The Contribution of History Education to the University Training of Education Professionals

Abstract

This article examines two aspects of the history of education in the field of knowledge: on the one hand, the epistemology and historiography of the field of knowledge; and on the other hand, the formative value that the History of Education can have in the training of education professionals —educators, teachers and social educators—. In fact, the XIX. century stood out as an academic discipline in studies related to education. In the 20th century, however, it has become increasingly scarce in its curricula, almost disappearing. Moreover, the evolution of the study of the History of Education and the epistemological reflections that have been made on it do not seem to have reflected much in the way the subject is taught in the university. The History of Education continues to be taught according to outdated historiographical models. The aim is to ensure that encyclopedic content, rather than the amount of (data), is the key to the contribution that this subject can make to helping students build critical and self-critical thinking and education.