German pedagogy and Portuguese pedagogic press as communicating vessels: the case of the Froebel journal

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the social presence of education in pedagogic press. It is known that the media had an important role in the circulation and dissemination of educational ideas and practices. To this end, we selected the Froebel magazine (1882-1885) to analyze it. The objectives of this study are: a) The objectives of this study are: a) the interpretation of curriculum innovations spread by the Froebel magazine, under the educational context of the late 19th century in Portugal; b) to analyze the impact that Froebel had on education at the end of the 19th century; c) to discuss the historical and educational impact that the pedagogic concepts introduced by Froebel journal had on the Portuguese reality. The development and production conditions of the magazine have been used as a method of analysis. These two conditions are determined by a set of relationships in a given context, among the members of a group of people. It is important to bear in mind the fact that changes imply the combination of these two kinds of factors. In conclusion we can say that the analyzed magazine had a great impact on the Portuguese educational community, since the conceptions magazine defended opposed the traditional pedagogy that existed at that time in Portugal. Education is built within a community of ideas and it is possible to identify those that materialised in the magazine, such as the influence of pedagogical principles of German educators, which is reflected in the choice of educators teaching Portuguese in the late 19th century. It may be said that the Froebel magazine led to a new conception of education, promoting innovative teaching practices –school trips, lessons, educational museum, kindergarten, physical education and arts.

Key words: pedagogic press, Froebel journal, curriculum innovations, Portugal.