Dewey believes that the purpose of education is to enable individuals to continue their education, and the purpose and reward of learning is the ability to continue to grow. Dewey believes that the purpose of education should not go beyond the educational process to find the purpose. In this section, Dewey compares the purpose that belongs to the interior of the educational process with the purpose that is put forward from the exterior of the educational process.

The external educational purpose is not freely developed from their own experience. They have a nominal purpose, not their own, but just a means to achieve the hidden purpose of others. For example, under the current education system in China, teachers' pursuit of enrollment rate is ostensibly for students' future, but in fact it implies that teachers pursue money and fame. When a student is admitted to a good university, the teacher naturally gains fame and fortune.

Dewey studied the definition of purpose through simple results and results. When the wind blows over the sand in the desert, the position of the sand will change. This is the result, the influence, not the end. The position change of sand is only the redistribution of space, and the sand itself has not changed. Comparing the activity of bees with the change of sand position, the result of bee action can be called the ending, because they are the real ending of completing the previous action. Every action of a bee is to prepare for the next action. Because the purpose is always associated with the result, the purpose of education is a result, not a result. If every action of students is likely to be ordered by the teacher, and the only order for their actions comes from the teacher's instructions, then there is no educational purpose. The meaning contained in the purpose of education refers to the orderly arranged activities, in which the order is to complete a process step by step, and each process is continuous. This step is to prepare for the next step.

Secondly, as a foreseeable outcome, the purpose is directional. This kind of foresight has three functions: first, it involves careful observation of specific situations; Second, the proper order of its means; Third, let's choose an alternative method.

We are participants in the process of producing results. We intervene to achieve one result or another.

In short, in the process of education, children are participants in the whole education process rather than bystanders. Under the guidance of the teacher, they observe the teacher's practice and arrange their own problem-solving order reasonably. In the process of learning, children can give full play to their subjective initiative and move towards the established goals. The purpose of external education can't achieve this goal. This kind of education is like blowing sand and moving places.

The purpose from the inside of the activity is actually "conscious", and being conscious means knowing what you are doing; Consciousness means that our activities are characterized by intention, observation and planning. Consciousness is the name of the purpose of an activity, because this activity is guided by a purpose. In other words, purposeful activities mean meaningful actions, unlike automated machines; This is to do something intentionally and understand the meaning of it according to this intention.

Second, the standard of good purpose.

(1) Based on reality

The determined purpose must be the product of the existing situation. This goal must be based on the study of what is already going on, and should also be based on the advantages and difficulties of the situation.

If the purpose comes from the outside, then the purpose has nothing to do with the actual situation. This purpose will limit people's intelligence, not to show mental foresight and observation, but only to learn mechanically. For example, children are interested in painting, but their mothers have enrolled their children in piano training classes. Because this goal is given by the mother, the child should practice the piano. Such an approach lacks subjective initiative and only completes the task mechanically.

(2) the purpose must be flexible. It must be changeable to meet the requirements of the situation.

The purpose established from the outside is always constrained by the process of action. Reasonable purpose is a way to deal with the environment and make the environment change beneficially. If a farmer passively accepts the status quo of things, he will make the same big mistake as a person who makes a farming plan regardless of soil, air and other conditions. The purpose of learning can also change with the change of environment. If students have a poor foundation at present, don't set too high a goal. Through a period of hard work, if students' grades improve rapidly, their goals can also be improved.

(3) The purpose must be to carry out activities freely.

Dewey objected to the purpose of the addition. Additional purpose has nothing to do with students' own experience, and is not developed from students' own experience. Therefore, students' learning enthusiasm can't be fully mobilized, and they just follow the teacher's instructions mechanically and can't carry out activities freely.

Third, the application in education.

There is nothing special about the purpose of education. Their purpose is exactly the same as any career with guidance. Educators, whether parents or teachers. If parents or teachers put forward the purpose of "self" as the legitimate goal of children's growth, it is as ridiculous as farmers putting forward a farming ideal regardless of environmental conditions. The so-called purpose is to assume the responsibility of observation, prediction and work arrangement even if you exercise a responsibility, whether it is agriculture or education.

Dewey reminds us that education itself has no purpose. Only people, parents and teachers, have a purpose; The abstract concept of education has no purpose.

The purpose of all good education has several characteristics.

(1) The purpose of education must be based on the internal activities and needs of students. Every student's physical quality, hobbies and specialties are different. Teachers should teach students in accordance with their aptitude, not set the same goals for their children. For example, some children are good at sports, and teachers can't let them rely on culture 100 points.

(2) The purpose of education must be transformed into a method to cooperate with students' activities. That is, the purpose must contribute to the smooth completion of the activity, which is operable and feasible. The externally imposed purpose may ignore whether the activity can be successfully completed. If the superiors impose the goals of the school on the students, the teachers will impose them on the students. Make students feel at a loss in the dual purpose of internal purpose and external purpose.

(3) Educators must be alert to the so-called universal and ultimate purpose. "General" means "abstract", meaning remote and unrealistic, which makes us return to teaching and learning only as a means to prepare for purposes that have nothing to do with him.

A real purpose can broaden people's horizons and inspire people to consider more results. This means a broader and more flexible observation of various means.

20 18/2/ 15

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