놀이의 교육적 성격: 듀이와 디어든을 중심으로

Abstract

So far, there has been a trend to inquire the meaning of play mainly related to the aspects of intellectual, social, and physical development in the study of educative play. This study does not concern this aspect of child development, but focuses on the understanding of status or role of educative play from the viewpoint of educational philosophy. In view of this aspect, there can be two different viewpoints. One is Dearden's viewpoint, the other is Dewey's viewpoint. Dearden regards play as a means to understand the child development. But Dewey regards play as a means to attain to the educational aim. According to Dearden, play can not be used as a part of educative process. Play purely means play itself. This viewpoint bases on Dearden's 'epistemological' viewpoint. In contrast to Dearden, Dewey insists on the applicability of play as an educational method. Play can be used as an effective means to attain to the educational aim. This viewpoint bases on Dewey's anti-dualistic, integral viewpoint, and his educative conviction of 'practical possibility' of play. These two different viewpoints of play give us a momentum to re-intepret the educative meaning of play more meaningfully. Play is a useful means for the motive induction of learners in educative context. However, it must be pointed out that there can be limits in play. The limits is that we need to teach subject-matter itself without intermedium of play as the intellectual level of child attains a higher level. In sum, teachers have to consider the possibility and limits of play at the same time. And if we say more positively, it will be necessary to study connective teaching between play and reflective thinking, in that we can look at the purposive elements of thinking in play.