Nichiren Buddhism and Deweyan Pragmatism: An Eastern-Western Integration of Thought

Let me begin by thanking the members of the George F. Kneller Advisory Committee and you the members of the American Educational Studies Association for inviting me to give the annual Kneller Lecture on this the fiftieth anniversary of the Association.The present phase of rising nationalism and growing global xenophobia does not suggest this is the season for the integration of international thought. Nonetheless, my lecture focuses on an instance of a nascent integration of Eastern and Western philosophical and educational ideas.     

Pragmatism and the Tragic Sense: Deweyan Growth in an Age of Nihilism

In the context of contemporary nihilistic tendencies in democracy and education, Dewey's pragmatism must respond to the criticism that it lacks a tragic sense. By highlighting the Emersonian perfectionist dimension latent in the concept of growth, this paper attempts to reveal a sense of the tragic in Dewey's work—his humble recognition of the double nature of democracy as both attained and unattained. It is precisely the lack of this sense of the tragic that characterises contemporary nihilism. In resistance to this, Deweyan growth points to a perfectionist education committed to the re–awakening of intensity of impulse.     

Growth and Resistance: How Deweyan Pragmatism Reconstructs Social Justice Education

While Democracy and Education is often cited within the scholarship on and teaching of social justice education, it and Dewey's work generally remain underutilized. Peter Nelsen argues in this essay that Deweyan pragmatism offers rich resources for social justice education by exploring how Dewey's three‐part conception of growth has both analytical and normative force. Nelsen makes this case by examining student resistance to engagement with social justice issues, and concludes from this analysis that resistance is an opportunity for growth. Furthermore, rather than being a precursor to critical engagement with ideas, Nelsen contends that creating collaborative environments that foster interdependence across group memberships might be as important as the critical engagement itself.     

Aligning Deweyan Pragmatism and Emersonian Perfectionism: Re-imagining Growth and Educating Grown-Ups

This essay examines in detail the triangulated conversation Naoko Saito constructs, in The Gleam of Light , among the voices of R. W. Emerson, John Dewey and Stanley Cavell. The pivot around which everything turns is the Emersonian ideal of moral perfectionism and, in particular, the implications of this ideal for the philosophy of education. As explicated by Cavell, this ideal concerns 'the dimension of moral thought directed less to restraining the bad than to releasing the good'. For the conscientious person, it is, at once, unavoidable and unattainable. In constructing a conversation among these and other authors, Saito establishes herself as an arresting voice by her thoughtful contributions to many contemporary controversies bearing upon our educational practices, not least of all ones about curricular reform as well as personal transformation.     

‘To Be Is To Respond’: Realising a Dialogic Ontology For Deweyan Pragmatism

Dewey's pragmatism rejected ‘truth’ as indicative of an underlying reality, instead ascribing it to valuable connections between aims and ends. Surprisingly, his argument mirrors Bishop Berkeley's Idealism, summarised as ‘esse est percepi’ (to be is to be perceived), whose thinking is shown to be highly pragmatist—but who retained a foundationalist ontology by naming God as the guarantor of all things. I argue that while this position is unsustainable, pragmatism could nonetheless be strengthened through an ontological foundation. Koopman's charges of foundationalist ‘givenism’ in Dewey's work, and in his promotion of the scientific method, are not proven. However, Koopman's ‘genealogical pragmatism’ may develop Deweyan educational theory by addressing dilemmas around curricular study. Koopman's arguments also point towards a missing ontological piece in Dewey's theory of knowledge. In the final section of the article I offer a dialogic ontology as compatible with pragmatism. This dialogical ontology provides both an ethical foundation through interrelatedness, and a generative theory of meaning and experience, as emergent from the encounter with difference. In this framework, to be is to respond—or be responded to. I offer the metaphor of ‘realisation’ to capture the human experience implied by this ontological stance.     

