The Influence of Educators, Followers of John Dewey’s Educational Thought, in the Chilean School System: Irma Salas, Amanda Labarca, and Darío Salas

Abstract

Background/Context: This article discusses the influence and legacy of three Chilean educators in the country’s schooling system during the first half of the 20th century. Focus of Study: Based on the changes that Darío Salas, Irma Salas, and Amanda Labarca promoted in the Latin American country, it explores how the ideas of their teacher John Dewey spread through Chile and endure to this day as part of the national curriculum. The article also debates the impact of cultural exchange between the United States and Chile since the influence in their country extended to social issues, such as the fight for gender equality, the creation of associations, and the improvement of civic engagement participation. Research Design: The study corresponded to historical research and was carried out in Chile based on the bibliographic background of the educators themselves and what the author himself has deepened about them for several years, that is, primary and secondary sources were investigated. Conclusion: The shifts towards secular education, the new experiential methodology, and the universal access to education were the main reforms achieved by the Chilean educators once they held leading positions in the education sector.

Evaluación formativa, uso de las TIC y articulación curricular en la carrera de pedagogía en filosofía y los cursos de filosofía en el sistema escolar medio o secundario en Chile

“…El tradicional alineamiento del país con los paradigmas de desarrollo neoliberal lo convierte en un caso interesante para la investigación, especialmente debido a su transición de un estatus de ingreso medio a uno alto en las últimas décadas (Zancajo & Valiente, 2018). Además, el estudio de los educadores que han influido en el sistema escolar chileno proporciona información sobre los fundamentos históricos y filosóficos del plan de estudios (Escudero, 2022). La articulación curricular entre la educación secundaria y superior en Chile requiere un enfoque equilibrado para asegurar la continuidad y coherencia de la educación de los estudiantes.…”

Did Teachers College Influence the Mexican Rural School Project? Unraveling External and Internal Relations Among Key Actors (1915–1930)

“…The School and Society was partially translated in 1900 into Spanish and published by Domingo Barnés, leader of the radical and influential Institución Libre de Enseñanza in Madrid. An early translation of My Pedagogic Creed appeared in Chile in 1908 (see Caiceo, 2022); however, the 1924 Madrid version by Barnés was probably the first to circulate widely in Mexico (Pereyra-García Castro, 1979). Other works available in Spanish in the 1920s were articles published in the Boletín de la Institución Libre de Enseñanza (BILE) , together with those of many European educators of the time, and the successive volumes published by La Lectura in Spain between 1926 and 1930 (Pereyra-García Castro, 1979).…”

Teachers College and the Rise of Public Education in Latin America

“…The article by historian Jaime Caiceo (2022) documents three Chilean school reformers who reflect the influence of John Dewey in the consolidation of public education in Chile. Darío Salas arrived in New York City early in the 20th century, translated Dewey’s My Pedagogic Creed (1897) into Spanish, and helped to disseminate Dewey’s ideas in Chile.…”