History of Education

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The theme of this book is the development of creativity as a basic concept in educational thought. Man's quest for education represents at the same time his search for creativity. To be creative implies a capacity for self-definition, the ability to discipline one's powers, the vision of new goals, and the application of this vision to daily existence. Creative education represents an affirmation of man; it symbolizes an unwavering faith in his intellectual and moral capacities, so that the gulf between the realm of ideals and actuality can be narrowed. Creative education is the process by which man utilizes the greatness which he finds within himself.

NIRMAL KAUR (b. 1969) in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). She has obtained her M. Phil from C.C. Singh university. She is an Assistant Professor of History at Dayanand college of Arts and Commerce, where She co-directs the students towards role of history in school educational curriculum. Her research interests are in discovering Mughal Kings of India. She is a member of the Archaeological survey of india, Council of Historical Research and other professional bodies. Her recent papers have appeared in historical magazines and in journals. She also has a long- standing interest in the use of computer surfing.

The theory and history of education are of universal interest. We have come to realize that educational practice must be illuminated by critical examination. We have learned that without a consideration of goals and purposes education is bound to suffer from a grave limitation of vision.

Basically, education and religion appeal to the same drives. Both are concerned with man as he ought to be; both are hindered by materialism; both demand a reconstruction of the heart as well as of the mind. Both depend upon the inspiration of exceptional leaders. Both are concerned not merely with the present, but with the distant future. Both demand a genuine ethical viewpoint which goes beyond expediency. For we cannot understand the history of educational thought without understanding its religious foundations.

My approach to the philosophical foundations of educational thought has been cosmopolitan. To be cosmopolitan in education means to cultivate an open mind, welcoming new truths and new insights wherever found. I have tried to reveal the impact on education of philosophical ideas not only of Christians, but also of Mohammedans, and of the ancient Chinese, Greeks, and Indians. Only as we learn do we progress; only as we overcome prejudice do we become enlightened. The Orient can teach us the virtue of contemplation which we need desperately in our activistic culture.

The last three centuries have brought spectacular scientific advancement. Science as method of controlling nature dates back to the Renaissance, but it promises no magic vistas, and, in unenlightened hands, it may become a tool of total destruction. On the other hand, the scientific method, applied to our institutional system, may create a real change in the habits of mankind.

It may develop genuine open-mindedness; it may bring about a spirit of mutuality; it may intensify the hypothetical temper which has been the foundation of our scientific advancement. However, science alone is not enough: we need genuine morality and genuine spirituality. Only when we use science for the betterment of man, when education, philosophy, and religion unite, will a new age dawn for humanity.

When an educator discusses the history and theories of education, he reveals much about his own value structure and his own world view. What matters in education is not merely factual competence but valuational boldness. A theorist performs only a minor function when he comments upon the ideas of the past and when he strives for academic respectability. His main function is to anticipate the horizons of the future.

**Contents and Sample Pages**