EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL FUNCTION FOR JOHN DEWEY

Abstract

This study examines the school's role as an agent of social transformation from John Dewey's perspective, analyzing his contributions to building a democratic and just society. For Dewey, schools were essential in developing intellectual attitudes such as reflection, initiative, and social responsibility – fundamental qualities for a participatory society. The research is justified by the need to understand how education, in his view, not only integrates individuals into culture but also liberates them from traditional paradigms, broadening their understanding through engagement with diverse dimensions of knowledge – ethical, political, economic, and environmental. 

The objectives are to examine Dewey's contributions regarding schools as instruments of social change, emphasizing their role in democracy as an ongoing process. Additionally, it seeks to demonstrate how education, for Dewey, transcends cultural transmission, becoming a tool for intellectual emancipation and the redefinition of reality. 

The methodology involves analyzing Dewey's works, focusing on his conceptions of education, democracy, and the school's social function, while connecting them to social transformation. A critical review of secondary literature will complement this analysis to discuss the contemporary applicability of his ideas, synthesizing principles that link education to the formation of critical and participatory citizens. The study aims to reaffirm the relevance of Deweyan thought in reimagining education as the foundation of democratic societies.