THEORIES OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
1 Two American philosophers, William James and John Dewey, developed very influential theories about how we think and learn. Both believed that the truth of any idea is a function of its usefulness and that experience is central to learning.
2 William James (1842-1910) was a philosopher and psychologist who believed that truth is not absolute and unchangeable; rather, it is made in actual, real-life events. In a person's life, there are experiences that have meaning and truth for that person. {{U}}Truth cannot be separated from experience, and in order to understand truth, we have to study experience itself.{{/U}} Thus, for James, human experience should be the primary subject of study, and he called upon thinkers to concentrate on experience instead of essences, abstractions, or universal laws.
3 James focused on what he called the "stream" of experience, the {{U}}sequential{{/U}} course of events in our lives. He believed that human consciousness is a stream of thoughts and feelings, and that this stream of consciousness is always going on, whether we are awake or asleep. The stream consists of very complex waves of bodily sensations, desires and aversions, memories of past experiences, and determinations of the will. One wave dissolves into another gradually, like the ripples of water in {{U}}a river.{{/U}}
4 In James's theory, thought and experience are connected. Incoming waves of thought flow in next to outgoing waves of previous experience and thus become associated with each other. An incoming thought is "{{U}}workable{{/U}}" only if it is meaningful and can be associated with something already in the person's mind. James's theory supports later theories of associative learning, which assert that new learning involves activating previous learning to find "hooks" on which to hang new information.
5 The theories of John Dewey (1859-1952), philosopher and educator, have had a tremendous impact on generations of thinkers. Dewey viewed life as a continuously {{U}}reconstructive{{/U}} process, with experience and knowledge building on each other. He believed that learning is more than the amassing and retention of information; learning is learning how to think. Thinking is not something abstract; it is a living process that starts when old habits meet new situations.
6 For Dewey, experience cannot be separated from nature because all experience is rooted in nature. Nature is what we experience: air, stones, plants, diseases, pleasure, and suffering. Dewey believed that experience is an interaction between what a person already knows and the person's present situation. Previous knowledge of nature interacts with the present environment, and together they lead to new knowledge that in turn will influence future experience.
7 Dewey asserted that experience is central to education; however, experience cannot be equated with education because all experiences are not necessarily educative. Experience is educative only when it contributes to the growth of the individual. It can be miseducative if it distorts the growth of further experience. It is the quality of experience that matters. Thus, productive experience is both the means and the goal of education.
8 Dewey felt that education should be problem-centered and interdisciplinary rather than subject-centered and fragmented. The methods and curricula of education must make the child's growth the central concern. Furthermore, truly progressive education must involve the participation of the learner in directing the learning experience.
单选题
Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the
highlighted sentence in paragraph 2?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】Truth cannot be separated from experience.., is paraphrased in... the two are necessarily connected in order to understand truth, we have to study experience itself is paraphrased in We must study experience to know the meaning of truth
单选题
The word {{U}}sequential{{/U}} in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】Sequential means continuous in this context. Clues: ... "stream" of experience...; ...course of events in our lives; the stem -sequ- = follow.
单选题
Why does the author mention {{U}}a river{{/U}} in paragraph 3?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】The author's purpose is to describe how thoughts and feelings flow into each other. Clues: ...a stream of thoughts and feelings...; One wave dissolves into another gradually, like the ripples of water in
单选题
The word "{{U}}workable{{/U}}" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】"Workable" means capable of being learned in this context. Clues: An incoming thought is only if it is meaningful and can be associated with something already in the person's mind; ... associative learning...new learning invoh,'es activating previous learn ing
单选题
The word {{U}}reconstructive{{/U}} in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】Reconstructive means creative in this context. Clues: ... experience and knowledge building on each other; the stem -struct- = build.
单选题
According to John Dewey, the interplay between a person's previous
knowledge and present situation is
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】Clues: Dewey believed that experience is an interaction between what a person already knows and the person's present situation.
单选题
All of the following ideas are part of Dewey's theory of experience
and education EXCEPT:
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Dewey's theory does not include the idea that every experience is educative; in fact, he believed that an experience is miseducative if it distorts the growth of further experience. All the other answers are given: ...experience is an interaction between what a person already knows and the person's present situation; ... together they lead to new knowledge that in turn will influence future experience; Experience is educative only when it contributes to the growth of the individual.
单选题
According to Dewey, progressive education should include
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】Clues: Furthermore, truly progressive education must involve the participation of the learner in directing the learning experience.
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that William James and John Dewey
would probably agree on which of the following statements?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】You can infer that William James and John Dewey would probably agree that our life experiences are a very important part of our education. Clues: In James's theory, thought and experience are connected; James's theory supports later theories of associative learning...; Dewey asserted that experience is central to education...; ...productive experience is both the means and the goal of education.
填空题
Look at the four squares, 
,
,
,
and
, which indicate where the following
sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best
fit?
The incoming thoughts will come to resemble the outgoing thoughts, even though the two have never been experienced together before.
In James's theory, thought and experience are connected.
Incoming waves of thought
flow in next to outgoing waves of previous experience and thus become associated
with each other. 
An incoming thought is
"workable" only if it is meaningful and can be associated with something already
in the person's mind. 
James's theory
supports later theories of associative learning, which assert that new learning
involves activating previous learning to find "hooks" on which to hang new
information. 
,,,
and , which indicate where the following
sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best
fit?The incoming thoughts will come to resemble the outgoing thoughts, even though the two have never been experienced together before.
In James's theory, thought and experience are connected.
Incoming waves of thought
flow in next to outgoing waves of previous experience and thus become associated
with each other. An incoming thought is
"workable" only if it is meaningful and can be associated with something already
in the person's mind. James's theory
supports later theories of associative learning, which assert that new learning
involves activating previous learning to find "hooks" on which to hang new
information.
多选题
Select the appropriate sentences from the answer choices and match
them to the correct philosopher. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used.
This question is worth 3 points.
Answer Choices
【正确答案】
C、E
【答案解析】William James: He believed that human consciousness is a stream of thoughts and feelings.., waves of bodily sensations... memories of past experiences...; An incoming thought is "'workable" only if it is meaningful and can be associated with something already in the person's mind.
A, D, F John Dewey: ...learning is more than the amassing and retention of information; learning is learning how to think," Dewey felt that education should be problem- centered and interdisciplinary...productive experience is both the means and the goal of education; Dewey viewed life as a continuously reconstructive process, with experience and knowledge building on each other. Answers (B) and (G) are not mentioned.