Herbartianism

Herbartianism is an educational philosophy, movement, and method loosely based on the educational and pedagogical thought of German educator Johann Friedrich Herbart, and influential on American school pedagogy of the late 19th century as the field worked towards a science of education. Herbart advocated for instruction that introduced new ideas in discrete steps. About a quarter-century after his death, Herbart's ideas were expanded in two German schools of thought that were later embodied in the method used at a practice school in Jena, which attracted educationists from the United States. Herbartianism was later replaced by new pedagogies, such as those of John Dewey.

Herbartianism was used most often in adolescent instruction and was greatly influential on American school pedagogy in the 19th century.

Herbart's pedagogical method was divided into discrete steps: preparation, presentation, association, generalization, and application. In preparation, teachers introduce new material in relation to the students' existing knowledge or interests, so as to instill an interest in the new material. In presentation, the new material is shown in a concrete or material fashion. In association, the new material is compared with the students' previous knowledge for similarities and differences, so as to note the new material's distinction. In generalization, the new material is extrapolated beyond concrete and material traits. In application, if the students have internalized the new material, they apply it towards every facet of their lives rather than in a utilitarian manner.

While the term Herbartianism derives transparently from Herbart's name, the movement was only loosely connected to his own ideas and was not an organized practice until 25 years after his death in 1841. Herbartianism was developed from Herbart's philosophy, and divided into two schools of thought. In the first, Tuiskon Ziller of Leipzig expanded on Herbart's philosophy of "unification of studies", especially around a single discipline (called "correlation" and "concentration", respectively). In the second, Karl Stoy of Jena opened a practice school in the style of Herbart's Königsberg school. A student of Ziller and Stoy, Wilhelm Rein, later led the Jena school and designed a German elementary school curriculum that the school used. This school became "the center of Herbartian theory and practice and attracted students of pedagogy from outside Germany, including the United States".

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