A Study On The Educational Ideology And Career Of William C.Bagley

During the turning point of the 19th and 20th century, especially between the years of 1900 and 1946, the American Society was in its pivotally important era of great changes. William Chandler Bagley pursued a professional career during the very period. He contributed significantly in that pursuit to the advancement of American education. The contemporary educational policies still embody the essence of his educational ideology.This thesis details Bagley's professorships at Montana State Normal College, Oswego Normal School, the University of Illinois, and finally at Teachers College, Columbia University. It also portrays the forming process of his educational ideology. Bagley wrote prolifically on the subjects of teacher education, curriculum, educational theory, educational psychology, history of education, and numerous other fields related to education. He critiqued insightfully some aspects of the Progressive ideas, such as the extreme differentiation of the curriculum, the establishment of curriculum based only on students'interests, and the hasty application of intelligence testing to America's schools, etc.For a long time, Bagley has been regarded merely as an"Essentialist". Surely, the founding of Essentialism was an important event in his life, while Bagley's contribution to democratic culture in general and American education in particular was much greater than this event. In his effort to promote the school improvement, he attempted to retain a balanced outlook, avoiding certain educational fashions and extremism. Therefore, this thesis holds that Bagley's ideas never fit neatly into specific categories such as Traditional, Progressive, or Essentialist.This thesis consists of three parts. The first part introduces his life, including his schooling experience and his teaching practice at different schools. Meanwhile, it also...