Biography of John Dewey

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEducation and CareerContributions to PsychologyEducational Philosophy

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Education and Career

Contributions to Psychology

Educational Philosophy

I believe that education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.—JOHN DEWEY, “MY PEDAGOGIC CREED” (1897)

I believe that education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.

—JOHN DEWEY, “MY PEDAGOGIC CREED” (1897)

Growing up, Dewey attended public schools in Burlington, Vermont. At the age of 15, Dewey enrolled at the University of Vermont, where he studied philosophy for four years.

After graduating second in his class, Dewey spent three years as a teacher at a seminary in Oil City, Pennsylvania. He then spent a year studying under the guidance ofG. Stanley Hallat Johns Hopkins University in America’sfirst psychology lab. After earning his PhD from Johns Hopkins, Dewey went on to teach as an assistant professor role at the University of Michigan for nearly a decade.

In 1894, Dewey accepted a position as the chairman of the department of philosophy, psychology, and pedagogy at the University of Chicago. Although his prior studies of philosophy and psychology would also influence his later work, it was at the University of Chicago where Dewey began to formalize his views that would contribute so heavily to the school of thought known as pragmatism.

He worked to develop pragmatism, with its central tenet being that the value, truth, or meaning of an idea lies in its practical consequences.

Dewey also helped establish the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. There, he was able to directly apply his pedagogical theories in practice to study their impact on students. Dewey eventually left the University of Chicago and became a professor of philosophy at Columbia University from 1904 until his retirement in 1930.

In 1899, Dewey was elected president of theAmerican Psychological Association, serving a one year term. He also served for one year as the president of the American Philosophical Association in 1905.

Often considered one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, Dewey heavily influenced psychology, education, and philosophy. His emphasis on progressive education contributed greatly to the use of experimentation rather than an authoritarian approach to knowledge.

Dewey’s influence as a pioneer in the field of pragmatism allowed future thinkers and researchers to delve deeper into how a person’s experience is connected to their ability to gain knowledge. Over time, this has allowed others to make strides in modern clinical education and functional psychological study.

Dewey was also a prolific writer. Over his 65-year writing career, he published more than 1,000 books, essays, and articles on a wide range of subjects including education, art, nature, philosophy, religion, culture, ethics, and democracy.

Selected Works

The Origins of Psychology

Through his writings, it is known that Dewey firmly believed that education should be more than teaching students mindless facts they would soon forget. Instead of relying on rote memorization to learn, he thought education should consist of a journey of experiences, building upon each other to create and understand new ideas.

Dewey saw that traditional schools tried to create a world separate from students' everyday lives. He believed that school activities and the life experiences of students should be connected to make real learning would possible.

What Is Educational Psychology?

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gordon M, English AR.John Dewey’s democracy and education in an era of globalization.Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):977-980. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1204742Inguaggiato G, Metselaar S, Porz R, Widdershoven G.A pragmatist approach to clinical ethics support: overcoming the perils of ethical pluralism.Med Health Care Philos. 2019;22(3):427-438. doi:10.1007/s11019-018-09882-3English AR.John Dewey and the role of the teacher in a globalized world: imagination, empathy, and ‘third voice.’Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):1046-1064. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1202806

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gordon M, English AR.John Dewey’s democracy and education in an era of globalization.Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):977-980. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1204742Inguaggiato G, Metselaar S, Porz R, Widdershoven G.A pragmatist approach to clinical ethics support: overcoming the perils of ethical pluralism.Med Health Care Philos. 2019;22(3):427-438. doi:10.1007/s11019-018-09882-3English AR.John Dewey and the role of the teacher in a globalized world: imagination, empathy, and ‘third voice.’Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):1046-1064. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1202806

Gordon M, English AR.John Dewey’s democracy and education in an era of globalization.Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):977-980. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1204742Inguaggiato G, Metselaar S, Porz R, Widdershoven G.A pragmatist approach to clinical ethics support: overcoming the perils of ethical pluralism.Med Health Care Philos. 2019;22(3):427-438. doi:10.1007/s11019-018-09882-3English AR.John Dewey and the role of the teacher in a globalized world: imagination, empathy, and ‘third voice.’Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):1046-1064. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1202806

Gordon M, English AR.John Dewey’s democracy and education in an era of globalization.Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):977-980. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1204742

Inguaggiato G, Metselaar S, Porz R, Widdershoven G.A pragmatist approach to clinical ethics support: overcoming the perils of ethical pluralism.Med Health Care Philos. 2019;22(3):427-438. doi:10.1007/s11019-018-09882-3

English AR.John Dewey and the role of the teacher in a globalized world: imagination, empathy, and ‘third voice.’Educational Philosophy and Theory. 2016;48(10):1046-1064. doi:10.1080/00131857.2016.1202806

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Selected Works#

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