The direct theoretical and methodological basis of the origin theory of educational labor is Engels' book The Role of Labor in the Transformation from Ape to Man.

The main viewpoints of the origin of education: biological origin, psychological origin and labor origin.

First, the theory of biological origin

Main representatives: French philosopher and sociologist Little Knohl and British educator Percy Neng.

Key points: Educational activities exist not only in human society, but also in the animal kingdom. The emergence of human social education is a biological process, biological impulse is the main driving force of education, and human social education is the inheritance, perfection and development of animal kingdom. Education comes from animal instinct, which is the instinctive need of racial development.

Evaluation: The biological origin theory of education is the first formal theory about the origin of education in the history of pedagogy, which indicates that the explanation of the origin of education has begun to shift from myth to science. The origin of education is attributed to the instinctive behavior of animals, which fails to distinguish the difference between human educational behavior and animal educational behavior, thus failing to grasp the purpose and sociality of human education.

Second, the theory of psychological origin

The main representative: Lu Meng, a famous American educator, said that the origin of educational psychology was based on criticizing the origin of educational biology.

Main points: Meng Lu explained the origin of education from the perspective of psychology, and thought that the forms and methods of primitive education were mainly children's unconscious imitation of adult life in daily life.

Evaluation: Education is people-oriented, and they have psychological activities. From this point of view, Meng Lu's argument has its reasonable side.

The theory of psychological origin attributes the origin of education to human instinct and holds that education is a unique activity of human society, which is an improvement on the theory of biological origin.

Third, the theory of labor origin (social origin theory)

Main representatives: Soviet educationists Midinsky and Kailov. The theory of labor origin is formed under the guidance of Marxist historical materialism on the basis of directly criticizing the theory of biological origin and the theory of psychological origin.

Main points: First, human education originated from the needs of labor and labor process; Second, education is a unique social activity of human society; Thirdly, education is restricted by the development of human language and consciousness; Fourth, since the birth of education, its function is to transmit the experience of production and life formed in the process of labor.

Evaluation: The theory of labor origin conforms to Marxist historical materialism and dialectics, and lays a foundation for revealing the origin of education scientifically and reasonably.

Reference "Modern Pedagogy" (published by Hunan Education Press)