John Dewey

Paper Summary:

The author of this paper states that John Dewey can be considered to be one of the most important personalities in the field of education, of philosophy and of the history of his era. The paper's writer discusses the development of Dewey's educational theories and how his theories differed from accepted teaching practices of the time.

From the Paper:

"As a result of these constant elements of the historical times in which he lived, he wrote numerous studies which try to develop different aspects of his society. Most importantly however, he advocated the idea that individuals are intrinsically linked to the times in which they lived. More precisely, he believed that no matter the qualities of an individual, their development is strictly related to the society in which they lived. From this point of view, "pervading all of Dewey's political philosophy was his rational commitment to democracy as a way of life. By this he meant a society whose institutions made it possible for its citizens freely to select careers and patterns of life that would enable them to achieve their desired potential in all areas of human experience. That is why Dewey stressed the processes of cooperative activity, self-determination, participation, and appreciation of diversity, not only in our political life, narrowly conceived, but in our education and economy" (Bullert, 1983, 5). Taking into account his beliefs, it is quite clear his predisposition to the study of education as a means of improving the quality of the individuals as well as that of the society."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Baker, M.C. (1955) Foundations of John Dewey's Educational Theory. New York: King's Crown Press.
• Bullert, G. (1983) The Politics of John Dewey. Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
• Dykhuizen, G., Boydston, J.A. (ed.). (1973) The Life and Mind of John Dewey. Southern Carbondale: Illinois University Press.

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