Abstract

This study examines John Dewey's reflective methods and the implications for educational administration as moral practice. At the outset, the dissertation explicates the methods of reflection central to Dewey's theory of ethics, isolating fundamental themes and concepts: human nature, habit, impulse, problem situation, principles, conduct, ends-in-view, value, growth, among others. ;Dewey's moral reflection is then placed within the context of his social philosophy, exploring the public and collaborative nature of his ethics. Ideas regarding diverse democratic communities, public deliberation and critical inquiry are explicated. These methods insist upon a thorough analysis of causes and consequences of social arrangements, keeping open every opportunity for human agency. ;The dissertation goes on to review the scholarship on Dewey's work. Following this, the study examines barriers school professionals face when attempting to apply reflective methods to their work: logistics of management, competing obligations and expectations, the ambiguous roles experienced by administrators and teachers, the frenetic and fragmented nature of the work, dilemmas inherent in the school's conflicting needs for autonomy, learning and control, pressures of teacher and student subcultures, time and structural constraints, external vulnerabilities, entrenched internal decision structures, and personal likes and dislikes, fears and biases. ;The study explores these barriers within the context of day-to-day life in schools, exposing disrupting, confounding, and, often times, countervailing conditions. This strategy reveals important organizational characteristics to be considered when attempting to institutionalize reflection within schools. Various theoretical perspectives are later considering, revealing additional complexities in overcoming barriers to reflection. ;Finally, the study suggests foci for future research into programs and practices which encourage the institutionalization of active reflection in schools through the use of language, community, professionalism, structures, or critical scrutiny