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Which books explained John Dewey’s educational theories?

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John Dewey, a prominent American philosopher and educator, articulated his influential educational theories in several key works. Among his most significant writings on the subject is:

  • Democracy and Education (1916): In this foundational text, Dewey defines democracy as a "mode of associated life" and emphasizes the vital role of public schools—which he famously called "the church of democracy"—in cultivating the critical habits of mind and cooperative spirit necessary for a functioning democratic society.12

While Dewey authored many other influential philosophical works, such as Experience and Nature (1925) and The Public and Its Problems (1927), Democracy and Education remains the primary volume where he explicitly synthesized his philosophy of education with his broader political and social theories.312