John Dewey was influenced by Plato, and especially Hegel's idealistic philosophy and Darwin's Doctrine of Evolution had a great influence on him. In establishing his own educational theory, he was influenced by Johann Herbart's and Gustave Flauber. By...
John Dewey was influenced by Plato, and especially Hegel's idealistic philosophy and Darwin's Doctrine of Evolution had a great influence on him. In establishing his own educational theory, he was influenced by Johann Herbart's and Gustave Flauber. By developing further Johann Herbart's educational theory centering around the transfer of knowledge and the teacher, he stresse the learning on experience and the education of children.
John Dewey's educational philosophy takes the standpoint of children-center and society - reconstruction, in the essential side. In the side of the function of the school, he thinks that it is the extension of home life and the tabloid edition of community. In the side of teaching materials of education, he stresses the concentrated and unified interest of children, and in the side of guidance, he stresses children's activities and roles. Also, in the side of the development of the school and the society, he regards the pursuit of the improvement of the school and the society and the part of teachers as a selected social service.
John Dewey places the purpose of education in the fact that when children play a game, they have the purpose of the play in the play itself. When infered from this, the purpose of physical education does not lie in attainity a certain aim through an activity but lies in playing a game or an activity itself.
Through a game or an activity, children can learn to observe the rules, to cooperate with each other under the required circumtances, and to realize a fair play of sportsmanship in a game.
Therefore, the ultimate aim of physical education can be said to produce good citizens of a democratic society.
John Dewey adopted all events of games as the school curriculums, and he preferred complex games to simple games. He also would like team event more than individual event for the social development. And these school curriculums include mountaineering, camping, and dancing etc. as well as all events of games. But all of these programs refuse the hackneyed and repeating practice. So he welcomed such programs as can solve difficult problems, and make children confront many challenges and adapt themselves to new circumstances.
To make conclusion, it can be said that John Dewey had a great influence on physical Education with many new ideas about the unification and relationship of soul and body, the value of a game, and Children's social development through games. Consideing our educational society, we should make further effort to study on Dewey's educational idea, to improve our educational system, especially our physical educational system.