Past Wisdom, Future Possibilities: Harnessing the Power of Deweyan Educative Aesthetic Experience in Challenging Times

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Progressive Education in Practice: Empirical Studies of Dewey Today

Abstract

Emerging adults today face profound educational and existential challenges. Drawing on John Dewey’s philosophy of experience, this paper argues that his vision of learning as experiential, reflective, and growth-oriented remains urgently relevant. After introducing Dewey’s key ideas—including an experience, qualitative immediacy, and the principle of continuity—I present findings from a 2025 phenomenological pilot study in which four emerging adults engaged in a ritualized aesthetic practice called Re-presencing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Participants reported increased connection to self, meaning-making, and demonstrated personal growth. These findings illustrate how Dewey’s philosophy can help re-engage students and support their flourishing. In a time of speed and metrics, Dewey reminds us that education is not preparation for life—it is life itself.

Author

• Rebecca Taylor, Teachers College, Columbia University