Dewey (1897) states that trues education comes from the child’s capacities, which are influenced by his social demands. These capacities are stimulated by his desire to act in unity and consider the welfare of his social group. The knowledge and education that he receives is influenced by what society demands, therefore knowledge is socially constructed. Within this educational process there is a social individual and this social individual is the one to be educated. If the world were to eliminate the social factor, there would just be an individual walking around aimlessly. It’s like a ham sandwich- without the ham it would just be two slices of bread. As the individual’s interests and questions grow, these are to be relative and applied into any way of social service.
According to Dewey (1897), the goal of education is to form a community life where he can share and use his knowledge for the betterment of society. However, although this is the goal for education, this is not the only goal that is required here. Knowledge is socially constructed, but there the individual may be at risk of losing his means of finding social experiences. Education offers the tools that are needed for the child to construct his own morals and deepen his values. It is a process of life, but also his own personal preparation for future living. Once a child finds his individualistic ideals he will yield an inclination for social unity.
Dewey, J. 1897. My pedagogic creed. The school journal.
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