The appearance of educational books can be compared, as many books, with the invention of the printing press in 1454. That is, around 30 years later, precisely it was in 1470 that was published the first French textbook recognized as such by the current editors. This was a compilation in Latin, printed in Paris and named Gasparin Letters of Pergamum.
There will then (and until the eighteenth century) only be a works devoted to the publication of educational books. The religious origin of the textbook gave it for several decades, a teaching of moral values. Most schools were so religious and most of the teachers were monks. It was not until the late nineteenth century that the educational dimension of the manual was enhanced, particularly through the various decisions of Jules Ferry in education and a decree of January 1890 which requires teachers to use books for their teaching.
Evolution of educational books
It was in the 1950s as there is a new generation of textbooks to reflect the changing methods of learning: contemporary authors are favored over traditional lecture and is gradually replaced by activities promoting the speaking students.
The 1970s (and the considerable influence of May 1968) was one of the pivotal periods for teaching and textbooks: they who were until now prioritized fixed chapters then adopted a fragmented structure ventilated and where the signage, typography and layout had its own meaning. Now textbooks do not lend themselves to a longer continuous play.
Educational books nowadays
Textbooks are now illustrated and designed to be attractive and complete. Usually organized into chapters, which may contain, in addition to the documents needed to support the course of the teacher, comprehension exercises and/or research and debate topics, depending on the material covered.
Purchased by the student or loaned by his school, they fill the bags of schoolchildren, especially in college, where many people (teachers, parents and students, doctors) to decry the cause of their weight considered excessive, as it causes strain to the backs of schoolchildren.