Belief, Doubt and Reason: C. S. Peirce on education

Abstract

In this paper, we explore Peirce's work for insights into a theory of learning and cognition for education. Our focus for this exploration is Peirce's paper The Fixation of Belief (FOB), originally published in 1877 in Popular Science Monthly . We begin by examining Peirce's assertion that the study of logic is essential for understanding thought and reasoning. We explicate Peirce's view of the nature of reasoning itself-the characteristic guiding principles or 'habits of mind' that underlie acts of inference, the dimensions of and interaction between doubt and belief, and his four methods of resolving or 'fixing' belief (i.e., tenacity, authority, a priori , and experimentation). The four methods are then juxtaposed against current models of teaching and learning such as constructivism, schema theory, situated cognition, and inquiry learning. Finally, we discuss Peirce's modes of inference as they relate educationally to the resolution of doubt and beliefs and offer an example of belief resolution from an experienced teacher in a professional development environment.

Bewilderment as a Pragmatic Ingredient of Teacher-Student Dialogic Interactions

“…The relation of bewilderment, conceptualized as uncertainty or doubt, with learning is not new (see Cunningham et al, 2005). The new aspect proposed in this essay is the use of bewilderment or aporia as an indicator of different types of pedagogical framing.…”

Concevoir des formations facilitant l’émergence de nouvelles significations face à des évènements inédits et critiques

“…La pertinence de l'étude des modalités d'apprentissage-développement en terme de sémiose a déjà été pointée dans la littérature (Bopry, 2007, Colapietro, Midtgerden, & Strand, 2005Midtgarden, 2005Midtgarden, , 2010Stables & Gough, 2006) et en particulier l'apprentissage par abduction (Cunningham, 1998 ;Paavola & Hakkarainen, 2005 ;Ventimiglia, 2005). D'après Cunningham, Schreiber et Moss, (2005) l'abduction est souvent négligée pour comprendre l'apprentissage, au profit de l'induction et de la déduction qui prédominent dans la pensée « traditionnelle » de l'enseignement : les enseignants expliquent les règles et informations utiles aux participant-es, qui les mettent à l'épreuve à travers divers exercices et résolutions de problèmes. Dans les dispositifs pédagogiques visant à encourager un raisonnement abductif, les participant-es sont plutôt encouragé-es à observer et interpréter des éléments étonnants et à les interpréter, ce qui encourage (dans le domaine scolaire) la formulation d'hypothèses explicatives et le développement d'un esprit critique (e.g.…”

A Case Study Investigating High School Teachers’ Implementation of an Engineering-focused Biologically Inspired Design Curriculum (Fundamental Research)

“…Teacher beliefs and their impact on student learning, specifically academic achievement in math, science, engineering, and technology, have been studied [31], [35], [36]. Cunningham et al [37] posited that teacher beliefs influence teachers' willingness to adopt new pedagogies and teaching strategies (e.g., active learning, team-based learning, and discussions). Yasar and colleagues [37] argue that understanding teachers' views about engineering and engineering practices is necessary to integrate technology and design into pre-college education effectively.…”

“…Cunningham et al [37] posited that teacher beliefs influence teachers' willingness to adopt new pedagogies and teaching strategies (e.g., active learning, team-based learning, and discussions). Yasar and colleagues [37] argue that understanding teachers' views about engineering and engineering practices is necessary to integrate technology and design into pre-college education effectively. Engineering design challenges are student-centered and require students to actively utilize an iterative process to prepare, plan, and evaluate their solutions at each stage of their design.…”