UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION 2020/2021

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION
DISTANCE INSTITUTION BASED LEARNING
NAME: MUGO DUNCAN WAWERU REG NO: BEDA/2020/67026
UNIT CODE: BEP1101/GEP5102 UNIT TITLE: HISTORY OF EDUCATION
DATE: DECEMBER 2020 CAT TWO TIME: 1 WEEK
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS
2. ALL QUESTIONS REGUIRE USE OF PRACTICAL EXAMPLES EVEN WHERE NOT
INDICATED IN THE QUESTION
3. THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE UPLOADED AS A WORD DOCUMENT

QUESTION ONE
a) Discuss five benefits you have gained from History of Education (5 marls)

 it enlightens a teacher on what is humanly possible- by understanding the context of historical

events, a teacher develops the spirit of realism. This reduces possible frustrations which may be
caused by ignorance of human power to a particular context. The teacher will know his
professional expectations and what he can possibly accomplish.
 a teacher will be able to use possible solutions in the past to make his/her work easy-when a
teacher examine in a historical context issues and problems perplexing us today and educators in
the past, he/she is able to develop a better understanding to the problems and their possible
solutions.
 It helps a teacher answer fundamental education questions like what should the aims of
education? what are the guiding principles in development of the curriculum? what is the nature
of the learner? what is the nature of mind? what is the nature of education process? And what are
the objectives of the various levels of education instructions? This helps to greatly develop and
positively influence the personal point of view for the teacher.
 A teacher is able to learn and understand the development of a popular theory or practice-this can
be achieved by making comparisons using one idea with different groups or one group with
different ideas.
 A teacher is shaped into having a critical look at contemporary issues-examining educational
theories in their historical context encourages a teacher indulge professionally into an issue, use
logic and solve it.

b) Summarize topic by topic from your weekly discussions what you have learned from this
course
(10 marks)
LESSON ONE INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY OF EDUCATION
 In this lecture I have learnt definitions such as as; -
a. History-it is a record of all human experiences.
 b. Education-it is the the total process of developing human ability and behavior
c. History of education-it is a study of past developments of educational theories, institutions and
systems within the general historical context of social, political, economic, scientific and
technological change
 I have also learnt about the scope of education
 it entails three aspects of education. They are as follows

i. informal education-it is a form of education which has a cultural educative context in which
an individual is born, brought up and matures in.an individual acquires cultural tools like
artistic skills, language, moral values and attitude.it agents include parents, family, tribe, clan,
church, peer groups and the state
ii. non-formal education-it is planned education activities and practices existing outside class.it
is need oriented hence meeting the needs of an individual(beneficiary)
iii. formal education-it is an institutionalized form of learning actualized in a class setup which
adheres to strict rules and regulations like entry behavior, timetable, evaluation, testing and
academic certificates issued at the completion of a particular level of learning
 importance of history of education to a professional teacher

 it enlightens a teacher on what is humanly possible- by understanding the context of historical

events,
 a teacher will be able to use possible solutions in the past to make his/her work easy.
 It helps a teacher answer fundamental education questions in education
 A teacher is able to learn and understand the development of a popular theory or practice-
 A teacher is greatly inspired and encouraged in his profession-the acquaintance of a teacher with
great teachers like Montessori, Plato, Comenius, Rousseau, St. Augustine, Quintillian and
Aristotle
 A teacher is able to get the opportunity to compare, contrast and evaluate conflicting educational
theories and practices through studying past successes and failures.
 A teacher is able to apply theoretical ideas to practical situations in his profession since he or she
has a better understanding of the relationship between education theories and practices.
 A teacher’s competence skills are enhanced and strengthened both personally and professionally.
 A teacher develops critical thinking and skeptical thinking due to the interaction with past based
on written documents.
 A teacher gets exposed to other disciplines.

LESSON TWO: EDUCATION IN THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

In this lecture I have learnt about great ancient civilizations like the ancient Egyptians, ancient Greece and
ancient Rome and education. Some of these ancient civilizations invented writing i.e. ancient Egyptians
discovered writing and used it on large scale. They wrote hieroglyphics(pictures), hieratic (sound
systems). Education was institutionalized. It was also stratified into different levels like elementary,
secondary and higher education. The ancient period education was made to serve the needs of the
different societies, producing priests, scribes, soldiers, elites and practical people.

