| This dissertation attempts to understand the crisis of traditional authority in Korea and what significance John Dewey's view of authority would have in the redevelopment of Korean society, generally, and Korean education, more specifically.;The ideas of Western democracy and individualism have become increasingly popular and influential in Korean society, especially since the late 1980s. More specifically, going through significant historical events such as the 1987 democratic movement and the 1997 economic crisis, the traditional Korean understanding of authority has been challenged. This is especially obvious with respect to the moral authority of teachers in Korean schools. The Western ideals of democracy and individualism have challenged the traditional Korean understanding of moral values that are transmitted via schools and teachers. As a result, both educators and non-educators have begun to favor individual choice regarding moral and cultural values, thus decoupling educational and moral training. In such circumstances, Korean schools and society are moving toward utilitarian motives of education that emphasize non-moral values, such as grades and class rank, values that in themselves have no educational content. While these motives may be effective in achieving career success, they lack a necessary aspect of moral and civic learning. This unhealthy circumstance destroys the proper learning environment in schools. Dewey's educational philosophies center on the learning environment necessary for moral education as well as non-moral learning. They represent and attempt to understand education and teacher authority in the light of Western democracy and individualism.;This study adopts a twofold approach. First, empirical analysis will show that a crisis of moral authority exists in contemporary Korea. Second, Dewey's major works on authority and their connection to education will be philosophically examined, and the importance of Dewey's philosophies to Korean education will be discussed. |
