John Dewey's philosophy emphasized progressive and experiential education, where students learn through real-world experiences and problem solving rather than passive learning. His ideas in the early 1900s laid the foundation for experiential learning in higher education today. While his progressive approach faced resistance initially, it grew in acceptance and impacted the development of liberal education, student services, and experiential learning programs in colleges. His vision of an education system that develops independent thinkers and enacts social reform through shared experiences remains highly relevant to challenges in higher education today.