An Alternative to Von Glasersfeld's Subjectivism in Science Education: Deweyan Social Constructivism

An influential view of constructivism in science and mathematics educational research and practice is that of Ernst von Glasersfeld. It is a peculiarly subjectivist form of constructivism that should not be attractive to science and mathematics educators concerned with retaining some sort of realism that leaves room for objectivity. The subjectivist constructivism of von Glasersfeld also becomes entangled in untenable mind/body and subject/object dualisms. Finally, these dualisms are unnecessary for social constructivism. I will provide one example of a social constructivist alternative to social constructivism, that of the pragmatic philosopher John Dewey. In presenting Dewey's position I will appeal to Ockham's razor, that is, the admonition not to multiply entities beyond necessity, to shave off the needless mentalistic and psychic entities that lead von Glasersfeld into his subjectivism and dualism.     

Transformative Learning for Counselor Trainees: Implementation of the Multicultural Immersion Experience Model

In this qualitative inquiry, we studied the lived experiences of counselor trainees who participated in a short-term study abroad program in Dublin, Ireland. It was found that counselor trainees self-reported transformative growth as a result of their cultural immersion. Specifically, counselor trainees identified an increase in cultural self-awareness, other awareness, and global connection. The implications of applying transformative learning theory and the Multicultural Immersion Experience model to guide cultural immersion programs are discussed.     

Transformative learning meets Bildung: An international exchange

International Review of Education -     

An Alternative to Von Glasersfeld's Subjectivism in Science Education: Deweyan Social Constructivism

An influential view of constructivism in science and mathematicseducational research and practice is that of Ernst von Glasersfeld. It is apeculiarly subjectivist form of constructivism that should not be attractiveto science and mathematics educators concerned with retaining some sort ofrealism that leaves room for objectivity. The subjectivist constructivism ofvon Glasersfeld also becomes entangled in untenable mind/body andsubject/object dualisms. Finally, these dualisms are unnecessary for socialconstructivism. I will provide one example of a social constructivistalternative to social constructivism, that of the pragmatic philosopher JohnDewey. In presenting Deweys position I will appeal to Ockhams razor, thatis, the admonition not to multiply entities beyond necessity, to shave offthe needless mentalistic and psychic entities that lead von Glasersfeld intohis subjectivism and dualism.In outward forms, experimental science isinfinitely varied. In principle, it is simple. We know an object when we knowhow it is made, and we know how it is made in the degree in which weourselves make it.John Dewey (1925, 1981, p. 319)     

A Deweyan Perspective on Science Education: Constructivism, Experience, and Why We Learn Science

This paper investigates a Deweyan interpretation of constructivism as a means of developing a rationale for teaching science. The paper provides a review of constructivism from recent science education literature, along with some relevant criticisms. The paper then presents an interpretation of Dewey’s formulation of the role of knowing and scientific concepts as tools for integrating and transforming experience, based primarily on Experience and Nature and The Quest for Certainty, arguing that a Deweyan version of constructivism improves upon recent cognitivist versions of constructivism, while providing a general justification for why ideas in science are worth teaching and learning.     

团队精神塑造：基层电大构建和谐校园的必要途径

团队建设是构建和谐校园的重要路径,团队建设的前提就是团队精神塑造。文章分析了基层电大团队精神塑造的必要性,并从实际出发探讨了团队精神塑造的途径。     

Shadow education in Singapore: A Deweyan perspective

Abstract

This study focuses on the phenomenon of private supplementary tutoring, otherwise known as ‘shadow education’, which has proliferated around the world. By casting the spotlight on one particular shadow education institution (SEI) in Singapore and viewing it through the lens of Dewey’s educational philosophy, the study aimed to illuminate the inner workings of a SEI to shed light on its ability to thrive in a competitive educational landscape. Data were drawn from lesson observations, interviews with various stakeholders and the SEI website. Viewed through Dewey’s philosophical thinking about the connections between the child and curriculum and school and society, the data shows an institution outwardly guided by a progressivist mission to develop learners as a whole, providing opportunities for broadening their minds and preparing them for their future workplace. However, evidence also suggests that there is a fundamental focus on high-stakes examination preparation in its pedagogic practices and curricular content. This tension reflects the wider socio-economic culture in Singapore that is entrenched within a utilitarian and pragmatic paradigm while aspiring towards more humanistic and holistic educational goals.     

