Dewey, Dale, and Bruner: Educational Philosophy, Experiential Learning, and Library School Cataloging Instruction

Abstract

The educational philosophies of John Dewey, Edgar Dale, and Jerome Bruner asserted that experience is essential to the learning process. Dewey emphasized that the quality and the continuity of the experience are critical. Dale advanced these ideas by developing the Cone of Experience, a model that visually demonstrates how concrete experiences give meaning to abstract theories. Bruner's Theory of Instruction explicated how learners move from enactive representations through iconic representations to symbolic representations in the learning process. Experiential learning activities within the curriculum of the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Hawaii are described. A study examining the students' perceived value of these activities reveals that students believe experience is valuable in achieving the course objectives. Experiential learning, therefore, is viewed as effective and should be included in library school cataloging instruction.