1

Republic of the Philippines

State Universities and Colleges
GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
Buenavista, Guimaras
GRADUATE SCHOOL

EDUC 500-FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN EDUCATION

ZENAIDA GANDEZA, Ph.D.-

Professor

John C. Mirasol
Loy Meredith E. Suplico
Discussants

_____________________________________________

I. Objectives
At the end of the discussion, the students are expected to:
1. Know the historical events that contributed to the
development of educational methods of the middle ages.
2. Identify various educational systems that emerged in the
middle ages.
3. Identify and understand the role of the church in the
development of medieval education.
4. Understand and explain the role of women and children in
medieval education.

II. Guide Questions

1. What are historical events that contributed to the
development of educational methods of the middle ages?
2. What are the various educational systems that emerged in
the middle ages?
 2

3. What are the roles of the church in the development of

medieval education?
4. What is the role of women and children in medieval
education?
5. What is the curriculum and schooling system of the middle
ages?

III. Pre-test
I. Influence of Church gave rise to ____________.
1) feudalism b) monasticism c)
scholasticism d) patriotism
II. Under the decree of _____ by the year 529, all pagan
schools were closed.
1) Herod b) flavianus c) justinian d) Julius
Caesar
III. What was the official language of the middle ages
was?
1) Greek b) Arabic c) Hebrew d) Latin
IV. Higher studies during the medieval period were done in the
____.
1) colleges b) cathedrals c)parochial schools
d) universities
V. Under the feudal system of The Middle Ages, women
had______ of attaining education. …
1) little or no chance b) always had the chance
c) never had the chance d) great
previlege

IV. Introduction

Medieval education was often conducted under the auspices of the

Church. During the 800s, French ruler Charlemagne realized his empire
needed educated people if it was to survive, and he turned to the Catholic
Church as the source of such education. His decree commanded that
 3

every cathedral and monastery was to establish a school to provide a free

education to every boy who had the intelligence and the perseverance to
follow a demanding course of study.

V. Body
At the end of the Roman Empire Era, most of the educational institutes of
Romans ceased to offer their services. Gradually, Education was not the
main concern anymore and fighting skills became more important. Most of
the rulers and politicians of this historical time gained power either
through wars or inheritance while education played a little or no role in
their success.

The social and judicial society of medieval period was influenced by

ancient Roman and Germanic culture, however, the increasing influence of
Church became the guiding force to develop educational system in The
Middle Ages.

The Church became more and more suspicious of Greek, Roman and
Germanic culture and decided to close down all pagan schools under the
decree of Justinian by the year 529. Influence of Church gave rise to
monasticism. Monks, priests and bishops took the responsibility of
teaching and the whole educational pattern became purely religious.

Reach of education in The Middle Ages

Bishops and monks started to educate pupils of upper class while

education for serfs and their kids was a rare chance. This was because of
the basic feudalistic structure which required the peasants and serfs to
work hard to earn a living and a right to protection under the fiefdom of
their Lords. Peasants used to engage their little kids in work as soon as
possible. At that time, a child of 10-12 years was already considered an
adult.

In addition, it was advantageous for the ruler class and the clergy to keep
the serfs away from education institutes so that they may successfully rule
over them. The fees for education which was required by the Church,
 4

monasteries and cathedral schools were often too high for a common serf
to pay for.

The whole education system was designed to keep serfs and peasants
uneducated; indeed, education during that time was very elitist. Study
books were very rare and they were highly expensive and hence, the only
way to get education was to seek a teacher.

Boys of upper class used to learn how to read and write Latin which was
the official language of the medieval ages. Schools were run by monks.
Bishops were also engaged in education system as they used to run and
manage cathedral schools. Some of the cathedrals attained great fame
and became centers of higher education and established themselves as
universities.

Schooling System and Curriculum of education in The Middle

Ages

The education system of Middle Ages was highly influenced by the

Church. Basic course of study used to contain Latin language, grammar,
logic, rhetoric, philosophy, astrology, music and mathematics. Scholars,
monks and bishops used ancient writings from Roman and Greek
resources to teach their students while most of the educational courses
were mostly based on superstitions and beliefs. Students often learned
more when they directly came in contact with trappers, hunters, poachers
and serfs as they could offer practical knowledge.