从"洪战辉精神"看高校先进文化建设

洪战辉精神是中国传统文化与时代精神的完美结合,是先进文化的集中体现;洪战辉精神的形成既是偶然,又是历史的必然,是主观努力与客观机遇有机的统一;洪战辉精神在怀化学院的出现启示我们,要建设好高校先进文化,应该坚持正确的理论指导,坚持科学的育人途径和方法,要营造良好的校园文化环境,要加强对传统优秀文化的继承和学习,要做好“三育人”工作。     

Introduction to Section III: Deweyan Growth in Practice

At present, the structures, practice, and discourse of schooling are anchored to a “commercial spirit” that understands students, educators, and parents as economic operators trading competitively in human capital and to a discourse of failure that is disabling those who seek to understand and enact John Dewey's notion of education as democratic practice. Here Barbara Stengel illustrates both the commercial spirit in public schools and the discourse of school failure across two geopolitical settings: Shanghai, China, and urban U.S. schools. She argues that framing the educational enterprise in terms of economic success and failure makes it difficult for educators to address Dewey's vision of democracy and education substantively. Stengel concludes with an acknowledgment that, regardless of putative political commitments, these two public school systems are schooling — though not often educating — the same neoliberal subject, but that Dewey's vision of democracy and education nonetheless remains critical and compelling.     

开设"电磁感应现象观测"的综合实验

详细介绍了开设本科电磁场综合演示实验——电磁感应现象观测的内容和实践经验,并总结了实验所具有的特色和已取得的效果。     

人文精神的培养与现代人文教育机制的构建

教育的意义在于"成人"。人文精神影响着人的丰富性和完满性发展、有助于人的潜在能力的开发;人文精神的建立主要靠人文知识的教育来培养,但并不排斥科学。现代教育应建立哲学、艺术、科学三位一体的教育机制,才能为全面建设小康社会提供坚实、完整而又充满活力的人才保障。     

实用主义哲学对现代教育理论发展的影响——威廉·詹姆士《实用主义》研读

实用主义哲学思想具有世界范围内的巨大影响。中国对实用主义的认识还是从约翰.杜威开始的。然而,威廉.詹姆士的作用不能低估。威廉.詹姆士的实用主义哲学思想对现代教育理论发展的重要启示是：必须注重教师和学生个体的独立性,教学应是教师＂哲学思考的方法＂,而学生应可以选择学习的内容和过程;必须强调教师和学生都具有不同的＂气质＂,教学活动其实就是一种＂气质＂冲突和协调的过程;必须认识教育在本质上就是经验的不断积累,但又需要承认教授间接知识具有与直接经验同等的重要价值。     

弘扬抗震救灾精神 建设社会主义核心价值体系

文章论述了抗震救灾精神是社会主义核心价值体系的诠释和新发展,探讨了以弘扬抗震救灾精神为契机,加强社会主义核心价值体系建设的一些新对策。     

大学体验:实践大学精神的新视角

大学的存在价值正受到现代社会中人们的生活方式和感知能力的挑战。大学需重视大学体验以实践大学精神,通过适应社会发展、开发自身优势应对新的挑战。大学体验是指由大学教育活动引发,沉淀后留在记忆中的个人或集体的心理感受,分为认知体验、情感体验、行动体验和关联体验,具有维系、教育和筛选的作用。大学管理者应通过合理设计大学活动、积极挖掘大学故事和努力营造校园环境构建良好的大学体验。