Abstract
In this modern analysis of vaccine hesitancy, which is certainly exemplified by the resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine but by no means limited to this single inoculation, we use the central tenets and philosophy of preeminent American educator John Dewey to assist in providing possible explanations for the increased wave of vaccination hesitancy in the United States. For example, Dewey’s comprehensive disavowal of rote, authoritative instruction and modality for improved educational outcomes seems poignant when considered alongside the perceived lack of trust or acceptance of leaders in medicine and public health advocating for certain health interventions, including vaccines. Furthermore, his advocacy for educators to lean into active learning and engagement of educational materials also seems to have been misspent when current public health and health educational practices are evaluated; it seems difficult to imagine a widespread, hands-on educational component to vaccine literacy, which is most often limited to impersonal, theoretical discussions of limited subjective value to the patient or their caregivers. This paper also briefly discusses the difficulty in use of reflective thought, or critical reasoning, in evaluation of health-centered educational materials made more challenging when reflected through a prism of social media, misinformation and the disparate equity in access to the most functional health educational resources.
Presenters
Paul GregorStudent, PhD Candidate, Philosophy and History of Education, The Ohio State University, Ohio, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Adult, Community, and Professional Learning
KEYWORDS
Vaccine Literacy, Vaccine Hesitancy, Public Health, Educational Policy, John Dewey
