Philosophy of Progressivism

FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION
PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESSIVISM
INTRODUCTION
It is an American philosophy, which is a revolt against the

‘formal/conventional/traditional’ system of education.
It becomes popular, in 1929 the economic depression of the USA adversely

affected the educational system of the country. the principles underlying
progressive education have influenced modern educational theories and
practices to a very great extent all over the world.
Meaning
Education is centered around for the present life itself.
The development of an individual and society is only possible when education

facilitates the growth of every phase of the child.
Definition
Progressivism is a theory of education that is concerned with “learning by doing

“that children learn best when pursuing their own interests and satisfying their
own needs.
Progressivists believe that people learn best from what they consider most
relevant to their lives. Progressivists center curriculum on their needs,
experience, interest, and abilities of students.
PROVOKE CURIOSITY IN STUDENTS.
EXPONENTS
John Dewey; William James; G Thomas Lawrence; William Kilpatrick.
A large number of schools in Europe and the USA were started.
John Dewey (1859-1952)
An American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer.

● His philosophy based on pragmatism.
● He established “Laboratory School” in 1896.
● He was the father of educational psychology.
● He introduces the progressive method of teaching.
● He believed that book learning was no substitute for actually doing
things.
What is progressivism?
➢ Progressivism is the educational philosophy that is grounded in the “pure”

philosophy of pragmatism.
➢ Pragmatic ontology holds that reality is in the area of everyday life,
personal experience.
➢ Its view is that ideas should be tested for their utility. Progressivism
focuses on real-world problem solving and individual development.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGRESSIVISM
● Emphasis on learning by doing

● hands-on projects
● Experiential learning
● Integrated curriculum focused on thematic units.
● Strong emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking.
● Group work and development of social skills.
● Understanding and action as the goals of learning as opposed to rote
knowledge.
● Collaborative and cooperative learning projects.
Concept of progressivism
The contemporary reform movement in educational, social, and political affairs.

Dewey viewed the school as a miniature democratic society in which students
could learn and practice the skill and tools necessary for democratic living.
Educational progressivism
Educational progressivism is the belief that education must be based on the

principle that humans are social animals who learn best in real-life activities
with other people.
The skills and tools of learning include problem-solving methods and scientific
inquiry.
The learning experience includes cooperative behaviors and self-discipline.
Schools can transmit the culture of society while it prepares students in the
changing world.
This philosophy places emphasis on how to think and nor what to think.
Progressive education focused on the child as the learner rather than on

subject, emphasized activities and experiences rather than verbal and literary
skills, and encouraged cooperative group learning activities rather than a
competitive individualized lesson plan.
AIMS OF EDUCATION
● To develop the personality of an individual through providing a democratic

environment in the educational institutions.
● All-round development of the child.
● Co-operative behavior and social participation.
Education of the whole man, or whole personality, which includes the physical,
emotional, social, and intellectual aspects of the individual.
PROGRESSIVISM AND THE CURRICULUM
● It should be based on the actual giving environment to the child.

● It must reflect his daily life. The curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature.
● Books and subject matter were part of the learning process rather than
sources of ultimate knowledge.
● The curriculum is based on students' interests, which involves the
application of human problems and affairs. It uses the life experience
approach to fit the student for future social action.
● The curriculum is based on a specific group of students.
Curriculum includes
Political; moral; social; vocational; intellectual; mathematics; general science,

languages; integration of experiences.
Progressivism and method of teaching

Project method- active participation of the pupils in learning.
Socialized method- to bring all the individual into a group system of interaction.
● Conferences
● Demonstration
● Group work
● Roleplay
● Debates
● Discussion
● Planning and participation in the activities.
Progressivism and the Teacher
● The human elements, human beings are given more importance.

● The teacher has to meet the needs of a pupil as a good human being.
● As a facilitator or guide.
● Determine student interest.
● Involve students in curriculum development.
● Stimulate the direct learning process.
● The teacher, who is vital in the education process and having richer,
superior experience and can analyze the present situation.
● The teacher will act as a stage setter, guide, and coordinator but he is
not total authority, just he guides the situation.
A teacher’s purpose is not to create students in his own image, But to develop
students who can create their own image.
Progressivism and the School
School is a cooperative enterprise, it provides a conducive environment for the

democratic growth of the child.
EVALUATION
● Assessment by evaluation of a child’s project and productions.

