Progressive education today: the legacy of John Dewey

Abstract

Progressive education is one of the most fascinating educational traditions of the United States of America and is noted for its humanistic vision of education and commitment to the deepening of democracy through schooling. This article analyzes the main developments in progressive education by reviewing recent literature on the subject and the writings of its most prominent followers, establishing the relationship between current proposals and the foundational thought of John Dewey. My goal is to elucidate the fundamental core of the ideas espoused by this educational movement by discussing the central concepts of the pedagogical ideas of John Dewey and how such concepts were appropriated and extended by his successors and current defenders. Based on the analysis, I have concluded that, despite the decline in the influence of this educational tradition, due to the spread of a neoliberal perspective on American education, its proposals are critical to promoting a more democratic and just society. Among such proposals, which remain faithful to the key aspects of the thought of John Dewey, adapting it to the changing times, I highlight pluralism and the commitment to social integration, in addition to the conception of learning as an extension of a shared experience, which encourages the promotion of social capital and the laying of the foundations for lifelong learning.