Our education system has grown and developed in a reflection of the changes in our society in a symbiotic relationship in which one influences the other. Considering such issues as gender, culture, curriculum, testing, and philosophy, how has formal education been influenced by national development? How have changes in society influenced changes in the way in which students are educated, as well as philosophies about education?
These are excellent questions, so deep I wonder why you ask them in this religious forum. You might do better in Sociopranos, sciforums, JREF forums, etc.
My take on the subject is that we are evolved through millions of years as small group primates. We lived in hunting/gathering groups. We adjust to and feel secure only in such groups, instinctively. Language enabled us to uses ideology to unify us more so we could begin to function in ever larger groups. Without ideology, that would be impossible for us and the reason why society now is in decline and people are pessimistic is that our world is increasingly split up ideologically. Even the ideologies are dividing. Everyone wants to believe something different.
During your life time, what has served to enable us to set up "the Global Society" is our Constitution-based secular system. We are the most powerful and richest nation on Earth, so people adopted our secular ideals because they "work." We "proved" it to them.
The part of our educational system you are thinking of is "the liberal arts" which is a program said to "teach you how to think." It, in acutuality, teaches you to think secular and in a way that avoids conflict with the old religions. In other words, it is compromised by the old faiths. This is the only reason it is accepted by Hindus, Muslims, etc. as well as by Christians.
