實用主義是二十世紀的哲學，主要由皮爾斯、詹姆斯，與杜威等三位美國哲學家來建立其系統。實用主義的一些基本主張，包括注重人的實際經驗，求知的歸納方法，以及科學在生活中的重要性。實用主義者認為，這是一個變動的世界，因此，知識也是變動的。教育要教學生如何有效的思考，如何過更好的生活，如何有效的解決生活中的問題。學校的教育要提供學生邁向更佳生活的相關經驗。因此，課程要和現在和未來的生活相關議題有密切關聯。學校的教師在設計課程時，宜把學生的需要當作主要的考量，課程在協助學生解決其個別生活中所遭遇到的問題。做中學的學習方式，可以增進學生的生活經驗，尤其以活動課程的方式來進行，是可行的課程設計方式。知識是解決問題的工具，因此，學習常常需與學生的生活環境相互聯結。學生的學習，以他個人的興趣與需要為起點，最後的目標是，學生可以成為他自己生活的主人。

Pragmatism was the philosophy that came to its fruition in the twentieth-century, andthe figures of the time were Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. The fundamentals of pragmatism include emphases on real experience, inductive reasoning, and theimportance of science in life.Pragmatists believe that the world is changing, so is knowledge. Education should teach students how to live, to think as well as solve the problem in their lifein a more effective way. Since schooling should offer students the experience of progress toward a better life, thecurriculum must closely relate to the issues of life, both now and the future. When preparingtheir curriculum plans, it is suggested that teachers should take the need of students intoconsideration and try to help students solve the problems in their life. Learning-by-doing is the way for students to improve their life experience, especially the activity curriculum, which is also a practical curriculum design. Knowledge is a tool to solve the problem, and therefore learning has to connect with student’s life and environment. Learning should be based on the student’s interest, and the ultimate goal is making student the master of his own life.