Pedagogical Approaches to Foster Students’ Thinking in John Dewey’s Philosophy of Education

Abstract

This research article aims to study teaching methods that promote students' thinking in John Dewey's philosophy of education. This study employed documentary research, which involved gathering data from the writings of John Dewey and conducting a content analysis to analyze the data. The research found that the aim of education according to Dewey's philosophy is to creatively build experiences based on learners' interests in order to foster their continuous development or growth. As for the teaching methods that promote learners’ thinking, there are two main approaches: (1) Reflective teaching – This refers to training learners to examine and reflect on their beliefs, as well as to search for evidence to either confirm or refute those beliefs. Teachers must create a conducive and supportive environment for cultivating reflective thinking, and it is recommended that such training begin from an early age. (2)Teaching through stimulating thought in experience – This involves assigning learners to engage in hands-on activities or real-life situations and encouraging them to think critically and reflectively within those actual contexts.