The subject of pedagogy at Austrian universities and teacher training 1774-1918

Dr. Wolfgang Brezinka

Summary:  The multi – cultural Austrian Monarchy was the first state of the world which introduced in 1805 the subject Pedagogy in its universities and philosophical colleges. It was considered as a small practical branch of studies based on selected parts of psychology and ethics. Its purpose was an elementary introduction of prospective clergymen, private instructors and secondary school teachers into their educational duties. The author describes the long way to full professorships and the beginning of educational research between 1871 and the end of the monarchy in 1918. As an example for the prevailing philosophical instead of empirical approach in this period the work of Otto Willmann as the most famous Austrian educationist is outlined.