MACMILLAN Discovering John Dewey in the Twenty-First Century: Dialogues on the Present and Future of Education

This book features a unique collection of dialogues with fourteen notable scholars on their opinions and observations about John Dewey, a renowned educational philosopher of the twentieth century. The book explores varying views about John Dewey, his philosophy, and his educational theory. In revealing positive, sometimes negative, occasionally surprising, and consistently insightful viewpoints, the author seeks to enable the reader to reflect on the primary question: does John Dewey’s consequential educational philosophy have an important role in twenty-first century education and in nurturing and sustaining democratic ideals? Review “Jorgensen’s book offers the voices of a wide array of thought-leaders in education on the question of how and why Dewey’s thinking matters in education today. Readers will benefit from their depth and experience in reading the educational scene in light of Deweyan thought. The conversations of this rich array of scholars span a number of pressing issues in the field, including reflective practice, moral life, social efficiency, pedagogy and standardization. Jorgensen’s labor yields a rare opportunity to explore the inner thinking of those whose work has become so familiar, to hear them in casual elocution reflect on heady matters that concern all of us in education and are as relevant today as they were in Dewey’s time.”  (William Gaudelli, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Arts and Humanities, Teachers College, Columbia University, USA) “Jorgensen has brilliantly brought together some of progressive education’s finest public intellectuals to powerfully describe the multiplicity of ways Dewey’s work has made lasting impacts on the work of educationists across generations. Jorgensen’s anthology of voices proves that Dewey still challenges us to take up his call to ensure learning spaces are democratic and relevant to the lives of people and their richly intersectional identities.” (Rene Antrop-Gonzalez, Dean, School of Urban Education, Metropolitan State University, USA) “Jorgensen is an established Dewey scholar in his own right. In this volume, he converses with fourteen other scholars, all of whom have been influenced in a myriad of ways, by Dewey.  This is, indeed, an all-star cast.  The consensus on Dewey's relevance is strong, as is the difference in the ways that various people see that relevance.  Bravo, Jorgensen, et al.” (Wayne J. Urban, Professor Emeritus of Higher Education and Educational Policy, University of Alabama, USA) From the Back Cover This book features a unique collection of dialogues with fourteen notable scholars on their opinions and observations about John Dewey, a renowned educational philosopher of the twentieth century. The book explores varying views about John Dewey, his philosophy, and his educational theory. In revealing positive, sometimes negative, occasionally surprising, and consistently insightful viewpoints, the author seeks to enable the reader to reflect on the primary question: does John Dewey’s consequential educational philosophy have an important role in twenty-first century education and in nurturing and sustaining democratic ideals? About the Author C. Gregg Jorgensen is Adjunct Professor at Soka University of America, USA.