1.0 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study 

According to Gutek, (2014) In Burlington, Vermont, John Dewey was born in the year 1859. He was raised in a family that was actively involved in Vermont's social scene and the democratic political perspective; these experiences shaped who he was as a teacher and philosopher. Dewey firmly believed that "discussion, debate, and decision making" are three steps that should be taken by groups of people while trying to solve problems peacefully (Gutek, 2014). Dewey's social and educational theories were developed under the influence of his ideas on democracy, society and problem-solving. The most well-known and significant philosopher to have had an impact on education to date may have been John Dewey. One of the founders of learning by doing, sometimes known as "experiential learning," was John Dewey..

Experiential learning, according to John Dewey, is a theory and approach in which teachers actively engage students in hands-on learning and concentrated reflection in order to advance knowledge, hone skills, and clarify beliefs (Association for experiential education, 2011). Experiential learning is also known as learning by doing, learning by discovery, and learning via exploration. These terms are all clearly defined by well-known maxims like I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, and I do and I comprehend, which were first used by Confucius around 450 BC. Benjamin Franklin, 1750: "Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I will learn.". Field-based learning and classroom-based learning are the two main divisions of experiential learning. Internships, practicums, cooperative education, and science learning are all examples of field-based learning. Role-playing, games, case studies, simulations, presentations, and various forms of group work are all part of experiential learning in the classroom.

Association for experiential education, (2011) includes a few of the fundamentals of experiential learning in teaching and learning, such as the fact that learning happens when carefully selected experiences are backed up by reflection, critical analysis, and synthesis. The learning experience is set up to demand that the learner take charge, make choices, and take responsibility for the outcomes. The learner actively participates in questioning, researching, experimenting, being interested, problem-solving, adopting responsibility, being creative, and creating meaning throughout the experiential learning process. Students are actively participating academically, emotionally, socially, or physically. Their involvement produces a perception that the learning task is authentic. Personal learning outcomes serve as the foundation for subsequent experience, learning, etc. Students engage in a variety of processes in the experiential learning process that provide them with challenging collaborative and reflective learning experiences that aid in their full acquisition of skills and information (Haynes, 2007). Auston and Rust (2015) believed that experiential learning has positive effects on teaching and learning, global awareness, reducing cultural and racial stereotypes, increasing social responsibility and citizenship skills, and developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills.. According to Goldberg (2007) claimed that experiential learning integrates academic material with peer collaboration. This might encourage social interaction between the student and help to improve the academic performance of students. It is to this the study centers on John Dewey Education Philosophy On teaching And Learning.

1.2 Statement of problem

The disappointing performance of students in the subject in both internal and external examinations over the years has been of serious concern to all stakeholders in the education sector, despite the significance of teaching and learning in students' daily activities in school as well as in their academic growth. The conventional teaching methods that are prevalent in classrooms and that make learning and teaching uninteresting, as well as students' achievement in the subject, unsatisfactory, have been blamed by many researchers up to this point for the students' unsatisfactory performance. To address the situation, efforts have been made in the past and present by researchers, federal and state governments as well as professional bodies to improve students‟ academic achievement in through publications, organization of seminars, workshops, conferences, and symposia for teachers but still little or inconsistent improvement has been recorded over the years. In the light of this, there is the need to find instructional methods that will address the problem associated with the conventional methods and make teaching and learning of student-centered which has john Deweys doing by learning has been the answer and has attracted little or no interest in educational sector . Based on this, the study seeks to investigate John Dewey Education Philosophy On teaching And Learning.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine John Dewey Education Philosophy On Teaching And Learning.. Other specific of the objectives are;

1) To outline the educational ideas of John Deweys philosophy

2)To examine the Impact  Of John Deweys philosophy on Teaching And Learning In Nigerian Educational system

3) To determine the impact of John Dewey’s Influence on Nigeria’s Current Educational Practices

4) To examine the impact of john Dewey’s experiential learning on academic performance of students

5) To outline the benefits of john Dewey’s philosophy for students in Nigerian schools

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1) what are the educational ideas of John Deweys philosophy?

2)what is the Impact  Of John Deweys philosophy on Teaching And Learning In Nigerian Educational system?

3) what is the impact of John Dewey’s Influence on Nigeria’s Current Educational Practices?

4) what is the impact of john Dewey’s experiential learning on academic performance of students?

5) what are the benefits of john Dewey’s philosophy for students in Nigerian schools?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will help researchers with more information on John Dewey Education Philosophy On Teaching And Learning. It will be relevant in assisting students in understanding the John Dewey Education Philosophy and how it helps to improve teaching and learning in Nigeria schools. It will provide relevance material for students and other researchers undertaking similar research.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study would cover the investigation John Dewey Education Philosophy On Teaching And Learning. The study would encompass teachers, students, educational Households etc.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The researcher was faced with the following constraints in carrying out this study:

Time: The time within the researcher is too short to carry on the detail study on this topic.

Resources: Another constraint of the researcher is financial resources to carry on the detail study of this topic.

Data: Another limitation to this study will be lack of data to make valid study on the research problem.

1.8 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Teaching: Teaching is the practice implemented by a teacher aimed at transmitting skills to a learner, a student, or any other audience in the context of an educational institution

Learning; Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences.

Experiential learning: Experiential Learning is the process of learning by doing.