Why did John Dewey support learning through doing?

John Dewey supported learning through doing because he believed that children learn most effectively by actively performing tasks rather than through passive instruction. This approach, central to the progressive education movement, treated the school as a laboratory where students could engage in experimentation and independent thinking.1

Dewey’s philosophy was rooted in his rejection of traditional, formalistic education, which he viewed as narrow. By integrating subject matter into meaningful projects and topics, he sought to build upon a child's natural interests and curiosity. Furthermore, Dewey viewed the classroom as a democracy in microcosm. He believed that by participating in active, cooperative inquiry and problem-solving, students would develop the critical habits of mind necessary to function as informed and engaged citizens in a democratic society. Ultimately, this method aimed to foster individual growth and self-development by allowing students to interact creatively with their environment.123