This presentation traces the development of education from preliterate societies to the Reformation period. It discusses the goals, instructional methods, curriculum, and influencing agents of education during different historical periods including preliterate societies, China, Egypt, Judaism, Greece, Rome, the Arabic era, the Medieval period, the Renaissance, and the Reformation. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of understanding history to reflect on current practices and envision a better future for education.

1. HISTORICAL
FOUNDATIONS OF
EDUCATION
Presented by:
MR. CARL PATRICK S. TADEO
MAED Social Studies Student
Under the tutelage of:
DR. MARILYN GUTIERREZ
Graduate School Professor
MA 201: Foundations of Education
World Education Evolution at a Glance

2. Education is about what
was (the past), what is
(the present), and what
might be (future).
-Orlein, et al., 2017

3. At the end of this presentation you should
be able to:
• trace the development of education from
preliterate societies to reformation
• identify the goals of education,
instructional methods and curriculum in
every period
• value the implications and influences of
these developments to Modern Education

4. Preliterate societies
7000 BCE-5000 BCE
• Education Goals: To teach group survival
skills and group identity
• Students: Children in the group
• Methods: Informal instruction; children
imitating adult skills and values
• Curriculum: Survival skills of hunting, fishing,
food gathering; stories, myths, songs, poems,
dances
• Agents: Parents, tribal elders, and priests

5. Preliterate societies
7000 BCE-5000 BCE
Influence to Modern Education
• Emphasis on informal education and
stories to transmit skills and values

6. China 3000 BCE-1900 BCE
• Education Goals: To prepare elite
officials to govern the empire according to
Confucian principles
• Students: Males of the gentry class
• Methods: Memorization and recitation of
classic texts
• Curriculum: Confucian classics
• Agents: Government officials

7. China 3000 BCE-1900 BCE (cont.)
Influence to Modern Education
• Written examinations for civil service and
professions

8. Egypt 3000 BCE- 300 BCE
• Education Goals: To prepare
priest-scribes to administer the
empire
• Students: Males of the upper classes
• Methods: Memorizing and copying
of dictated texts
• Curriculum: Religious or technical
texts
• Agents: Priest and scribes

9. Egypt 3000 BCE- 300 BCE
Influence to Modern Education
• Placing educational authority in a priestly
elite; using education to prepare officials

10. Judaic 1200 BCE to present
• Education Goals: To transmit Jewish
religion and cultural identity
• Students: Children and adults in the group
• Methods: Listening to, memorizing, reciting,
analysing, and debating sacred texts; reading
and writing for literacy
• Curriculum: The Torah, laws, rituals, and
commentaries
• Agents: Parents, priests, scribes, and rabbis

11. Judaic 1200 BCE to present (cont.)
Influence to Modern Education
• Concept of monotheism and covenant
between God and humanity; religious
observance and maintaining cultural
identity

12. Greek 1600 BCE-300 BCE
• Education Goals:
▫ Athens: To cultivate civic responsibility and identification
with the city-state and to develop well-rounded persons;
▫ Sparta: To train soldiers and military leaders
• Students: Male children of citizens; ages 7-20
• Methods: Drill, memorization, recitation in primary
schools; lecture, discussion, and dialogue in higher
schools
• Curriculum:
▫ Athens: reading, writing, arithmetic, drama, music,
physical education, literature, poetry
▫ Sparta: drill, military songs, and tactics
• Agents: Parents, priests, scribes, and rabbis

13. Greek 1600 BCE-300 BCE (cont.)
• Agents:
▫ Athens: private teachers and schools, Sophists,
philosophers
▫ Sparta: military officers
• Influence to Modern Education
▫ Athens: concept of the well-rounded, liberally
educated person
▫ Sparta: the concept of serving the military state

