HISTORY OF EDUCATION LECTURE 1

Good morning students. Welcome to lecture 1.

We begin by defining: History of Education

1.This is the study of the origins and nature of education at various levels of human
development.
2. Education is one of the most vital and fundamental considerations of our social life and therefore it
receives continuous attention.
3. In its earlier history education followed a more or less plan less procedure but the scientific
movement of the 19th C had a vast influence upon the schools.
4. This change has led to the expansion of curriculum, subject matter and the methods of
introduction.

From that definition, we note that Education has always been there. It is as old and as wide as
mankind. What has been changing is the nature and methods of delivery. What we are doing now is
part of the changes. This mode and method of instructions is a recent development and we can
anticipate much more.

We move on to; The Scope of History of Education- How wide is Education?

This embraces description, elaboration and analysis of the three aspects of education i.e.
1. The informal aspects of Education- This refers to the total cultural and educative context into
which individuals are born, brought up and reach maturity. They acquire cultural tools such as
language, artistic skills, moral values and attitudes. The agencies of this Education include the
family, church, mosque, peer-groups and the state.
2. Non-Formal Education- This refers to the planned educational activities and programmes that
exist outside the highly formalized institutional school structure. This type of education is need
oriented, flexible in terms of age and timetabling, highly utilitarian and diversified to meet the
needs of the beneficiaries. It is not structured into levels or classes.
3. The formal Aspect of Education- This refers to the institutionalized form of learning that is
found in schools and other institutions of varying levels and organization. This Education is
characterized by strict rules and regulations such as; the age of entry, timetabling, evaluation and
testing. Academic certificates are issued on completion of a particular stage or level.

 From the above scope, all of us have acquired Informal education from our parents, families
and cultural background. We acquire non-formal education as we go through life and and
interact with other institutions including religion, schools, health, economy, politics e.tc. We are
now acquiring formal education with all its rules and regulation.

 We move on to: The Role of History of Education- Why do we study this unit as teachers?

1.History of education is interested in analyzing and clarifying concepts or issues that are
central to Education. This will help to improve the quality of education.
2. It makes comparisons within a historical perspective thereby reminding the scholars and
challenging conventional wisdom to look at how different systems, institutions, ideas and
personalities developed and functioned in the past.
 3. It strengthens the professional character as it focuses clearly and in details on the
educational movements and the educational heritage. The teacher or the scholar is able to give a
critic of Education.
4. It enables the scholar to develop a personal point of view after studying various
systems, institutions, ideas and personalities and one is able to judge a situation objectively.
5. It enables one to understand and appreciate the various educational institutions, system,
theories and practice. Education has undergone evolution from the ancient times to the present.
6. It enhances curiosity as the scholar gets acquainted with great teachers, educationist and
other personalities who have contributed towards the field of education.
7. It helps one to understand the relationship between the theory and practice of education
and if possible improve the present situation.
8. History of Education exposes one to the knowledge and skills in other disciplines such as
Educational Psychology, Sociology of Education, Philosophy of Education, Comparative
Education and Emerging Issues e.t.c

From the above points, you realise that as a teacher, History of Education will equip you with the
relevant knowledge and skills required in your theory and practice.

 We continue with:
 FACTORS AND MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF
EDUCATION FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT
 Antiquity means the longest you can remember. Education has undergone some kind of
evolution to be where it is today. What are the factors and movements that have contributed
towards this?
a)Factors
1. The First World War which was fought by some Americans with the belief that the world could be
made safe for Democracy.
2. The Second World War which was fought to establish fundamental freedoms for men everywhere.
3. The Education Reformers of the 18th C who hoped that through the proper use of reason man
could make the World a better place. However there are many challenges that face a world
governed by reason.
4. The age of violence among human kind. This vice has been an outstanding feature of the past
100yrs and it is doubtful whether the sensitive individual is better off during the modern times than in
the age of Plato and Socrates or whether creativity flourishes more today than in the Greek
civilization.
5. The Affirmative powers of the great teachers in History such as;
(i) Buddha who spoke of equality even amidst the evils of the caste system.
(ii) Socrates who felt that man has a divine aspect in his soul.
(iii) Comenius who had a vision of a universal system of knowledge and a universal college based
on Genuine Christian ideals (pansophia).
(iv) Erasmus who thought that scholarship could create a brave new world of peace.
(v) Pestalozzi who had such pity on children the poor that he educated them in the most idealistic
manner.
(vi) Froebel who created the kindergarten out of his boundless love for children.
(vii) Jesus who observed that all human beings can be taught since they are all children of God

From the last point, you realize that we do not have unteachables among human beings. Those who
fail in academics can excel in other fields.
 a)Movements
1.The Early Christian Education which considered preaching and teaching to be of equal value.
Early Christians made provisions for the training of educational leaders through apprenticeship
system (attachment or internship).

1.Mohammedanism which was founded by Prophet Mohammed who was born in Arabia in 570 AD.
The movement later became Islam. In Islam, every form of education is to be based on religious
principles.

3.The Protestant Reformation- When the Angustinian Monk- Martin Luther King Jr (1483-1846)
launched the Protestant Reformation by nailing a list of 95 theses on the castle church door at
Whittenborg. Martin Luther issued a general challenge for a debate in the possibility of reducing
the powers and possessions of the pope.
4. The Printing Press- this contributed substantially to the success of the church reform
movement in the 16th C. This was done through the creation of a much more numerous reading
public and availing the Bible to the congregation.

5.Calvinism in France- By the time Martin Luther and his co-labourers were organizing the Lutheran
Doctrines and church administration in Germany, John Calvin (1509-1564) was launching a form of
protestant belief and practice which was to have a wide adoption and influence on religious, civil and
Educational development of the American schools.
Although Calvin was French, he spent most of his mature years in Geneva. He adopted the Bible
further than Luther by adopting the Jewish Sabbath, giving the pastors an almost levitical (total)
authority over their congregations and rejecting all the colour and pageantry of the catholic service,
Removing stained glass windows from churches and silencing the musical instruments which had
been used in worship, his was the Calvinistic system of church administration.

6.The Catholic Counter Reformation and the company of Jesus- A new type of theoretical school
was established whereby special training of secular priests was done in theological seminars
under the direct control of Bishops, theological faculties in Universities lost importance.
There was a reform on some of the Ecclessiastical doctrines as well as a reduction on the powers
and possessions of the pope.
Today we have the Catholic Bible which has more books- (Deutero-Canonicals). The extra books
were more before the Counter-reformation.
 i think we have covered enough for today. You can now raise your questions or comments on
what we have covered.