A History of Higher Education

• Ancient World/Early Medieval• Medieval/Late Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation

• Age of Enlightenment• Colonial Colleges• 19th century• 20th century

Ancient World/Early Medieval

Ancient World Early Medieval

Curriculum Great temples run by Priests (Philosophy & Religious instruction)Moral and Literacy instructionAdvanced Math, Astronomy, Physics, Medicine, Theology, Engineering, HISTORY & POETRY

Rhetoric Grammar Literature Philosophy Law Dialectics Mathematics Astronomy Theology

Teaching Method Oral followed by Scribes Informal – individualize or small group basis

Social Priests and students belonged to social elite, Aristocrats, Sophist (aka-sophisticated)

Western (Latin) Monasteries

Political Theocracy, Democracy, and Dynasty depending on location

Division emerged in Roman Empire: - Eastern/Greek - Western/Latin

Economic Paid for by the society within Higher Education was to supply well-trained and educated civil servants

Religious Influences Secular, Buddhism, and Moral Relativism Greco-Roman heritage fused with Christianity Islamic/Muslim

Medieval/Late Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation

Medieval Late Medieval Renaissance Reformation

Curriculum

Art, Medicine, Theology, Law

Abelard and his Sic et Non (Pro and con, thesis and antithesis) became chief tool for decontstructing the meaning of sacred and classical texts.

Revival of the classical arts, renewed interest in philology and emphasis on the humanities - "making man more human." Classical Authors and Christian church fathers were rising areas of study.

Curriculum was based in the arts and sciences, as well as philosophy. These all contributed to the dissolution of protestant monestaries and the destruction of the doctine of purgatory.

Teaching Method

Clergy based - Classics. Laymen through visual/artistic representation. Cornerstone of teaching was the study of the liberal arts. (Grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music - first three termed trivium and the last four were the quadrivium.

Creation of University of Bologna and University of Paris - Bologna: Based on theology but anti-catholic church. Paris: Anti-elitism, socially based progress.

Anit-church senitments created education for a larger portion of the population. Arts and Science reimmerge as dominant structures for curriculum.

Teaching remained similar to the past. However, in different regions fluctuations in auotonomy, focus, etc. were caused by the splitering of the Christian Church (Luther, Calvin, etc.) Teaching of science always fell to the use of Greek philosophy to further theological interests.

Social

Elite and clergy were the educated. Laymen - were illiterate and uneducated.

Any defiance of the church or the elite was severely punished.

This period saw the fall of the hemmed in individual. Travelling students went to larger Italian cities to study and brought their learning back to their homelands.

The different denominations had there own universities come into being during this period. Study and focus was furthered in each particular denomination through its own unviersity environment. However, they often swayed their allegiances more than once - i.e. the Frontier Zone.

Political

Strict hierarchy based mostly in monarchy and the revival of Roman law.

Surfacing of social uprising from the lower social classes. "The intellectual daring and occaisional martyrdom of the schoolmen established the tradition of academic freedom that was to shake the medieval church to its foundations."

Weaken of the papal power. In Italy - students were the first to effectively organize against quarrels with towns people. Italy didn't recognize them as citizens - they were aliens.

Political stability was not prevalent in this period. The various regions of Europe were in near constant flux politically. Universities often fell victim to the majority/ruling faction of a particular period.

Economic

Dichotomy between have's and have not's - elite clergy had the access to education.

Rise of the corporate structure. The right of institutions to make

Italian cities wooed scholars to set up universities for the honor and the economic benefits of their presence.

The disputes between church and university wasn't economically the best situation. Funding that was once provided by the church faded and universities struggled in this period.

Religious Influences Church had control over all

curricular pursuits. Members of academia had to seek approval from the papal leadership for the right to teach.

Increase in papal rule and the ending of the schism in the church - resulting in two and at one point three popes.

The churches grip is still present, but much less prevalent that in the Medieval and Late Medieval periods. "The Universities thus became almost a separate 'intellectual esate,' a third force between church and state."

