Pragmatism and Project 2000: the relevance of Dewey's theory of experimentalism to nursing education

In this paper, the author focuses upon one of the most influential educational theories of the 20th century: the experimentalism of John Dewey. Based on the pragmatic philosophy of Charles Peirce and William Tames, experimentalism proposed that children learned by observing the consequences of their actions, such that learning became a continuous 'transaction' between learner and environment. This paper traces the main features of experimentalism, examining its emphases on focus, on action and transaction and on projection. It argues that the designers of Project 2000 curricula in Britain have neglected the insights Dewey provided into the relationships between experience and learning. Drawing briefly on research undertaken by the author into the provision of learning experiences in the community for Project 2000 students, this paper proposes that there is a need to provide Project 2000 students with learning experiences which will permit them to project their ideas and learn from the consequences of their actions.