A native of Burlington, Vermont, John Dewey received his B.A. from the University of Vermont in 1879 and his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1884. Except for a brief appointment at the University of Minnesota, he taught at the University of Michigan from 1884 to 1894.

In 1894, Dewey joined the faculty of the University of Chicago as head of the department of philosophy, psychology, and pedagogy. While at Chicago, he founded an experimental elementary school that came to be known as the "Dewey School." Among the major influences on his theory of communication during this period were his colleague George Herbert Mead and Jane Addams (the founder of Hull House).

In 1904, Dewey resigned from the University of Chicago and accepted a position at Columbia University where he was appointed professor emeritus of philosophy in residence in 1930 and professor emeritus in 1939. He traveled widely, presenting lectures...