ABSTRACT
Recognition of the role of learning followed swiftly on the heels of numeracy and literacy. Formal education sprung up independently in different parts of the world, but always aimed at efficiently transmitting knowledge and understanding across generations. School is society's organised attempt to distribute the learning it collectively values. The modern school curriculum usually includes the "gateway" skills of literacy and numeracy, but inclusion of other topics can depend on which society people are talking about. Given the importance of education, it would be valuable to understand how to do it well. The theory and practice of education is sometimes referred to as pedagogy. The accelerating progress of science in the nineteenth century soon led to a more systematic study of how people develop and learn. Evolution was an important influence on many of the early pioneers. Neuroscientists abandoned recapitulation theory long ago, but its influence has continued in social and educational thinking.