LESSON THREE: EDUCATION DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

Medieval period, which is the same as middle ages refers to the period between the fall of the roman
empire and the renaissance. During this period Education was monopolized by the church. There were
three forms of schools which followed medieval stratification and included church related schools, feudal
aristocratic schools and craft/vocational education. During this period there was rise of universities due to
Muslim influence, travelling guilds, scholastic movements and provision of charter by the pope. There
were different universities like church universities in France and England, dialectic university in Paris,
medicine university of salerno. University training was influenced by politics or intellect.
LESSON FOUR: EDUCATION IN THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES
In the 17th century, Comenius theorized and put into practice the ideas of sense realism in education,
embodying his universal principle of method teaching or learning from known to unknown. In the
eighteenth century there were naturalistic tendencies in education. Jean-Jacques Rousseau using a perfect
example in Emile the spirit of enlightenment and naturalism in education; laid the foundations of present
ideas about child psychology and curriculum. The child’s education should be useful. It should recognize
a child’s abilities, rather than impose the teachers’ ideas. Rousseau also emphasized learning through play
and activity
LESSON FIVE: EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENTS IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES
In the 19th and 20th century there were several education ideas i.e. liberalism, conservatism,
humanitarianism, nationalism and Marxism. During this era there were great educators such as Pestalozzi
who emphasized on freedom. He argued that natural education leads to a natural society. Also, there was
john Dewey who was interested in child centered education, free education, child friendly learning
environment have learnt about.
In the 20th century john Dewey contributed to progressivism. Progressivism advocated for a broad
education to cater for diverse needs of children. There was radicalism which was founded by de-scholars
such as Ivan Illich book called “deschooling society” (1971), Everet reamer book called” school is dead”
(1971) and Paul Goodman book” compulsory miseducation” (1971). Radicalism philosophers saw school
as a contributor of social stratification. They were for education but were against a school setup. This
social classes are seen in the above statement where politician, the wealthy attend best schools.
LESSON SIX: TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION IN AFRICA
African indigenous education was the education system in Africa. It was a form of learning in Africa
traditional societies in which knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the tribe, were passed from elders to
children, by means of oral instructions and practical activities.it was characterized by being authoritarian,
inheritance, non-literate, progressive and non-formal. Its goals were to conserve cultural heritage;
ensuring adaption of physical environment in relation to social environment, train specialists, character
building and preparing children for future life.it was taught through playing, oral literature and sex role
learning
LESSON SEVEN: COLONISATION AND EDUCATION IN AFRICA, 1900-1920
During this period, formal education in Africa was almost entirely in the hands of Christian missionaries.
Development of education was influenced by the missionary bodies, government officials and Africans.
Colonialists introduced two education policies i.e. direct rule policy and indirect rule policy These two
educational policies shaped Kenyan education by; Increasing adaptation especially in primary education
there was emphasis on local environment, initiating study of vernaculars and using them as media of
instruction and Encouraging African teachers to work in the schools

LESSON EIGHT: EDUCATION IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD (1920-1945)

 I have learnt about the Phelps stokes commission and how It issued statements on the
development of education in the territories in Africa. These policy statements had a tremendous
impact on development and expansion of education in Africa. There were 2 major agents that
helped to shape education. The Advisory Committee on Native Education in Tropical Africa and
the territorial Central Advisory board of Education.
 There were educational developments in higher education in west Africa during this period and
were as follows; -
 In Sierra - Leone, Fourah Bay College got affiliated to the University of Durham and started
offering degree courses.
 In Ghana, Achimota College was opened in 1924 and by 1930 it was offering education from
kindergarten to University.
 Nigeria registered a lot of developments in secondary education. An important landmark was the
founding of Yaba Higher College that pioneered in University education.
LESSON NINE: EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE POST WORLD WAR II (1946-
1963
 The following Factors sharpened African education, 1946-1963.
• Returning soldiers
• African nationalism
• World opinion
• The literary education offered at Kakamega, Kagumo and Kisii schools.
 The nature of African education by 1945 was as follows
• Much of it was too elementary
• There was very limited primary education
• Secondary education was limited to 2 schools
• University education was not made available locally.
 Africans had the following demands in education, Africans demanded:
• Compulsory and free primary education
• Secular education
• More secondary education
• A local college in Kenya of similar status to Makerere College.
 Due to developments in African education, the following resulted; -
• Drop-out rate in primary schools dropped
• Expansion and improvement of teacher education
• Number of secondary schools increased tremendously
• Opportunities for higher education offered locally expanded in East Africa.
• Racial discrimination was not abolished completely
• Africans were proving to be more of geniuses than the alien races at ‘O’ level examinations, mainly
because of their stiff competitive education system
• Higher school certificate class were brought to the local schools-from Makerere.