A few years ago I have broaden my knowledge by listening “Theories of Human Development”, a series of lectures by Professor Malcolm W. Watson. In his lectures, Professor Watson introduced the six theories that have had perhaps the greatest influence on this field. I become familiar with the specific processes of human development that each theory describes and philosophical backgrounds of the people who formulated each theory and the historical contexts in which they worked.
I was struck not only by how much we have learned about child development, but also by how much our attitudes toward children have changed. For example, until the beginning of the 19th century, there was no interest in child study and, in fact, no concern for children. Such factors as poverty and high infant mortality created an atmosphere in which children were barely tolerated, or used for labor. The notion that children are different from adults, and require special care, is only about 200 years old. This fact made me realize that curriculum studies are only in the early stages of development and that curriculum differentiation is required so that education can survive.
Through these lectures, I saw not only how attitudes toward children gradually improved, but more importantly that ideas about children (whether they are inherently good or bad, or whether they actively shape their environments or passively react to stimuli), the theories of the people who have made the tremendous contribution to the field of educational philosophy still form much of the basis of our modern theories of education. Taken as a whole, these theories helped me to find the answer to the questions of human nature - how we learn, adapt, and become who we are at every stage in life.