2022 Volume 67 Pages 9-23
The present study was performed to clarify the following 2 issues to reconstruct a premise that would facilitate a meaningful debate on John Dewey's views in the field of physical education. First, certain misconceptions surrounding Dewey's views, which were regarded as experientialist, were examined in an attempt to understand his claims and position more accurately. Second, it was investigated how the field of physical education in Japan came to accept Dewey's educational approach and how it impacted the field.
Initially, an overview of Dewey's conception of pragmatism was conducted, and then misconceptions about Dewey's approach and their origin were discussed. Then, the impact of Dewey's educational theory on the field of physical education in post-war Japan was examined, focusing in particular on the relationship between Dewey's thought and Maekawa Mineo's “theory of physical education in life”.
Contrary to popular belief, Dewey's educational approach did not prioritize a form of radical experientialism. Rather, it focused on shaping a child' s development by reconstructing experience. Dewey argued that different methods should be used to provide experiences that are meaningful for a child's growth. In other words, his approach aimed to actively deconstruct and reconstruct the framework of modern education. In this sense, one must understand Dewey's aim in order to properly understand his broader educational theory.
Dewey's educational theory was influential in Japan's post-war educational reform. In the field of physical education, in particular, his theory was foundational to Maekawa's theory. However, his theory has been misinterpreted when applied in schools, and the experiential learning that was implemented has been criticized for hindering physical abilities. Likewise, the field of physical education has been critical of Dewey's educational theory because of its experiential nature. Regardless of the merits and demerits of Dewey's theory, the physical education literature must first properly interpret it if research on its implementation in the field is to develop further.
