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Historical Thinking and Controversial Issues in Social Studies Education

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Controversial Issues and Social Problems for an Integrated Disciplinary Teaching

Part of the book series: Integrated Science ((IS,volume 8))

Abstract

This chapter proposes a direct relationship between historical thinking and the analysis and comprehension of controversial issues for the history education of younger generations. It advocates the importance of working on controversial issues in History and Social Studies classes, considering conflict as an analytical parameter. Studying burning issues which are relevant to students’ lives makes it possible to question the processes of explanatory naturalisation of certain historical phenomenon. Historical thinking and its skills seek the acquisition of strategies and abilities for the development of a critical and democratic citizenship. Thinking historically requires gaining an awareness of historical problems of the past and the present, making them relevant and relating them with the students’ own personal experiences.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been carried out through the funding of two ongoing projects and to whose teams the authors belong. The first entitled “The geographical and historical thinking of primary education students in the Region of Murcia: an innovative methodological proposal for quality education (20874/PI/18), funded by Fundación” Séneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia (Spain). The second is “The teaching and learning of historical competences at baccalaureate level: a challenge for critical and democratic citizenship” funded by MCIN (PID2020-113453RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    Pedro Miralles

  2. University of Valle, Cali, Colombia

    Nilson Javier Ibagón

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  1. Pedro Miralles
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  2. Nilson Javier Ibagón
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Correspondence to Nilson Javier Ibagón .

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  1. Department of Specific Didactics, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain

    Delfín Ortega-Sánchez

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Miralles, P., Ibagón, N.J. (2022). Historical Thinking and Controversial Issues in Social Studies Education. In: Ortega-Sánchez, D. (eds) Controversial Issues and Social Problems for an Integrated Disciplinary Teaching. Integrated Science, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08697-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08697-7_6

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