The Incubation of Progressive (Müterakki) Educational Philosophy in the Late Ottoman Period (1908–1920)

Abstract

The period between 1908 and 1920, marking the final phase of the Ottoman Empire, represents a critical transitional era in which traditional educational approaches were increasingly questioned and progressive (müterakki) educational ideas began to emerge. The atmosphere of freedom fostered by the Second Consti-tutional Era created a fertile ground for the development of an educational philoso-phy centered on the individual, emphasizing experience and interaction. Within this scope, periodicals, articles on education, books and translations published between 1908 and 1920 were examined. The validity of the codes, categories, and themes was reviewed by academic experts, thereby ensuring the analytical consistency and his-torical contextualization. During this period, the school was redefined not merely as an institution for the transmission of knowledge, but as a living environment that holistically supported the intellectual, physical, and emotional development of the individual. Core principles of progressive education such as learning by doing and experiencing, the teacher’s role as a guide, nature-based education, preparation for real life, and cooperation were prominently reflected in contemporary educational writings. Education aimed to cultivate active, responsible, and critically thinking in-dividuals, replacing the passive student model. Consequently, the school came to be regarded not only as a means of individual development but also as a key instrument of social transformation.