CRISTEA NICULAE TEACHERROMANIA ROMANIAN HISTORY LEARNING BETWEEN CHANGE AND PERSPECTIVES

2 How do we teach history? How do we teach history? as a subject in which the essential historical events, didactically transposed, are presented in their interdependency, underlying the didactical aspects in the formative-applicative sense as a subject in which the essential historical events, didactically transposed, are presented in their interdependency, underlying the didactical aspects in the formative-applicative senseor as a subject rich in information, chronologically strong, with positivist and positive deeds, in which memorization and fear of details have the precedence? as a subject rich in information, chronologically strong, with positivist and positive deeds, in which memorization and fear of details have the precedence?

3 factual-event like dimension factual-event like dimension the systematic one the systematic one the cultural one the cultural one finally the serial dimension finally the serial dimension History as a subject, in Romania, at the beginning of the 90’s history’s four dimensions:

4 In Romania, considering the European recommendations, teaching history stipulates: In Romania, considering the European recommendations, teaching history stipulates: - to focus on teaching each pupil - to focus on teaching each pupil - to study history by understanding its role in the present life - to study history by understanding its role in the present life - to study history by assuming critically the role coming from the affiliation to different identities - to study history by assuming critically the role coming from the affiliation to different identities - to study history by identifying and removing the national, racist, religious prejudices); - to study history by identifying and removing the national, racist, religious prejudices); - to study the local and national history in a general course - to study the local and national history in a general course

5 Qualitative aspects that intervened at the level of normative school documents as well as the evaluation and management the new Law of Education no. 84/1995 the new Law of Education no. 84/1995 education planning education planning syllabi syllabi textbooks textbooks

6 The appearance of the new plan caused the creation of syllabi characterized by: Humanity Humanity Instrumentalism Instrumentalism A feeling of affiliation A feeling of affiliation Decreasing the number of the classes Decreasing the number of the classes

7 The history schoolbooks “holly” books written before 1989 “holly” books written before 1989 after 1990 the ideological aspect was removed after 1990 the ideological aspect was removed History and Tradition of Minorities → a new expression of the national multiculturalism History and Tradition of Minorities → a new expression of the national multiculturalism

8 Internal and external aspects related to formation of teachers rich illustrative and auxiliary material added rich illustrative and auxiliary material added international seminars international seminars aspects of the History of The Black Sea aspects of the History of The Black Sea teaching the History of Communism in the Ex-Communist Countries teaching the History of Communism in the Ex-Communist Countries the Alternative History Textbooks the Alternative History Textbooks teaching Holocaust teaching Holocaust

9 The National Office for Evaluation and Examination’s (S.N.E.E) tasks exam planning and the structure of their subjects exam planning and the structure of their subjects planning the structure of the subjects for the Olympics planning the structure of the subjects for the Olympics the national standards the national standards

10 The new education plan for secondary school and The School of Arts and Craftsmanship (SAM) for secondary school and The School of Arts and Craftsmanship (SAM) the X-th form as the last form of the mandatory general education hey suggested even at the level of The national Committee different patterns of teaching-learning history that are still under project. the X-th form as the last form of the mandatory general education hey suggested even at the level of The national Committee different patterns of teaching-learning history that are still under project.

11 The principles of conceiving new history syllabi: they should be further focused on objectives or competences supporting the real performances and the personal and professional development; they should be further focused on objectives or competences supporting the real performances and the personal and professional development; there should be issued some programme that can have a control system of the quality in education, by formative evaluation and examinations focused on performances not on repeating knowledge; there should be issued some programme that can have a control system of the quality in education, by formative evaluation and examinations focused on performances not on repeating knowledge; the central idea of the programmes that is they should be achieved ( the selection of the contents) by underlying the long time results and not necessarily the results used at present (learning to get marks or for examinations). the central idea of the programmes that is they should be achieved ( the selection of the contents) by underlying the long time results and not necessarily the results used at present (learning to get marks or for examinations).

12 To the principle “I know what to do” and not “ How much I should know” 1.Modules that comprise general directory guide lines of history that should be studied chronologically and thematically but they should allow several epochs and phenomena to be studied in detail.The comprised contents in the same module would be the information both in the world history and Romanian history. 1.Modules that comprise general directory guide lines of history that should be studied chronologically and thematically but they should allow several epochs and phenomena to be studied in detail.The comprised contents in the same module would be the information both in the world history and Romanian history. 2.The second proposal aims at the study of some essential problems of mankind in the three forms in secondary school ( for example The State, Institutions, Wars etc) in which the general phenomenon should be presented, particularized in examples of world history and of our country’s. 2.The second proposal aims at the study of some essential problems of mankind in the three forms in secondary school ( for example The State, Institutions, Wars etc) in which the general phenomenon should be presented, particularized in examples of world history and of our country’s. 3. Finally the third proposal reiterates the study of problems of the world history in two years’ time and in the final year the study of the national history with the accent on four big problems : origin, continuity, struggle for emancipation and unity. 3. Finally the third proposal reiterates the study of problems of the world history in two years’ time and in the final year the study of the national history with the accent on four big problems : origin, continuity, struggle for emancipation and unity.

13 Measures regarding the textbooks introduction of formative courses for the authors of the textbooks considering that such courses have not existed at all so far. introduction of formative courses for the authors of the textbooks considering that such courses have not existed at all so far. competition for authors not for printing houses; competition for authors not for printing houses; choosing the contents and images should not favored the clichés, prejudices or racism; choosing the contents and images should not favored the clichés, prejudices or racism; images should not be chosen to make the textbook more attractive but to arouse discussions to illustrate and complete the text and help evaluate it; images should not be chosen to make the textbook more attractive but to arouse discussions to illustrate and complete the text and help evaluate it; there should be a right balance between narration and analysis, exercises and documents in the history textbooks and they should allow the individual and formative learning. Let us not forget that the textbook belongs to the pupil and we teach historic pedagogy not academic science in class. there should be a right balance between narration and analysis, exercises and documents in the history textbooks and they should allow the individual and formative learning. Let us not forget that the textbook belongs to the pupil and we teach historic pedagogy not academic science in class.

14 Evaluation Evaluation should be achieved from evaluation objectives that are based on national performance standards. should be achieved from evaluation objectives that are based on national performance standards. the national evaluations: reintroduce the status of mandatory subject, for history for both national examinations the national evaluations: reintroduce the status of mandatory subject, for history for both national examinations investigation and project investigation and project

15 Formation of the teachers of history project and evaluation project and evaluation more auxiliary didactic materials more auxiliary didactic materials to use the computer to use the computer

16 The new direction regarding teaching history in school the formation of competence, abilities, values and attitudes in pupils the formation of competence, abilities, values and attitudes in pupils a more flexible curriculum a more flexible curriculum removing the pressure exercised upon the study of history that is coming from the politics. removing the pressure exercised upon the study of history that is coming from the politics.