陶行知(1981-1946)是一位教育思想家與教育實踐者。他出生於貧寒之家，卻懷報救國濟世的理想，一生為達「要使中國人都受到教育」的宏願而努力。本研究以「陶行知社會教育思想之研究－其生活教育理論與實踐」為題，旨在探討陶行知的生平及其論著，從中分析其生活教育理論的內涵與主張。經系統化的整理，以社會教育的角度來建構其生活教育理論，並發現其對當今社會教育的啟示。本研究是採用文獻分析法及理論分析法。主要的研究文獻是以湖南教育出版社所出版的「陶行知全集」為主。全文共分六章，首章敘述研究問題的背景，第二章說明陶氏的生平及教育實踐，第三章則探析陶氏的哲學思想基礎，第四章概敘陶氏的教育思想，第五章闡釋陶氏的生活教育理論的結構，第六章歸納結論。本研究獲致的結論與啟示如下：一、結論１．哲學思想 (1).基礎 (2).主張--文化工具論(3).以立大志做大事為人生目的，追求真理做真人(4).認為社會是有歷史的關聯性，社會的責任在於濟弱扶傾(5).強調休閒的意義在於過有意義的生活２．教育思想(1).生活的本質論(2).創造的目的論(3).行動的方法論３．生活教育的結構 (1).以生活即教育為基礎 (2).以教學做合一為方法 (3).以社會即學校為理想(4).以藝友制.小先生制.工學團.社會大學等方法來實踐.二、啟示1.社會教育需深植於社會生活之中2.社會教育的範圍應包含學校教育與家庭教育3.社會教育應重視受教者自我覺醒的啟發及共同參與教育的過程4.社會教育的活動方案應提供受教者親自行動的機會5.社會教育應重視社區教育的發展6.社會教育工作者應熟知受教者的行為與想法7.社會教育工作者應對教育的工作產生興趣並培養開闢及創造的精神8.社會教育工作者應革除官僚作風與人民親近

Tao Heng-Chih (1891-1946) is famous for his Life Education Thought in the modern China.The methods of history and theoretical analysis studies are applied in this research. There are six chapers in this study;the background of research problems described in chapter 1; Tao' whole life and his educational experience expounded in chapter 2; Tao's philosophy of race, culture, life, society and lesisure stated in chapter 3; Tao's philosophy of his Life Education Theory generally stated in chapter 4; The structure of Tao's Life Education Theory is in chapter 5; The objective statement and enlightement for modern social education presented in the last chapter. The major findings of this study are concluded as below:1.The background of Tao's Life Education Theory :(1).anti-foreign education and anti-traditional education. (2).to build a new kind of education suitable for the modern China.　2.The qualities of Tao's Life Education Theory :(1).life as education (2).to combine teaching, learning,and practicing (3).society as school The enlightement for the modern social education: 1.The contents of social education must relate to life. 2.The range of social education must include school education and family education. 3.The methods of social education must emphasize the educated person's self-consciousness and attendence. 4.The project of social education must stress practice. 5.The community education is very important for modern social education. 6.The social educator must learn about the educated person's actions and thoughts. 7.The social educator must be interested in education and adopt the creative viewpoints. 8.(The social educator must get rid of bureaucratic airs.