained some basic

characteristics of its origin. Many of our

contemporaries would be surprised if we tell them that

there was a time when schools did not exist and that

perhaps in the far-off future they will stop to exist.


Marshall McLuhan has already announced the end of the

era of written letters and books, and consequently the

disappearance of school in the traditional form to

which people are accustomed. Traditional learning and

methods will soon be transformed.12 Education may change

in the following years, yet philosophies of education

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11http://www.spaceandmotion.com.Philosophy-Spinoza-Philosopher.httm

will always remain as guiding principles and theories

in this complicated times of the era. Dr. John Dewey’s

philosophy together with the other theories will always

be the foundation in the system of education in the

Philippines and in any parts of the world.


______________________________

2 http://www. Prospects in Education.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization. Place de Fontenoy ©

References:

Acero,Victorina. Javier, Evelyn. Castro, Herminia. Principles and Strategies ofTeaching. Rex Bookstore, Inc. 2000

Gregorio, Herman. Gregorio, Cornelia. Philosophy of Education in PhilippineSetting. Garotech Publishing. 2007

Zulueta,Francisco.Maglaya, Elda.Foundations of Education. National Bookstore.Reprint 2005

http://www.philosophy.ProspectsinEducation.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Place de Fontenoy © Vol.1No.2.2007

http://www.spaceandmotion.com.Philosophy-Spinoza-Philosopher.httm

http://www.spaceandmotion.com.Philosophy-Spinoza-Philosopher.httm/


http://www.John Dewey’s Educational Philosophy:Core Concepts George Demetrion Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford [email protected] August 1, 2003


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