Educational Philosophy Comparison: John Dewey vs. William Bagley
There have always been philosophical battles between progressive thinkers and conservative thinkers when it comes to the education of America's children. Those wars were waged in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries, and educators from both sides, and some in the middle or the far left or far right, are still involved in the same philosophical scrimmages today. It's healthy though, to look back at two of the brightest minds in the development of the American educational structure, the classic progressive John Dewey, and the quintessential conservative William Chandler Bagley, and examine what they had to say. Many of their debating points are as poignant and pertinent today as back then.
Introduction to educators John Dewey and William Bagley
John Dewey was born in Burlington Vermont, graduated from the University of Vermont and received his Ph.D. At Johns Hopkins in 1884. He taught at the universities of Minnesota, Michigan, and Chicago, and at Columbia, until he retired in 1930. Along the way, he developed a theory of "instrumentalism" which holds that the various forms of activity by humans are instruments developed by man to help find solutions for his various problems; and in fact, since the problems are always changing, Dewey felt that the instruments for dealing with those problems also need to change. In education, where he made the biggest impact, he advocated "progressive" education, which calls for turning away from authoritarian styles of teaching and rather, children learning through experimentation, and through helping young people learn to think. He also believed education to be a tool for empowering citizens to integrate culture and careers into the classroom experience. Some of Dewey's books touched on psychology, ethics, philosophy, and social change (Ethics; Human Nature and Conduct; Experience and Nature; Liberalism and Social Action; Problems of Men). Among his better known books on education are: Democracy and Education, and Experience and Education; the latter is primary source for this paper.
William Chandler Bagley was born in Detroit, received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Michigan State College, a Master's at the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. At Cornell University, in 1900. After teaching in elementary schools, he became professor of education at a teachers college in Columbia, until 1940. He...
Synthesize traditional and progressive education for today's students. Education digest. Vol. 68, Issue 7, 4-8. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?hid=12&sid=90682ec6-64e1-4958-adc2-32dc1555fcc4%40sessionmgr13&vid=4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&an=9317873 Cohen, L.M. & Gelbrich, J. (1999). Philosophical perspectives in education. Oregon State University, School of Education. Retrieved January 17, 2011, from: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html Moser, R.D. (1951, July). The educational philopophy of William T. Harris. Peabody Journal of education. Vol. 29, No. 1, 14-33 Retrieved January 17, 2011, from http://www. Jstor, org/stable/1489104 Nehring,
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