Effect of Online Education and Adult Education and Connection with John Dewey’s Pragmatism
The principles and paradigm of education has changed dramatically. More and more people understand the importance of the education and want to receive good knowledge by means of attending a prestigious college at any age. Thus, it appears that adult education and online education as the innovative forms for learning are in demand.
The main idea of this paper is to consider the effect of online education and adult education on the paradigm of the social learning structure, connect these forms of studying with John Dewey’s pragmatism and interpret the issue from a different philosophical perspective.
Thus, online education is considered as the studying on the basis of the innovative technologies which take place on the Internet and is based on the principles of individual distant learning. Adult education does not differ greatly from ordinary generally accepted classes with the differences that they are attended by adults and are aimed at expanding their school education or deepening it is a particular working sphere.
Dewey was sure that there should be the contest between traditional education and progressive, like online and adult, as he used to say that “that the issue runs deeper than a mere contention between advocates of progressive education and traditional education” and the attempts had to be taken “to resolve the dualism that ultimately divided and broke the spirit of the progressive education movement” (Schubert, 2006, p. 79).
Therefore, it may be concluded that taking into account Dewey’s theory, the innovative education is to be in contrast with the traditional one until the specific steps are not taken.
John Dewey’s pragmatism may be covered in the following,
If a theory makes no difference in educational endeavor, it must be artificial. The educational point of view enables one to envisage the philosophic problems where they arise and thrive, where acceptance or rejection makes a difference in practice. If we are willing to conceive education as the process of forming fundamental dispositions, intellectual and emotional, toward nature and fellow-men, philosophy may even be defined as the general theory of education (in Saito, 2006, p. 345).
Interpretation of the Issue from a Different Philosophical Perspective
One of the main ideas of the Dewey’s philosophy is that education should be changed due to the changes in the society. The democratic relation to education should become a priority. Therefore, the online education and adult education are exactly what Dewey was talking about. However, it is possible to consider these types of education from other perspectives.
Thus, Cavell is sure that the difference should be made via language and the education should speak to learners. The main difference from the Dewey’s education is that Cavell offers to make difference in the form of teaching that may be used in online learning and adult education.
Therefore, it should be stated that even though Dewey and Cavell wanted to apply different pragmatist theories, they wanted to make education different from traditional, to present innovative ideas which may be helpful in making a difference. The philosophies of Dewey and Cavell coincide as they are aimed at making difference, but they are also various as the pragmatism of Dewey is that he talks about education, while Cavell speaks to the learners. Online education and adult learning may apply to the theories of these scholars.
Reference List
Saito, N. (2006). Philosophy as Education and Education as Philosophy: Democracy and Education from Dewey to Cavell. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 40(3), 345-356.
Schubert, W. H. (2006). Teaching John Dewey as a Utopian Pragmatist While Learning from My Students. Education & Culture, 22(1), 78-83.