HISTORY OF EDUCATION LECTURE 2
Good evening students. Welcome to lecture 2.
We continue with;
EDUCATION THROUGH HISTORY.
This is a summary of what Education has entailed at different times/ stages/ phases of human
development.
A.Education in the pre historic period.
1. Man has existed in some form on this planet for between 0.5 million and 1 million yrs.
2. Between 500,000-75,000 yrs ago the tools that man made became refined.
3. Between 75,000 – 20,000 yrs ago there was rapid development in human culture, art and
expression took place.
4. From 10,000 – 8,000 yrs ago the development became more rapid with the construction of
complicated buildings and man producing his own food rather than simply hunting and gathering.
Man developed gestures, signs and symbols to convey ideas and communicate.
5. Between 6,000 – 5,000 yrs ago man invented writing and education thus became an institution.
The pre-historic man began to control his environment rather than submit to it and culture took some
familiar forms that are recognizable today.
6. Between 4,000-3,000 yrs ago man improved skills in commerce and trade. Ironically war
consolidated the cities into large empires.
B.Education During Ancient Times
1. In the ancient or classical times these was no common education in many empires. For example
in the Persian Education Empire only a few people were chosen for schooling to be scribes and
priests. Education was used as a tool to make the masses conform.
2. In Sparta, a city in Greece the sole purpose of education was to produce warriors for they dwelt in
the middle of a hostile and conquered people. They therefore developed a system of education for
instilling obedience and loyalty to their state.
3. In Athens, another city in Greece the training was almost similar though they felt that the state
was supreme. They were also convinced that individual fulfilment was good for the wellbeing of the
state.
4. Thus the great mediators i.e. Socrates (469- 379 BC) tried to make the people realize that the
social process cannot be arrested. They advocated the pursuit of truth and knowledge.
5. The Romans consistently sought on the application of knowledge rather than the pursuit of truth
for its own sake. Their Education approach promoted power and organization. The fusion of Greece
– Roman heritage is the basis of western civilization.
6. Educationally the Greek and Roman influence saw the development of three levels of educational
institutions i.e.
i. The lowest schools- with extended literacy content taught by memorization, imitation and an
application of severe discipline.
ii. The Grammar schools- where teaching was done in both Greek and Latin, the circumstances
included oratory and interpretation of poem.
iii. Technical schools- where both Greek and Latin were used to train students in legal and literacy
subjects
7. The Roman influence in Education can be seen in the ideas of a Universal empire, the concept of
the law and the Pax-Romana (Roman peace) which up to this day underlies and guides civilization.
8. The coming of Christianity is a result of Roman Genius and Organization. In AD 313 Christianity
was recognized as an imperial religion within the Roman Empire. This witnessed the rise of
catechetical schools which gave some kind of formal instructions lasting three years to achieve of
the Roman Catholic Church
C.1.During the 15thC, Europe present a picture of ignorance, lawlessness and violence.
2. It was the Moslems who helped to awaken Medieval Europe by developing Universities in Spain.
3. Medieval Universities developed out of Cathedral and Monastic schools and Universities.
4.Religious crusades, enrichment of cities, expansion of commerce, industry and Banking and the
growing spirit of nationalism were the key causes of change which led to the development of national
languages and literature.
D.Education during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation
1. In the 16th Protestants revolted and the Roman Catholic reformed.
2. The Reformation involved a series of reforms in the Roman Catholic Church which had resisted all
attempts at internal reforms of its Ecclesiastical doctrines and abuse of the 16thC. The reformation
brought more changes in Education.
3. The counter-reformation arose out of the Council of Trent – a conference-(1543-1563) which was
held to try and bring together the two churches.
4. Thus the Protestants allied themselves to the state while the Roman Catholic developed
theological seminaries,
E.Education and Realism
1. The 17th C witnessed the culture of realism which attempted to make Education more meaningful.
2. Humanistic realism was an attempt to understand the contents of what was taught.
3. Social realism was an attempt to adjust education to the real life situation.
F. Enlightenment and Education
1. During the 18th C there was a general result against authoritarianism and dictatorship.
2. This was giving way to the spirit of truth and freedom based on reason and inquiry.
3. Dictatorship and authoritarianism were becoming thoroughly intolerable and the individual saw his
own development as being within his own reach.
4. Education gave hope through the presence of scholars like Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
who was a source of motivation.G. Education, Science and Nationalism.
1. The 19th C was an age of conflicting ideologies.
2. The various social-political ideologies of this Century replaced the old and common practices.
3. Liberalism, democracy and capitalism were the context of the 19th C socio-political ideologies.
4. Educationally the interaction of these trends led to a great diversity in Educational development in
various parts of Europe.
H. Education, Progressivism and Radicalism.
1. The 20th C Educational trends are more philosophical and sociological rather than historical.
2. The historical trends include modernization, the generation gap and the changing criteria of
Education authority.
3. These has resulted into the emergence of two broad educational movements i.e. Progressive and
Radical which are two alternative systems of education that are being practiced.
You realise that we are on the last stage. Progressive education is what takes you to the next level
and the next. Education has no end. That is why you are in this class. Radicalism means doing
things differently. This brings us to our present mode of teaching /learning. Most likely you using the
mode for the first time and hence the many challenges.
