A postmodern reading of John Dewey's Education and Experience |
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Tuesday, 14 April 2009 21:33 | |
In short, Dewey’s democracy is democracy for the many the Deconstructivist Age democracy of our times is for the few evolvingly creating, in the sense talked about by Herbert Marcuse, “one-dimensional human beings” unable to perceive the contradictions he/she is in. A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE by Azly Rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/ One of the most challenging exercises in analysis and reflection of and upon a monumental educational philosophical text such as John Dewey’s Education and Experience is to look at what education means within the contemporary perspective of post modernism which forces one to look at issues such as freedom, intelligence, knowledge, power, class, control ideology, and human destiny. The challenge comes from allying with Dewey’s “process philosophy” paradigm which attempts to mediate cultural continuity and futurism on the one hand and to deconstruct entirely the meaning of education on the other so that process philosophy may no longer become tenable in this era of “change, complexity, competition and chaos.” OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
Comments (6) ... written by red1, April 14, 2009 23:05:55 No wonder many of us shun from English. It is too difficult to grasp by our one-dimensional deconstruvistic minds. report abuse disagree 1 agree 5 ... written by AlwaysFair, April 15, 2009 00:31:32 This article is too difficult. Next time please use simpler language because most of the people here are poor in English, as for me my English though considered good, I find this hard to read. Thanks. report abuse disagree 2 agree 6 ... written by cruzeiro, April 16, 2009 15:10:34 Master Pangloss taught the metaphysico-theologo-cosmolonigology. He could prove to admiration that there is no effect without a cause; and, that in this best of all possible worlds, the Baron's castle was the most magnificent of all castles, and My Lady the best of all possible baronesses. "The Grand Inquisitor saw me one day at Mass, ogled me all the time of service, and when it was over, sent to let me know he wanted to speak with me about some private business. "Methinks I long to see it," said Candide, with all imaginable simplicity. "You shall," said Cunegund, "but let me proceed." Lord help me, how can I?" said Pangloss. "My dear friend, I have not a penny in the world; and you know one cannot be bled or have an enema without money." " "What," said he, "thou Galilean slut? The Inquisitor was not enough for thee, but this rascal must come in for a share with me?" "O my dear Candide, you must remember Pacquette, that pretty wench, who waited on our noble Baroness; in her arms I tasted the pleasures of Paradise, which produced these Hell torments with which you see me devoured.” "All this was indispensably necessary," replied the one-eyed doctor, "for private misfortunes are public benefits; so that the more private misfortunes there are, the greater is the general good." report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by born2reign, April 19, 2009 10:05:33 that schooling is a process of producing “good citizens” and not merely “good workers” who would live by participatory rather than protectionist democratic principles; Malaysian schools teachers will just teach us that China is communist and Malaysia is democratic, but do not discuss the aspects of these 2 ideologies. Teachers are more concerned about getting the dates and events correct than to argue and discuss (through student participation) on the values and principles of these two ideologies. that in order to achieve the level of “freedom with responsibility”, schooling must be organized along the lines of experiential learning which are educative and promotes “growth”...more “child-centered” learning To learn like a child there needs to be more failures than success. To fall down and get up, over and over again. To be frustrated when square pegs cannot fit round holes. Our NEP encourages Malay students to never having to fall, never to climb upwards (thereby building muscles along the way)...ie NEP encourages Malay students to roll downhill - the easiest exercise in the world, one that does not need strength and endurance. The Malays (esp UMNO) are expecting this as their birthright, their constitution, their way of life, ie to roll downhill and reach the bottom. Of course, the non-Malays are not bothered that this is their self-chosen path (no one pointed a gun to their heads). But when these non-Malays reached the bottom of the mountain, they they complain why are the non-NEP students at the top? The NEP Malays are now jealous and blame the non-NEP grads that the non-NEP graduates are at the top of the mountain, when all along they have been warned not to go on the NEP highway. Success is a lifelong journey, not a destination (John Maxwell) Now UMNO has brought back the Master of Downhill Leadership, Tun Mahathir, to bury the NEP-UMNO-dependant Malays, once and for all. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by educationist, April 19, 2009 10:17:27 '. If schools can be (and loved to be) blamed for all the ills of today, can we teachers use this avenue to turn the tide and channel our energy into one powerful international social movement? How then must we teach? must be the quintessential question.' While the first statement is true of our Malaysian society, I can't see the harnessing of the energy occurring here. For that matter, there's no clear indicator it is happening in the so called advanced developed nations. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 Write comment You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet. |