4. Big ideas from the 20th century

Abstract

In many ways, the 20th century was a time of immense change. People started asking questions about the purpose of school. ‘Big ideas from the 20th century’ shows how, during this time of change and questioning, the centre of gravity on educational thought shifted from Europe to the USA. John Dewey, a professor of philosophy, put forward serious challenges to accepted methods. He questioned the relationship between education and democracy and put this in the context of the way that schools and classrooms were organized. Dewey championed the child as an instinctive scientist. He also wanted to draw a distinction between information and knowledge.