● Assessment by the class presentation or workshop organized by a group
of learners.
● Quizzes or oral questioning.
● Feedback
● Performance-based assessment.
● Observation
● Multiple choice question
Self-evaluation
Progressivists believe that education should focus on the child rather than the
subject matter.
The student’s interests are important, as is the integration of thinking, feeling,
and doing.
Learners should be active and learn to solve problems by experimenting and

reflecting on their experiences.
Schools should help the students develop personal and social values so that they
can become thoughtful, productive, citizens. because society is always changing,
new ideas are important to make the future better than the past.
CRITICISM
● The critics of the progressive methods of teaching say that the pupils
the progressive classroom lack in the discipline.
● The progressivism system of education required more funding or budget.
● Countries are not that much strong financially or have a budget to provide
material for practical work.
● The role of the teacher is only to facilitate or guide means not required
to experts in their subject.
CONCLUSION
● By understanding this philosophy of education, as a teacher, we have to

know which approach can suit well to our learners’ needs.
● Despite the good points of the process approach underlying this
philosophy.
● It is provided with the passage of time that his philosophy and concept of
education and curriculum is very useful and effective to date and helping
to prepare skilled and useful citizens for society.
References
1. Pramilaa R. Progressivism, Nursing Communication And Education Technology. 1

st Edition. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2010. Page
No : 150-151
2. Neeraja KP. Progressivism, Textbook of Nursing Education.1 st Edition. New
Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2003. Page No: 32-33
3. Clement Dr. I. Progressivism, Textbook on Communication And Education
Technology. 3 rd Edition. Bangalore: EMMESS Medical Publishers; 2016. Page
No: 171-172
4.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_education#John_Dewey_2
PHILOSOPHY OF ESSENTIALISM
Essentialism as a Philosophy
Essentialism as a Philosophy values the “essence” of each object.

Essence can be defined as the attribute, or set of attributes that make an
object what it fundamentally is, and must have.
This essence describes a permanent, unalterable, and eternal object. Without
its essence, an object loses its identity.
Essentialism from the Different Points of View
● For the idealists, the abstract property of the object is its essence.
● For the realists, the essence of the object is the object per se. This
essence categorized these objects.
● For the existentialists, the essence of human nature is eternal and
unchangeable.
Essentialism as a Philosophy of Education
It is backed by the belief that there are certain basic skills, arts, and science
that are essential.
These set skills and knowledge are essential in the PAST and are likely essential
as well in the FUTURE.
History of Essentialism in Education
The main proponent of essentialism was William Bagley, a professor of education

at Columbia University’s Teachers College. This idea of Bagley, emerged during
the 30’s, as the state of American education is deteriorating, as compared to
other countries (Gutek, 1990).
Moreover, Bagley identified the cause of this problem was the emergence of
progressivism, which he described as “essentially enfeebling”. Likewise, this idea
again resurfaced during 1950’s such as Bestor to criticize a new educational
theory called “life adjustment” which focuses on personal and social skills over
academic skills.
What do we teach in Essentialism?

For Elementary – the 4R’s (Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Right conduct)
For High School – History, Mathematics, Science, Language and Literature
For College – Liberal Arts and Sciences
Stresses Discipline, Respect for Authority and Nationalism
How do we teach in Essentialism?
Essentialist views as teachers as models of discipline, socially-aware and

masters of both content and culture.
Teaching must take place in a well-organized and disciplined environment.

Mastery of the subjects requires diligence and effort in the part of the
learner.
The curriculum must be carefully structured
Why do we teach in Essentialism?
➢ SOCIETAL – The goal of education is to produce students that can be

responsible enough to participate effectively in society. For the
essentialist, it agrees that the school is an essential social institution
BUT, it does not agree that societal changes should be initiated by the
school. However, the school should prepare the students to solve the
societal problems by providing literacy and skills from a “socially aware”
teacher.
➢ LIFE-LONG, GENERATIVE LEARNING - Students can be prepared to

learn higher, more complex subjects. The essentialists focus on basic
subjects that start from the basic, its complexity.
➢ CULTURAL – To preserve and transmit the essentials of the common

