John Dewey has had a profound impact on Western education.

by | Apr 14, 2025 | EDUCATION

 

John Dewey has had a profound impact on Western education. His theories on the nature and purpose of education have shaped not only the American educational system but other Western Schools of education. You will:

Explain what Dewey considered to be the purpose(s) of education
Analyze at least three principles of Dewey’s philosophy and their influence on education
Assess how these principles align with the principles of an IB education

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

John Dewey’s influence on Western education is undeniable, shifting the focus from rote memorization to experiential learning and the development of critical thinking. Here’s a look at his educational philosophy and its alignment with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Dewey’s Purpose(s) of Education:

Dewey believed that education was not merely preparation for life, but life itself. He saw the purpose of education as:

  • Social Efficiency: Preparing individuals to be active and contributing members of a democratic society.
  • Personal Growth: Fostering the development of well-rounded individuals capable of critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning.
  • Experiential Learning: Emphasizing learning through doing and reflecting on experiences.

Three Principles of Dewey’s Philosophy and Their Influence:

  1. Learning Through Experience (Pragmatism):

    • Dewey argued that knowledge is not passively received but actively constructed through interaction with the environment.
    • Influence: This principle led to the adoption of hands-on activities, project-based learning, and inquiry-based approaches in classrooms. It shifted the role of the teacher from a lecturer to a facilitator of learning.
    • Students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and reflect on their experiences to develop deeper understanding.

  2. Education as Social Development:

    • Dewey believed that education should be deeply connected to social issues and prepare students to be responsible citizens.
    • Influence: This principle promoted the integration of social studies, civic education, and collaborative learning into the curriculum. It emphasized the importance of developing students’ social skills and their ability to work together to solve problems.
    • This has lead to group project work, and classroom discussions surrounding current events.

  3. The Importance of Inquiry and Critical Thinking:

    • Dewey stressed the importance of developing students’ ability to think critically and solve problems independently. He advocated for a curriculum that encourages students to ask questions, explore different perspectives, and draw their own conclusions.
    • Influence: This principle led to the adoption of inquiry-based teaching methods, which encourage students to investigate real-world problems and develop their own solutions. It also promoted the development of critical thinking skills through activities such as debate, analysis, and evaluation.
    • This has changed the nature of testing, and how educators approach student assessment.

John Dewey’s influence on Western education is undeniable, shifting the focus from rote memorization to experiential learning and the development of critical thinking. Here’s a look at his educational philosophy and its alignment with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Dewey’s Purpose(s) of Education:

Dewey believed that education was not merely preparation for life, but life itself. He saw the purpose of education as:

  • Social Efficiency: Preparing individuals to be active and contributing members of a democratic society.
  • Personal Growth: Fostering the development of well-rounded individuals capable of critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning.
  • Experiential Learning: Emphasizing learning through doing and reflecting on experiences.

Three Principles of Dewey’s Philosophy and Their Influence:

  1. Learning Through Experience (Pragmatism):

    • Dewey argued that knowledge is not passively received but actively constructed through interaction with the environment.
    • Influence: This principle led to the adoption of hands-on activities, project-based learning, and inquiry-based approaches in classrooms. It shifted the role of the teacher from a lecturer to a facilitator of learning.
    • Students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and reflect on their experiences to develop deeper understanding.

  2. Education as Social Development:

    • Dewey believed that education should be deeply connected to social issues and prepare students to be responsible citizens.
    • Influence: This principle promoted the integration of social studies, civic education, and collaborative learning into the curriculum. It emphasized the importance of developing students’ social skills and their ability to work together to solve problems.
    • This has lead to group project work, and classroom discussions surrounding current events.

  3. The Importance of Inquiry and Critical Thinking:

    • Dewey stressed the importance of developing students’ ability to think critically and solve problems independently. He advocated for a curriculum that encourages students to ask questions, explore different perspectives, and draw their own conclusions.
    • Influence: This principle led to the adoption of inquiry-based teaching methods, which encourage students to investigate real-world problems and develop their own solutions. It also promoted the development of critical thinking skills through activities such as debate, analysis, and evaluation.
    • This has changed the nature of testing, and how educators approach student assessment.

Alignment with IB Education:

Dewey’s principles align remarkably well with the core principles of an IB education:

  • Inquiry-Based Learning: The IB program strongly emphasizes inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to ask questions, explore concepts, and develop their own understanding. This aligns directly with Dewey’s belief in learning through experience.
  • International-Mindedness: The IB program aims to develop internationally minded individuals who are aware of and sensitive to different cultures and perspectives. This aligns with Dewey’s emphasis on education as social development.
  • Learner Profile: The IB Learner Profile promotes the development of students who are inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and risk-takers. These attributes align with Dewey’s emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning.
  • Service as Action: In the IB middle years program, and CAS in the diploma program, students are required to participate in service-learning projects, which connect classroom learning to real-world issues. This aligns with Dewey’s belief in education as social development.
  • Interdisciplinary Learning: The IB program encourages students to connect learning across different subject areas, which aligns with Dewey’s belief in a holistic and integrated approach to education.

In essence, both Dewey’s philosophy and the IB program prioritize active learning, critical thinking, and social responsibility. They both aim to develop students who are not only knowledgeable but also capable of applying their knowledge to solve real-world problems and contribute to a better world.

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