Pragmatism And Nursing Education

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