14. Roman 750 BCE-450 CE
• Education Goals: To develop civic
responsibility and commitment for the republic
and then empire; to train administrators and
military leaders
• Students: Male children of citizens; ages 7-20
• Methods: Drill, memorization, and recitation
in primary schools; declamation in rhetorical
schools
• Curriculum: Reading, writing, arithmetic,
Laws of Twelve Tables, law, philosophy
• Agents: Private schools and teachers; rhetorical
schools

15. Roman 750 BCE-450 CE (cont.)
Influence to Modern Education
• Using education to develop sense of civic
commitment and administrative skills

16. Arabic 700 CE-1350 CE
• Education Goals: To construct commitment
to Islamic beliefs; to develop expertise in
mathematics, medicine and science
• Students: Male children of upper classes; ages
7-20
• Methods: Drill, memorization, and recitation
in lower schools; commentary and discussion in
higher schools
• Curriculum: Reading, writing, mathematics,
religious literature, scientific studies
• Agents: Mosque; court schools

17. Arabic 700 CE-1350 CE(cont.)
Influence to Modern Education
• Arabic numerals and computation; re-
entry of classical Greek texts to Western
educators

18. Medieval 500 CE-1400 CE
• Education Goals: To develop commitment to
Christian beliefs and practices; to prepare
individuals to assume roles in a hierarchical
society
• Students: Male children of upper classes or
those entering religious life; girls and young
women entering religious communities; ages 7-
20
• Methods: Drill, memorization, recitation,
chanting in lower schools; textual analysis and
disputation in universities and in higher schools

19. Medieval 500 CE-1400 CE (cont.)
• Curriculum: Reading, writing, arithmetic,
liberal arts; philosophy and theology; crafts;
military tactics; and chivalry
• Agents: Parish, chantry, and cathedral schools;
universities; apprenticeship; knighthood
Influence to Modern Education
• Established structure, content, and organization
of universities as major institutions of higher
education; the transmission of liberal arts;
institutionalization and preservation of
knowledge

20. Renaissance 1350 CE-1500 CE
• Education Goals: To educate classical
humanists in Greek and Latin literatures; to
prepare courtiers to serve leaders
• Students: Male children of aristocracy and
upper classes; ages 7-20
• Methods: Memorization, translation, and
analysis of Greek and Roman classics
• Curriculum: Latin, Greek, classical literature,
poetry, art
• Agents: Classical humanist educators and
schools such as the lycee, gymnasium, and Latin
Grammar school

21. Renaissance 1350 CE-1500 CE(cont.)
Influence to Modern Education
• An emphasis on literary knowledge and
style as expressed in classical literature; a
two track system of schools

22. Reformation 1500 CE-1600 CE
• Education Goals: To instill commitment to a
particular religious denomination; to cultivate
general literacy
• Students: Boys and girls ages 7-12 in
vernacular schools; young men ages 7-12 of
upper class backgrounds in humanist schools
• Methods: Memorization, drill, indoctrination,
catechetical instruction in vernacular schools;
translation and analysis of classics in humanist
schools

23. Reformation 1500 CE-1600 CE(cont.)
• Curriculum: Reading, writing, arithmetic,
catechism, religious beliefs and rituals; Latin
and Greek; theology
• Agents: Vernacular elementary schools for the
masses; classical schools for the upper classes
Influence to Modern Education
• A commitment to universal education to provide
literacy to the masses; the origins of school
systems with supervision to ensure doctrinal
conformity; the dual-track school system based
on socioeconomic class and career goals

24. Conclusion
• In meeting their immediate, daily classroom
challenges, the teachers understandably tend to
focus on the present.
• But today’s classroom episodes soon become
yesterday’s past. Professional standards and
teacher-education programs ask teacher to reflect on
their practices.
• Going from ancient to modern gives reflections and
interpretation in today’s events in the light of
previous experience. Reflection, arising in the
present, illuminated in the past, can aid us to
envision a better future for our students, our
country, and, maybe, the world.

25. REFERENCE:
• Ornstein, Allan C. et al. (2017). Foundations of
education: 13th Edition. Boston, USA: Cengage
Learning