Depending on the region and span of time - the religious influence varied. Many institutions changed affiliation more than once. Each denomination created its own university and most likely changed its focus at least once.

Age of EnlightenmentAge of Enlightenment: Europe Age of Enlightenment: Americas

Curriculum •Progress made in Science and Philosophy was outside of the University•Emphasis on Pre-university instruction•Rise of Academic Freedom- students chose which professors to take•University of Halle allowed tradition to be broken by allowing German lectures, separating theology from philosophy and allowing more mathematical and scientific investigation.•Most progress in education was in kindergarten, primary and secondary education.

•The University of Pennsylvania offered instruction on medicine and patterned itself off of the University of Halle •Colonial Colleges studied the classics but sciences made their way into the curriculum

Teaching Method

People were being taught outside of the Universities by Philosophers and Educators not affiliated with the Universities.

•The medieval traditions continued at the colonial colleges.

Social •Overall not a good time for Universities•Professors advanced depending on social position

•The University of Pennsylvania did not have sectarian ties•Universities with religious affiliation continued to exist along with state-supports colleges and universities

Political •Academies flourished during this time-playing an important role in the intellectual life of nations.

•The first universities in the Western Hemisphere were established by the Spanish. •The universities were authorized by the Pope and King of Spain•The states established institutions of higher education within their boundaries

Economic •The financial basis and well-being of universities depended on territorial rulers.

•Produced progress for growth in higher education and more importantly laid a secure foundation for the next century to be fruitful in education

Religious Influences

•Education was through Protestant and Catholic means- not universities.

•Harvard was established as a Puritan (Calvinist) institution.•Many universities established during this time were of some sort of denomination

Colonial CollegesColonial Colleges

Curriculum Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, dialectic)Quadrivium (music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy)

Teaching Method Transition from Religious Seminaries to Liberal Arts emphasis

Social First steps toward the integration of women

Political Start of the “American Revolution”New Hampshire & Dartmouth suit

Economic

Religious Influences

Colonial Colleges

• Teaching Method– Transition from

Religious Seminaries to Liberal Arts emphasis

• Social– First steps toward the

integration of women

• Curriculum– Trivium (grammar,

rhetoric, dialectic)– Quadrivium (music,

arithmetic, geometry, astronomy)

• Political– Start of the “American

Revolution”– New Hampshire &

Dartmouth suit

19th century19th Century

Curriculum A wide range of disciplines including research and graduate education.

Humanities

Professional fields

Teaching Method Academic Freedom

Impartial investigation & dedication of teachers/scholars

University research begins

Social “The Age of the University”

Creation of associations for universities and professors

Political Universities sprouting up world-wide

First state institution in the US (Univ of Virginia)

Access to education was opened to all

Land Grant Acts

Economic US was hurting for money, and dedicated land to the access of higher education.

Religious Influences Reforms were weakening

Churches were losing control of their land

England was one of the few who stayed true to the church

20th century20th Century

Curriculum Change in the depth, world views, and diversity seen in the curriculum. For many years curriculum was biased, but now writers are opening their eyes to inclusion, and emerging social-cultural ideas, points of view, and acknowledgment have made their ways to higher education curriculum.

Teaching Method Teachers play a big role in what teaching method is used in class. Many incoming teachers are embracing technology, to meet the needs of student’s style of learning.

Social Universities have become aware that a diverse student body allows for more social and personal development to take place. Thanks to many brave and motivated people this has become possible.

Political The state and federal government has put money into higher education throughout the 20th century. Furthermore, recently the money has diminished. The national and state governments have found ways to spend money besides higher education.

Economic Public institutions within higher education have found or are finding new ways to fund their schools. University administrators are forced to manage their resources more wisely.

Religious Influences Many students of various religious orientations were turned away from college in the beginning of the 20th century. Many prestigious institutions were religiously affiliated. That has now changed, for the most part.