Exhibit: The History of Education

The lecturer stands behind a lectern and reads from his text. Students listen. Some follow the lecture attentively, others seem distracted. A few students have even fallen asleep. It is a scene that is surprisingly familiar. For even today, lecturers share knowledge with students in lecture theatres, whether in person or online. Students listen, ask questions, take notes or sometimes let their minds wander for a moment.

The painting shows that the essence of education has remained the same for centuries. Technology and teaching methods change, but the shared learning process remains. Some things prove to be universal and unchanging.

The school was founded by Prince Maurice, on the advice of Simon Stevin, and was a unique initiative in Europe at the time. It was established during the Eighty Years’ War, a period in which the Republic began to consolidate its position. Following a series of military successes, Maurice sought a more scientific approach to warfare and reconstruction. The engineering school represented an important step in that direction. In the church hall, Ludolph van Ceulen, one of the school’s first lecturers, taught subjects including arithmetic, surveying and fortification. According to tradition, fencing lessons were also given. The education was thus not merely theoretical, but combined technical knowledge with military training.

Although the programme has undergone various changes over time, it represents an important chapter in the history of technical and higher education in the Netherlands. It helped lay the foundations for the later development of technical universities.

It is striking that classroom-based teaching did not yet exist at that time. Instead, the teacher set individual tasks for each pupil, which were then marked individually at the pupil’s desk later in the day. Education focused on basic skills such as reading and writing, with arithmetic being an optional and more expensive subject. The methods used to teach reading were rudimentary. Using the ABC board or Hornbook, for example, the word ‘chair’ was taught as ‘ch-air’, which considerably lengthened the learning process.

The painting also highlights the appreciation of writing instruction as an art form. Writing was done with a quill pen, and due to the high cost of quills and paper, pupils first practised on a slate with a stylus. Arithmetic was not yet a standard subject at the time and was only gradually introduced from the eighteenth century onwards.

The background to this image cannot be viewed in isolation from the wider social changes of the time. Due to an increase in population and trade, people began to place greater value on practical skills. There was a shift from religious study towards practical knowledge, such as letter-writing and the learning of foreign languages. This was reinforced by movements such as Humanism and the Reformation, which advocated for reforms in education, such as the education of girls and the promotion of education by the state.

In 1603, just a few decades after its foundation, the newly established Dutch East India Company (VOC) rented part of the Bushuis. The building was used to store their goods, and soon the entire building was taken over by the VOC. The militia, which had originally been housed in the Bushuis, moved to the Singel.

Not long after, in 1604, construction began on the Oost-Indisch Huis right next to the Bushuis. This new building, which opened in 1606, was a masterpiece by the famous city architect Hendrick de Keyser. In the characteristic style of the Dutch Renaissance, he adorned the building with sandstone bands, ornaments and a magnificent balustrade on the gable. It was here that the Heeren XVII, the VOC’s central governing body, gathered for their biannual meetings.

Over the years, the Bushuis and the adjacent Oost-Indisch Huis have been of inestimable value to the city of Amsterdam. Not only in terms of trade and governance, but also as symbols of power, wealth and, in later years, of reflection on the complicated legacy of the Netherlands’ colonial past. Today, they form part of the University of Amsterdam and serve as the home of the Faculty of Humanities.

Lectures have always served as a means of imparting knowledge and ideas, from the medieval universities where instructors read aloud from original sources, to modern lecture theatres where multimedia presentations are often used. But as the engraving suggests, the method of lecturing has also always faced challenges, particularly in holding the audience’s attention and ensuring effective knowledge transfer.

This engraving reminds us that, although the methods and tools of education have evolved over time, the core challenges and goals – sharing knowledge and inspiring students – remain constant. It also raises the question: how will lectures and campuses continue to develop in the future, and which forms of education will prove most effective in the context of 2040?

This image shows the front elevation of the Rijks H.B.S., with a group of people posing in front of the school. Various cities in the Netherlands, from Groningen to Vlissingen, had their own Rijks HBS schools, testifying to the importance and popularity of these educational institutions. Until the introduction of the Mammoetwet in 1968, which saw the HBS give way to the HAVO and VWO, this school formed a cornerstone of the Dutch education system.

This image, together with the history behind it, offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of education and the physical spaces in which learning took place. It raises questions about how educational institutions will continue to develop in the future and what future campuses might look like.

The hall, which over the years has been the setting for groundbreaking experiments and demonstrations by famous professors such as Ehrenfest, Kamerlingh Onnes, Lorentz and even Einstein, now serves as a lecture theatre for law students. The physics instruments that are prominently visible in the foreground of the photograph were later moved to the Bio Science Park and Museum Boerhaave.

During the restoration in 2004, the Lorentz Hall was carefully restored, successfully preserving the grandeur and historical significance of the space. This photograph offers a glimpse into the past and illustrates the enduring connection between science, education and the Leiden University campus. It reminds us of the ongoing evolution of academic spaces and their role in shaping future generations.

The very first stereoscope is attributed to both Sir Charles Wheatstone and David Brewster, both of whom were active in the early 19th century. These devices, also known as stereoscopes, quickly became a favourite pastime for middle- and upper-class families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Oliver Wendell Holmes developed an improved, portable version of the stereoscope, which became popular for both home and classroom use between 1881 and 1939.

This piece of history reminds us that people have always sought ways to explore and learn about the world, even from the confines of their own surroundings. It also lays the foundation for the evolution of the campus, where technology and learning go hand in hand.

The domestic science class was intended for girls who had already obtained a primary school certificate and was often attached to a domestic science school. The lessons covered a wide range of domestic tasks and skills, ranging from nutrition to ironing and from keeping a household budget to first aid.

