Just a Tool? John Dewey's Pragmatic Instrumentalism and Educational Technology

Abstract

This dissertation examines how John Dewey’s philosophy of knowledge might be used to consider the aims of contemporary educational technologies. While significant scholarship exists examining the historical and philosophical importance of Dewey’s contributions to American progressive education, much less scholarship has focused on examining the relationship between Dewey’s theory of knowledge and his thoughts regarding the purposes and aims of educational technologies. I argue that because many of Dewey’s ideas were heavily influenced by the material and social changes of the industrial revolution, his theories about knowledge, technology, and education offer a unique perspective when considering the educational significance of digital technologies. This dissertation is guided by two central questions: (1) What is the relationship between Dewey’s philosophy of knowledge, his philosophy of technology, and his philosophy of education? (2) How might Dewey’s ideas about the relationship between knowledge, technology, and education help educators, students, and policy makers think about the aims and uses of digital technologies in contemporary educational contexts? I begin by examining Dewey’s pragmatically instrumental account of knowledge. I then examine pragmatic instrumentalism as it relates to the field of philosophy of technology. I demonstrate that pragmatic instrumentalism is a non-deterministic yet value-laden approach to technology and represents a distinct philosophical approach to technological change. I go on to demonstrate how the relationship between Dewey’s philosophy of knowledge and his philosophy of technology shaped his philosophy of education. I argue that Dewey’s philosophy of education is comprised of three sets of interlocking arguments: developmental arguments, technological arguments, and instrumental arguments. I contend that Dewey argued for a pragmatically instrumental understanding of knowledge, technology, and education in which the process of growth is shaped by the relationship between the experiences of learner, the social and technological contexts of the learning environment, and the ongoing development of intellectual habits of active inquiry. I conclude my dissertation by applying Dewey’s ideas about knowledge, technology, and education to a consideration of some contemporary educational contexts. I argue that if the aim of education is the cultivation of educative experiences that lead to growth, then a pragmatically instrumental approach to educational technology suggests that educators, students, and policy makers accept responsibility for the uses of ICTs by rejecting technological determinism and a narrow focus on fixed-end standards.