PRAGMATISMBy
Charles Mhango – BSc.NMStudent - MSc. Reproductive Health (Yr 1)
University of MalawiKamuzu College of Nursing
Objective
• Understand the pragmatic education system• Isolate features of pragmatism in
the nursing education system in Malawi
Outline
• Description• Pragmatism and education• Pragmatism and nursing
education in Malawi• Conclusion• Reference
Description
• Also called experimentalism and instrumentalism• An America’s contribution to history of
philosophy• Associated with names like Charles S.
Peirce (1839-1914), William James (1842-1910), and John Dewey (1859-1952)• Mind and matter are not separated and
independent
Description
• We live in the world of experience and there is no truth/reality without experience• Reality can not be divorced from
experience• Man’s experiences change and so does
reality• Metaphysically, no absolutes, or
unchanged natural laws
Description
• Knowledge rooted in experience• Knowledge is not received rather
it is made through interaction with the environment• Truth is what works• There is nothing like Absolute
truth
Pragmatism and education
• Education is seen as basically a social process rooted in problem-solving and the exploration of the meaning of experience
Pragmatism and education
Students• Have experiences• Capable of using experiences and
intelligence to solve problems• Learn as they experience by
acting and being acted upon by the environment as they experience consequences of their actions
Pragmatism and education
Students• School experience is part of life
not preparation for life• Students and their needs and
interests are the centre of education focus
Pragmatism and education
Teachers• Can be seen as leaners (also experiencing
a changing world in a class)• Differ from students in experience• Viewed as helper, guider, advisor,
arranger of experiences or project director• Do not decide student needs
Pragmatism and education
Teachers• Advise and guide students
activities based on the students’ own identified needs• Help students develop their own
projects
Pragmatism and education
Curriculum• Drawn from natural units arising
from learner’s questions and experiences• Subject matter eyes student needs• Specific units of study may vary
between class A and B of the same grade
Pragmatism and education
Curriculum• Traditional subjects (art, history,
math, reading etc.) need to be designed and instructed in problem-solving manner• Seen as being more concerned
with process than content
Pragmatism and education
Methodology• Gives students freedom to choose
learning situations most meaningful to them• Classroom viewed as any place
where experiencies can occur e.g a laboratory
Pragmatism and education
Example: Field Trip• Time consuming• Students directly interact with environment•More motivating•More meaningful
• Project method is one of the favourite techniques for pragmatists
Pragmatism and education
Note: The experiential methodology does not imply that all pragmatists are opposed to books, libraries and other organized knowledge sources. Dewey highlights that as students learn through experience, they should be able to come to a place where they can learn through indirect and logical approaches to
organized subject matter
Pragmatism and education
School – Social and Political views• Not afraid of social change• Social change is inevitable and
school functions to teach younger generation to manage change in healthy manner
Pragmatism and education
School – Social and Political views• School exist to help students
memorise a set body of content, but rather to have them learn how to learn
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing studentsLike in pragmatism…• Learning is mostly through experience• More than 50% of nursing education is
practical based• During practical experience students
act upon the environment• E.g. dressing patient wounds
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing students• Environment act upon them as
they experience consequences of their actions• E.g. not dressing patient wounds
may lead to bad smell, poor prognosis of patients, failure of clinical assessment etc.
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing studentsHowever…• Students and their needs and
interests are not the centre of education focus rather the patients and their needs are
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
TeachersLike in pragmatism…• Teachers are usually more
experienced than students• During research, help students
develop own projects and act like advisors
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
• Advise and guide student activities based on student’s on identified learning needs in the clinical area• i.e. help students meet their daily
clinical objectives
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
TeachersUnlike pragmatists…• Can never be mistaken for a leaners,
clearly identified as a teacher• Only act as guides, advisors or
project directors only in specified situations
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Teachers• Decide student needs• What students should learn in class• What students should achieve at
clinical area (clinical objective)
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing curriculum• There are a lot of disparities in the two
curriculaLike in pragmatism…• The curriculum is also concerned with
the process• Recognise the importance of traditional
subjects (art, history, math, language…)
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing curriculumUnlike in pragmatism…• Learner’s experiences are not
part of the curriculum• Student needs do not influence
subject matter rather patient’s needs do
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Nursing curriculum• Subjects offered in two classes of
same level do not vary• Seen as being more concerned
with both process and content
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
MethodologyLike in pragmatism…• Experiential methodology also
form the major part• Clinical practice• Home visits• School health
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Methodology• Project method is also key in nursing
education• Case studies• Research• Community health• Home visits• School health• Occupation health
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
Methodology• Classroom not only place for learning• Skills laboratory• Ward• Community
• Education visits are sometimes part of learning
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
MethodologyHowever…• Students are not given freedom to
choose learning situations most meaningful to them• Field trips usually not used
Pragmatism and nursing education in Malawi
School – Social and Political viewsThere are a lot of disparities;• Does not easily accept social change• Thinks social change can be avoided and
school functions to teach students specific social values• School exist not to help students memorise
a set body of content, and not to have them learn how to learn
Conclusion
• Pragmatists believe that we live in a continuos changing world hence there is no absolute truth• Learning is through interaction with the
environment• Nursing education in Malawi has some
features of pragmatism e.g. they both believe in practical experiences as part learning
Reference
Cohen, L. M. (1999). Philosophical perspectives in education. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html
Knight, G. R. (1989). Issues and alternatives in educational philosophy (2nd Ed.). Berrien Springs: Andrews University Press.
Reference
Maheshwari, V. K. (2011, September 6). Pragmatism in education. Retrieved from http://www.vkmaheshwari.com/WP/?p=151