ERIC ED093746: Dewey, China and the Philosophy pdf

ERIC ED093746: Dewey, China and the Philosophy

More Book Details

Description of the Book:

John Dewey’s 2-year visit to China after World War I resulted in a continuing influence of his ideas on institutions and beliefs of modern Chinese education. Looked at against background of both traditional and Communist China, Dewey’s ideas serve to illustrate the thesis that, while he is vilified, Deweyism is alive in Communist China and that his beliefs concerning individualism, democracy, moral persuasion, and theory vs. practice are still part of the Chinese philosophic concern. The current attempt of self-improvement in China is considered a central value in education. Dewey’s idea of democracy is close to the Chinese tradition of government which relied more on the power of example and of persuasion than of force. From the point of view of the accountability of the regime to popular opinion, it is seen that Chinese Communists draw on a political tradition altered by Dewey’s notion of moral persuasion.

Institutions which are most essentially Deweyan today are the half-work half-study or May 7 schools which stress practice over theory, reminding one of the progressive movement in education. Dewey’s definitions of individualism, democracy, moral persuasion, and theory vs. practice are not accepted in China, but progressive educational theories are practiced extensively. (Author/KSM

• Creator/s: ERIC
• Date: 1974-04
• Year: 1974
• Book Topics/Themes: ERIC Archive, Comparative Education, Democratic Values, Educational History, Educational Philosophy, Educational Strategies, Educational Theories, Individualism, Moral Values, Non Western Civilization, Progressive Education, Sizer, Nancy F

An excerpt captured from the PDF book