Merits and Demerits of Applying Theories of History Education

Abstract

In spite of the possible merits of adopting new perspectives on history education for history teaching, recent theory application to history curriculum and textbooks has been showing noticeable harmful effects. First, the principle of sequence, without critical consideration of its rationale and adaptability, has unsuccessfully sustained as a guideline in selecting and organizing contents, resulting inconsiderate and almost incomprehensible textbook accounts for both teachers and students. Differentiating topics or themes for primary and secondary school levels often hampered easy to follow description of historical events, thus requiring more efforts of reconnecting separated topics, events, and periods. Second, the argument for the integration of Korean and World history together for junior high level was implemented by juxtaposing Korean history units and World history units awkwardly, obscuring its purpose of broadening students’ historical perspective. In addition, too much emphasis on interactions and exchanges between cultures and regions of the world forced textbook authors to enumerate cases and evidences of these activities without proper consideration of their historical significance. Problems of sequence and integration of Korean and world history are too serious for classroom history teaching to be regarded just as transitional process of adaptation. Effectiveness of their theory application should be reconsidered in order to remedy its disadvantages.