Chapter 6 A Seed Found Its Ground
John Dewey and the Construction of the Department of Education at Beijing Normal University
In: John Dewey and Chinese EducationPurchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Abstract
Education did not exist as an independent field of studies in Chinese universities before Dewey’s visit to China in 1919. Dewey’s support accelerated the establishment of the Department of Education at Beijing Normal University (BNU), which was the first one in China. Dewey’s book Democracy and Education was used as a textbook, encyclopedia, and introduction to this modern discipline during his one-year BNU course, “Philosophy of Education.” BNU survived the 1922 Act and its Department of Education became a stable and growing institution where Dewey’s ideas were studied and taught, which helped to keep Dewey’s influence in China strong and long lasting.