Although the domestic science class originated in the 1920s, it underwent various changes and adaptations over the years. Interestingly, even girls who aspired to become teachers had to complete this domestic science class first. But times changed and, as the years went by, the role of the domestic science class became less central, with greater emphasis placed on both practical and theoretical subjects, and various specialisations were introduced. The image and the story behind it offer a fascinating insight into the gender roles and educational priorities of that era, and how these have evolved over the years.

This institution offered two main streams: a practical stream (P-stream) and a theoretical stream (T-stream). Whilst the P-stream prepared students for direct entry into the labour market, the T-stream served as a stepping stone to further studies, such as the Secondary Technical School (MTS). At the heart of the LTS were the specialised practical workshops, such as those for woodworking, metalworking, electrical engineering and automotive engineering. Here, students learnt through hands-on experience, supported by both theoretical and practical lessons.

The site at Steeg 9 in Schijndel, opened in 1969, formed an important link in this educational system. Due to a lack of space, wooden annexes were added to provide extra practical classrooms, and the former school building of St. Jozef School was utilised. It was a time when education and industry were closely intertwined, and the specialisations offered at an LTS often reflected the needs of local industry.

Until 1977, most LTS schools were exclusively for boys. However, women’s emancipation brought about a change, and gradually the number of girls at the LTS increased. By 1999, the LTS had transformed into the VMBO, with the specific LTS concept slowly fading into the background.

The image of the practical lessons at the LTS at Steeg 9 is a nostalgic reminder of an era in which practical skills were central to preparing for a technical career. It is a tribute to the importance of hands-on education and the evolution of technical education in the Netherlands.

The lecturer stands behind a lectern and reads from his text. Students listen. Some follow the lecture attentively, others seem distracted. A few students have even fallen asleep. It is a scene that is surprisingly familiar.

For even today, lecturers share knowledge with students in lecture theatres, whether in person or online. Students listen, ask questions, take notes or sometimes let their minds wander for a moment.

The painting shows that the essence of education has remained the same for centuries. Technology and teaching methods change, but the shared learning process remains. Some things prove to be universal and unchanging.

The term ‘auditorium’ originates from ancient Greece, where it referred to a walled, light-filled courtyard room within a house. Over the centuries, the aula has taken on various functions and meanings, ranging from a central living space in Greek courtyard houses to ceremonial halls in Roman times. The word also found its way into Christianity, where it referred to the part of the basilica intended for the laity. Eventually, in an academic context, it acquired its modern meaning: a large hall or auditorium within universities for meetings and ceremonies.

In the 1978 photograph, we see a typical lecture theatre of that period, equipped with technical apparatus such as whiteboards, an overhead projector and a computer with a projector. A place where knowledge was shared and where students gathered to learn and grow. The layout, with the sloping seating and the podium, reflects the need to make the lecturer clearly visible to everyone present. It thus also elicits a certain behaviour: a speaker who speaks, and an audience that listens.

Viewed through the lens of the ‘campus’ theme, this image reminds us of the central role that lecture theatres have played in academic life. They formed the heart of the campus, a place of community, learning and exchange.

The debate surrounding digital technologies has been ongoing in the education sector for some time now. But it was not merely about the use of technology; it was about rethinking education through the lens of technology. The digital transformation changed the way we interacted, learned and taught. As Marshall McLuhan proclaimed as far back as 1962: “Every technology creates a new environment.”

Technology has never been neutral. It shapes us, just as we shape it. And when we design technological objects, we encourage certain behaviours and restrict others. In the past, our primary educational technology was the textbook. But as the computer lab of 1986 illustrates, the connection between education and technology began to evolve. The lab symbolises the first steps in recognising that educational technology defines a new learning environment. However, the full integration of technology into education – not merely as a tool, but as a central aspect of the pedagogical project – remains a challenge.

The image reminds us of a time when the promise of technology in education was just beginning to shine, but also of the fact that the road to full digital integration is long and complex. This photograph serves as a reminder of the need to view technology critically, to recognise both its advantages and its disadvantages.

Prototyping, a core principle of Design Thinking, played a crucial role here. By giving concrete form to an idea, designers can test its feasibility, identify areas for improvement and thus reduce the costs associated with large-scale production. In this specific case, a so-called ‘low-fidelity prototype’ was chosen, placing the emphasis on testing the general concept and the interactive elements of the piece of furniture.

Why is this important in the context of a campus? It demonstrates the symbiosis between furniture suppliers and educational institutions. On the one hand, suppliers meet the technological and spatial needs of campuses, and on the other, they are also innovators, introducing new possibilities and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This dynamic presents challenges, particularly when it comes to collaboration, but it also drives progress and evolution within the campus environment.

Looking back at this 1990 prototype, we gain an insight into how far we have come in integrating technology into our spaces and how crucial collaboration has been on that journey. It also reminds us that the campus of the future is shaped not only by technological progress, but also by the way we choose to embrace that progress and integrate it into our daily learning and working experiences.

Within the university campus, the computer desk has become an essential part of both the study and research environments. From large-scale computer labs designed to accommodate dozens of systems to more compact designs for individual students and staff, the computer desk has facilitated the growing reliance on digital resources in education.

The computer desk pictured, dating from 2009, displays features of the ergonomic design of that era, with provisions such as an adjustable keyboard tray, space for handwriting, and special holes for cable management. The design reflects the need to work comfortably and aesthetically, whilst also neatly organising the technological equipment.

This computer desk reminds us of rapid technological progress and the changing needs of students and teachers. It lays the foundation for understanding the campus of the future and offers insight into how physical space continues to adapt to ever-changing technological demands.