culture, and develop Patrimony.
Essentialism against Other Educational Philosophies
Essentialism and Perennialism
Perennialism and Essentialism are much more interrelated to each other since it
both agrees that schools should develop the students’ rational and moral powers
(Salandanan, 2012).
They mutually believe that strategies should be teacher-centered, and does not
allow students’ interest to dictate teaching. With this, we can conclude that
both of them are traditional, both in What and Why’s of teaching. The only
difference is that Perennialist focus more on teaching the “Classics” and
more philosophical in nature, as compared to the Essentialist who gives stress on
basic skills and knowledge. Moreover, perennialist stress personal development
first, as matched to the Existentialist, which focuses on the development of the
essential skills of the learner.
Essentialism and Progressivism
Essentialism and Progressivism are far more different from each other. For
progressivists, teachers
should not focus on teaching universal truths or a particular body of knowledge
but must educate the learners based on their interests (Salandanan, 2012).
Thus, we can conclude that, on a progressivist point of view, it is the learner
who determines his/her own pace of learning, and is the focus of the curriculum,
while essentialism centers on the mastery of skills, regardless of the interest
of the learners.
Teachers were viewed by the progressivist as facilitators of learning, and
the information should come from actual experimentation (learning by doing).
This contradicts the idea of the essentialist which views the teacher as an
expert of his/her field, who is the source of knowledge by the students.
Nonetheless, both philosophies accentuate that the goal of education is to
produce citizens that can responsibly, and actively participate in the society,
which is, for the progressivist, is a democratic one, and for the essentialist, a
disciplined one.
Criticisms on Essentialism
From its definition and terms, essentialism is indeed a very teacher-centered

one. It stresses that teachers should be the source of knowledge and that
students are just passive receivers of information (Ondego, ).
Students are forced to learn a body of knowledge and are expected to meet up
with the standards set by the teacher. Furthermore, essentialism gives
importance to traditional basic subjects, minimizing contemporary and creative
subjects. This poses a threat that students trained under an essentialist point
of view will lack creativity since the learners were never given a chance to
express themselves. Learners, also tend to lack adaptability in a fast-changing
world since they were taught traditional basic knowledge.
On the positive side, essentialism brings stability in education (Ondego, ), since

it focuses on conservative and consistent subject areas which are already
stable. Moreover, since essentialism focus on basic instruction, it gives the
learner a stable and strong foundation of knowledge needed in a more complex
subject. This idea helped the curriculum developers to structure the subject
matter in a generative manner, starting from basic education during the primary
years, it gradually improved to a complex subject.
Furthermore, essentialism does not stress only in basic skills and knowledge, but
most importantly, Character, Discipline, and Nationalism. Education under the
essentialist point-of-view would yield into disciplined and responsible individuals
who uphold the rule of law and has a deep sense of nationalism in their mind,
heart, and in action.

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FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION

It is an American philosophy, which is a revolt against the

It becomes popular, in 1929 the economic depression of the USA adversely

Education is centered around for the present life itself.

The development of an individual and society is only possible when education

Progressivism is a theory of education that is concerned with “learning by doing

PROVOKE CURIOSITY IN STUDENTS.

John Dewey; William James; G Thomas Lawrence; William Kilpatrick.

A large number of schools in Europe and the USA were started.

John Dewey (1859-1952)

An American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer.

➢ Progressivism is the educational philosophy that is grounded in the “pure”

● Emphasis on learning by doing

The contemporary reform movement in educational, social, and political affairs.

Educational progressivism is the belief that education must be based on the

Progressive education focused on the child as the learner rather than on

● To develop the personality of an individual through providing a democratic

PROGRESSIVISM AND THE CURRICULUM

● It should be based on the actual giving environment to the child.

Political; moral; social; vocational; intellectual; mathematics; general science,

Progressivism and method of teaching

Progressivism and the Teacher

● The human elements, human beings are given more importance.

Progressivism and the School

School is a cooperative enterprise, it provides a conducive environment for the

● Assessment by evaluation of a child’s project and productions.

Learners should be active and learn to solve problems by experimenting and

● By understanding this philosophy of education, as a teacher, we have to

1. Pramilaa R. Progressivism, Nursing Communication And Education Technology. 1

Essentialism as a Philosophy values the “essence” of each object.

Essentialism from the Different Points of View

Essentialism as a Philosophy of Education

History of Essentialism in Education

The main proponent of essentialism was William Bagley, a professor of education

What do we teach in Essentialism?

Stresses Discipline, Respect for Authority and Nationalism

How do we teach in Essentialism?

Essentialist views as teachers as models of discipline, socially-aware and

Teaching must take place in a well-organized and disciplined environment.

Why do we teach in Essentialism?

➢ SOCIETAL – The goal of education is to produce students that can be

➢ LIFE-LONG, GENERATIVE LEARNING - Students can be prepared to

➢ CULTURAL – To preserve and transmit the essentials of the common

Essentialism against Other Educational Philosophies

Essentialism and Perennialism

Essentialism and Progressivism

From its definition and terms, essentialism is indeed a very teacher-centered

On the positive side, essentialism brings stability in education (Ondego, ), since

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