History School Textbooks Evolution In Russia

Abstract

The present article is devoted to some methodical aspects of History textbooks describing the pre-revolutionary, Soviet and modern periods in the History of Russia. To conduct our study, we took a historical approach to the issue. The archive records we have explored, the textbooks under analysis and the studies conducted by the research workers have helped us to examine the peculiarities of History textbooks evolution in Russia over several historical periods. The article analyzes the issues topical for the national school. The issues are connected with the role of a History textbook in the teaching process and the search of its perfect model. We attempt to demonstrate the importance of the balance between the historical information represented in textbooks and mostly aimed at the formation of the national patriotism and an independent imaginative and critical thinking of students. The authors study the influence of historical events and changing state ideology on the content of History textbooks. They highlight the achievements and problems of the process of History textbooks development. They also demonstrate the difficulties that modern History teachers face. These difficulties emerged when a new line of Russian History school textbooks appeared, which were developed on the basis of the History-cultural standard after the year of 2015. The article proves that History textbooks should not only address the challenges of the modern period and breakthrough methodical ideas of the western world, but also take into consideration the experience, peculiarities and traditions of the national education.