While medieval students often belonged to upper class, they were used to
sit together on the floor. They used bones or ivory stylus. They used to
scrawl notes on wax coated wooden blocks. By its influence, the Church
made it important for knights and members of nobility to learn and those
knights who couldn’t read or write were looked down upon. This was very
important for them to know how to read because all knights were
supposed to understand and follow the code of chivalry as proposed by
the clergy and Church.
 5

Education in The Middle Ages was a difficult task because of the

tumultuous times. Frequent wars and battles often disturbed monasteries
and cathedral schools and halted studies. However, most of the times, the
monasteries and cathedral schools succeeded in reemerging themselves.

Children were taught in schools of monks and at the age of 14-15, they
were announced as scholars.

Some of them could opt for higher studies in cathedral schools and
universities under the management of prestigious bishops. Any student
who could prove that he knew arts well was announced as Master of Arts.
Students had the choice to learn theology, medicine or philosophy and
after mastering any of these subjects they were declared doctors.

Before attaining mastership, a student was required to attain

baccalaureate which was considered as the first step towards becoming a
master of a subject. A student could attain baccalaureate by following the
course which was known as quadrivium. It included preliminary
understanding of geometry, geography, arithmetic, natural history,
astronomy and music.

However, very few used to opt for education to get a degree. This was
due to the fact that the basic means of living were either fighting or
working as a peasant. Members of nobility often preferred to learn
fighting skills over arts and mathematics while peasants and serfs had no
use of higher education.

Those who studied in monasteries often became monks and they worked
for preserving Roman and Greek texts and they wrote new books.
Mastership was necessary for a person to be able to teach at a university
in The Middle Ages.

Education in The Middle Ages for women

Under the feudal system of The Middle Ages, women had little or no
chance of attaining education. Education was rare for serfs and peasants
 6

and it was impossible for a girl or woman from a peasant background to

learn reading and writing.

However, girls of upper class were given benefits of education in a few

cases. There were certain obligations for women of nobility which required
them to be literate. However, the course of education for women was very
limited and it was controlled by the Church.

The general feeling was that women were secondary and they needed to
serve and remain under protection of men. Whatever education a woman
could attain was designed to help her in becoming a good wife and
mother in future.

Some scholars of medieval world advocated that women "be raised on

sacred teachings." In order to become a nun, education was necessary for
a girl; however, married life and children were the primary goals of most
of the girls during the medieval times.

VI. CONCLUSION
Education in medieval period has made a great leap forward
from simple church schools to majestic universities opened
during these years. It is the time when wars were intertwined
with efforts to build strong communities and education differed
greatly from the modern one. At the same time, that period has
created the educational basis and some of the principles that
were characteristic of education in those distant years are still
used by us nowadays.
Despite the fact that most of the subjects were taught only
mediocre universities have become powerful scientific and
research centers that have laid grounds for the further
development of science.
 7

VII. Post-test

1. Influence of Church gave rise to ___________.

1) feudalism b) monasticism
c) scholasticism d) patriotism

2) Under the decree of _____ by the year

529, all pagan schools were closed.
a) Herod b) flavianus c) justinian
d) Julius Caesar
b)
3) What was the official language of the
middle ages was?
Greek b) Arabic c) Hebrew d) Latin

4) Higher studies during the medieval

period were done in the ____.
colleges b) cathedrals c)parochial schools
d) universities

5) Under the feudal system of The Middle

Ages, women had______ of attaining
education. …
little or no chance b) always had the chance
c) never had the chance d) great
privilege

VII. References

1. www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/education-in-the-
middle-ages.html
2. www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/education-in-the-
middle-ages.html
 8

3. https://www.slideshare.net/BicolanangDiMagBicol/medieval-
education
4. https://blog.noplag.com/interesting-facts-about-education-
in-medieval-times
5. https://spartacus-educational.com/YALDeducation.htm
9