Aims in teaching history and their epistemic correlates: a study of history teachers in ten countries

Abstract

Teaching history can mean balancing various tasks, from fostering national identity to enhancing critical thinking. In spite of the importance of the topic, there are few comparative studies of the aims of teaching history, even in Europe. Domain-specific epistemic beliefs are relevant for understanding the teaching and learning of history and the development of deliberative thought. We studied epistemic beliefs in the context of the general aims of teaching history. The respondents were 633 history teachers from ten countries. They rated the importance of 12 specified teaching aims, such as learning critical thinking, acquiring knowledge, developing patriotism, developing a personal identity. The epistemic beliefs were studied by asking how much the teachers agreed with four claims, such as historical truth is always tied to a perspective. Three meaningful clusters of teaching aims were identified. The clusters were named critical thinking and development; moral virtues and patriotism; and historical consciousness. History teachers in ten countries were classified within these clusters. There were significant differences among the clusters in the means of three epistemic beliefs. The results are discussed in the contexts of the countries studied.

Arkaluontoiset ja marginalisoidut aiheet Suomen historian opetuksessa

“…Carreteron (2011) mukaan historianopetuksessa esiintyy sekä "romanttista", isänmaanrakkauteen kannustavaa että "valistunutta", historian ymmärtämiseen tähtäävää ajattelua (ks. myös Sakki & Pirttilä-Backman, 2019). Kellon ja Wagnerin (2017) tutkimuksessa virolaisten ja latvialaisten historianopettajien historiakäsityksistä suuri osa opettajista edusti "valistunutta" ajattelumallia.…”

History Teaching Approaches Preferred by Turkish and Russian History Teachers

“…Different circles, including historians, discuss how the past should be taught to younger generations. Some support national perspectives, others support multiple perspectives; some prefer fact-based teaching, while others take an interpretive approach to history (Sakki & Pirttilä -Backman, 2019). Since history teaching facilitates social cohesion through the development of group identity, it supports the emergence of the concept of nation among national, ethnic and religious groups, especially in societies with a history of conflict, violence, and insecurity (Korostelina, 2010).…”

“…Another central goal of history is to develop historical thinking or historical reasoning skills. Therefore, the aim is to empower students to participate in active democratic citizenship and to encourage active critical thinking about history (Sakki & Pirttilä -Backman, 2019). Barton (2004) states that students' learning of history begins to develop outside the school from an early age through the conversations they have with their relatives, trips they make to museums or other historical places with their families, popular publications and electronic media.…”

“…The history curriculum in Germany includes both multiple perspectives and identity-related topics in addition to carrying signs of a return to German history for a national approach. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, the history teaching curriculum is based on both critical thinking skills and identity-related objectives (Sakki & Pirttilä -Backman, 2019).…”

Creative Teachers: A case Study of History Teachers at Lab School Senior High School in Jakarta and Bekasi

“…which examines history teachers' perceptions of nationalism in Poland [11]. discusses the goals of teaching history teachers and their relationship to their beliefs [12].…”