Toward Historical Understanding: Leveraging Cognitive Psychology for Progression in School History

Abstract

History teaching and learning make intellectual demands on both teachers and students, requiring them to travel back in time and engage with complex issues and distant lifestyles. History education research advocates the use of approaches that portray History as an intellectually engaging subject but the application of cognitive research to History has not received much attention in recent times. This article focuses on the role of cognitive psychology in the teaching and learning of History and argues for a linkage between Piaget’s concept of intellectual development and History pedagogy. The article suggests that even though the application of substantive and procedural concepts are necessary for attaining historical understanding, thoughtful consideration of the cognitive processes of knowledge construction is essential for progression in thinking and understanding.