This belief, put into practice, creates some tension in the modern day traditional public education system. With more and more testing, more and more demands placed upon teachers to adhere to measurable, quantifiable units and lessons that produce data for analysis and reports, we must be mindful of Dewey's words. We are challenged to fulfill our responsibilities as public school employees while at the same time fulfilling our duties to our students to help them become successful, lifelong learners who can develop passions and delve into their interests.
Collaborative learning, content creation, using students' experiences to build on learning and integration of 21st century skills will lead to increased student engagement and deeper learning, thus bridging the ideas Dewey presented with modern educational systems. Adaptability and agility in students' (and teachers') approaches to learning should be a top priority. We know that specific tools and trendy devices come into and fall out of fashion, yet it is how we apply and adapt the skills we have acquired to be able to use them that make us successful. We must foster the same adaptability and agility in our students, and provide more authentic opportunities for this as time moves forward.