Learning by Doing
Learning by doing similarly, referred to as experiential education, is defined as an instructional method that is based on the notion that ideal learning happens via experience (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). It is believed that learning tasks need the active participation of learners in experiential opportunities. Besides, the learning opportunities administered ought to be associated with the life of students. It is combining active learning with abstract concepts, real experiences, and reflections with an attempt to engage all styles of learning. John Dewey became the first individual to write about this form of education. Garrison, Neubert & Reich (2012), indicated that there exist intimate and indispensable associations between knowledge and actual experience. Garrison, Neubert & Reich (2012) emphasized that there ought to hands-on learning methods and contents. Students must be engaged actively through experiential education. This allows them in the development of their opinion concepts concerning how they interact with information (Garrison, Neubert & Reich (2012). Experiential learning permits learners to have the independent thing at profound levels.
In most cases learning by doing has never been taken to be the usual kind of education. Firstly, it is relatively hard to implement without the devices for doing. For instance, it is difficult to teach history in schools by doing. Again, what does it mean for one to teach literature through doing? It is something that appears hard. In several instances, it is complex to describe what is meant by doing concerning a provided sub. It is hard to attempt to implement practical implications of doing within classroom settings (Garrison, Neubert & Reic, 2012). Whenever the devices for learning by doing are available, the implementation of learning by doing becomes more comfortable. For example, the piano can be taught easily in an approach of learning by doing because learners are placed reasonably behind keyboards. This can be made possible since pianos are comparatively inexpensive and safe to use. If this is never the case, mainly when then the needed equipment for experiential learning is too expensive or rather unsafe, learning by doing cannot be implemented as a philosophy of teaching. Again, learning by doing does not form a rudimentary teaching model in many institutions (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Because psychologists and educators do not comprehend as to how the form of study works, thus, they loathe insisting on the implementation of such kind (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Most of them cannot precisely say what is meant with this form of education. However, they presume that the method is teaching real skills with no facts.
To take into consideration the experiential learning method from a psychological perspective, it is essential to take into factors learning in real-life situations. This, of course, forms the natural way in which things are done in this approach of learning. Mostly, there is something which is artificially inherent concerning schools. Natural learning is taken to mean that learning on the basis as needed by education stakeholders (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Within such situations of learning, motivations can never be the main problem. People learn because there is something which has caused them to do so, or there is something they want to know. However, schools lack natural motivations related to understanding to things that learners need. Some students are going to learn because they lack alternatives. The same thing is right concerning some training circumstances. Usually, trainees don’t choose the training. And, as they might excellently select the jobs, most of them hardly know that there is some information required of them to excel in some situations. Students can only understand such details whenever they are told. Rarely, training comes when an individual has performed poorly in a job. Most of the business is attempting to cognize such situations to avoid errors on the workers. For that matter, they offer training as they expect the real needs of problems of workers. Thus, the training with an expectation of a need becomes the principal motive as to why companies are always unproductive when it comes to training workers.
Relationship between freedom and social control as described in experience and education
The philosophy of Dewey points out a firm authoritarian method of conventional education was excessively about delivering fated acquaintance but not focusing on sufficiently on learning experiences of students (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Dewey insists that education needs design, which is grounded on experience. He neither takes side with the traditional nor progressive education. However, with the comprehensions of how humans do experience whatever they do and how such understanding is requisite, effective education design is appropriate. As per Dewey, traditional education is the form of an educational system that puts more focus on cultural heritage and curriculum in support of its operation. It has rigid regimentation, disregarding capacities, as well as learners’ interests (Fesmire, 2014). The form of learning is known to be encouraging attitudes of receptivity, philosophy as well as obedience among the students. Progressive education refers to a system that puts more focus on the interest of learners and impulse with no constraints from educators. Continuous training permits excessive spontaneity and individualism among students. It provides expression and growth, free activities, skills acquisition as well as learning via an experience like a method of attaining ends which are significant and appealing to the learners (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Since Dewey is insistent about this aspect of foundation in his philosophy, he commenced a movement that created experiential development programs of education and experiments. The philosophies of Dewey have continued to be foundational design for innovating approaches of education and programs nowadays (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012).
Social Control
Dewey associates interaction and continuity principles to educational challenges and predicaments. He selects social control since the social process is composed of educative experience. This is because each person is experiencing social power. Nevertheless, social control often is not representing the authoritarian rule. It happens in agreement as well as by other group members for the benefit of the whole group (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). An instance of social control is seen within an agreement of the school setting in which children play games such as hockey, soccer, football, and baseball during the recess period. These games, according to Dewey, involve rules which compelling children to follow to play amicably with others. The conducts and regulations of the games are often standardized. They have traditi9onal sanctions and precedents. The example of the game, as used by Dewey, indicates that controlling actions of a person involves interaction and cooperation of shared experiences that benefit the entire faction. Control is deemed to be social; however, people are a component of society. It is never the desire or will of any individual to establish any order (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). But it is a moving spirit shown within the whole group. Within an educational setup, an educator should employ his authority as a representative of the entire group’s interests. Control of a person is anchored on the activities of the classroom as well as situations that are maintaining such activities. The development principle of experience comes about via interaction. This means that education is imperative to any social process. The quality is realized within the level where a person forms a community group. An educator is tasked with the responsibility of facilitating interactions and activities of the group (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). These are the primary life source of a group being a community. Whenever an educator views experiential education as a social process, then he/she will not work in an authoritarian position (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). However, it shall commence within the leadership role of the activities of the group.
Freedom Nature
Dewey similarly gives the challenges of social control concerning freedom nature. The critical mistake is the recognize freedom with movements otherwise physical side of activities. Dewey holds the belief that one can never separate the physical side of an event from its inner side. That is to say, from purpose, desire, and freedoms (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). The significant freedom of importance certainly is the liberty of intelligence. With this, Dewey remarks that judgment and observation freedom, which happen with a purpose, certainly are valuable. Education imposes a limitation on the outer movements whenever they are introduced in classes filled with learners who are allowed to move at particular signals. It is this process that acts as a deterrent to moral and intellectual freedom. As indicated by Dewey, outer movement freedom is a means. However, it has no end (Peters, 2010). Outward freedom has merits ranging from allowing educators to gain valuable acquaintance of students who are under his/her care. The learners are under restriction to acceptance and silence. Thus, it averts them from revealing their individuality as they ensure artificial uniformities. Prolonged outward freedom becomes the learning process of nature (Garrison, Neubert & Reich, 2012). Silent reflection should take place after hand-on experiences when activities are required which engage various parts of the body.
References
Peters, R. S. (2010). John Dewey’s philosophy of education. In John Dewey reconsidered (International Library of the Philosophy of Education Volume 19) (pp. 73-86). Routledge.
Garrison, J., Neubert, S., & Reich, K. (2012). John Dewey’s philosophy of education: An introduction and recontextualization for our times. Springer.
Fesmire, S. (2014). Dewey. Routledge.