Dewey versus ‘Dewey’ on democracy and education

Abstract

In the literature on citizenship education, frequent references are made to Dewey. However, educationalists do not always interpret him correctly. To provide some counterbalance, I explain Dewey's views on education and democracy. I base this, not only on 'Democracy and Education', but also on 17 articles that Dewey wrote after 'Democracy and Education', and on his 'Ethics' and two earlier works, frequently cited by educationalists: 'Ethical Principles Underlying Education' and 'School and Society'. According to Dewey, democracy and education are two sides of the same coin. Both involve and foster self-determination, self-development and participating in the common good, enlightened by intelligent understanding and scientific spirit. At the present, it is customary to define democratic citizenship education primarily in terms of social and moral learning, sometimes as though it can be distinguished from academic learning, as something extra besides learning subject matter. When such an approach is attributed to Dewey, as it often is, this is unwarranted.

Patriotisme Buta dan Konstruktif dalam Pendidikan Sejarah Berwawasan Kebangsaan

“…Bentuk patriotisme tersebut tidak sejalan dengan institusi pendidikan yang demokratis. Sikap intoleransi terhadap kritik menandakan kurangnya sesuatu yang oleh John Dewey disebut sebagai free and full interplay atau interaksi yang bebas (Hopkins, 2018;van-der-Ploeg, 2016;Garrison et al, 2015;Hansen, 2012).…”

Democracy and curriculum—the task still before us

“…This is because education presupposes free communication and thinking between different groups and democracy presupposes that everyone is intellectually educated to promote thinking, knowledge, and understanding. Therefore, it is impossible to distinguish between academic learning in school, on the one hand, and social and moral learning linked to democracy, on the other (Van der Ploeg, 2016; Wahlström, 2010). Instead, education is about learning knowledge related to societal conditions.…”

Examining Mandatory Education Through Dewey's Eyes

“…MCE refers to the education for adults being compulsory, forced, and legislated "to maintain a professional license, to keep a job, or ordered to submit to therapeutic education to remedy a deficiency" (Ohliger, 1983, p. 161). Continuing education is often required by professional associations, and sometimes the state, to ensure that members of the profession have the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes the profession and state consider necessary to ensure clients are served appropriately (van Loo & Rocco, 2006). Another form of mandated education is the result of government legislation in instances where the state decided that education is preferable to incarceration.…”

“…On the one hand, maintaining and upgrading the knowledge and skills of professionals serves to protect society from outdated practices (Queeney, 2000). On the other hand, the professions that typically invoke MCE effectively limit entry to the profession through pre-licensure educational requirements and post licensure mandated education ( van Loo & Rocco, 2006). The content dictated by the associations and the state create a common language and culture among these professionals that fosters the attitude that education is only important if it is relevant to the profession and sharpens professional skills.…”