Presenter: Bennett Brown − Philosophy; Planning, Public Policy and Management; Political Science
Faculty Mentor(s): Scott Pratt
(In-Person) Poster Presentation
20th-century American philosopher John Dewey contributed extensively to the fields of political theory and education, advocating for a ‘Great Community’ of individuals to grow from the Great Society of institutional power. My study into Dewey’s thought seeks to explain the possibility of his envisioned Great Community in our age of virtual communication; a possibility that doesn’t conflict with his experiential learn-by-doing philosophy of education. The study is informed by critical analysis of Dewey’s published works alongside responses to secondary literature on the topic of his philosophy of education in virtual environments. Arguments in support of this thesis will include a foundational analysis of Dewey’s philosophy of mind and the presentation of a virtual scholastic framework that aligns with his organic educational aims. The study seeks to follow a potential thread of interaction and continuity from Dewey’s 20th century ideas to today, shedding light on different ways of thinking and opportunities within remote learning that don’t conform to the traditional institutional models of education. In other words, to show the virtues of virtual education.