The Scottish Government is being advised to think again about the way history is taught in school.
The subject is in danger of being “diluted” under the Curriculum for Excellence framework introduced in schools this year, warns a working group headed by a senior Dundee academic.
The group from the Royal Society of Edinburgh also criticises Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) for a lack of quality and accuracy in its resource materials.
The team was chaired by Professor Christopher Whatley, Dundee University vice-principal and head of the college of arts and social sciences.
“History has the capacity to fascinate young people and stimulate learners’ imaginations,” said Prof Whatley.
“The RSE working group takes the view that history, with its emphasis on proof, the rigorous testing of evidence and assumptions, clarity of thought and expression and the development of coherent argument is a critical part of a fit-for-purpose school education.”
While the group welcomed the active learning components of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), it feared that was at the expense of “the acquisition of discipline-based knowledge and the skills that the discipline of history imparts.”
The working group pointed to the role LTS plays with regard to web-based history resources for higher teaching and GLOW.Too much about the 1930sThe working group also lamented the lack of exposure to a range of different historical periods in some schools.
The report states some schools appeared to concentrate excessively on the period leading up to the second world war and Hitler and the Nazis.
The working group was convinced the practice of studying a topic from S2 level right through to Advanced Higher “results in a highly restricted, distorted, unbalanced, boring and even negative historical learning experience and strongly recommends that this practice cease.”
The report pointed out the uncertainty surrounding the form and content of the qualifications, to be introduced in 2013-14, is proving a challenge to secondary school teachers.
It said the loss of principal teachers of history meant there was little in the way of leadership for the subject in schools.
The report has been presented to members of the history excellence group.
“We strongly encourage the Scottish Government and all in the history education community in Scotland to engage with the main findings contained within this report,” added Professor Whatley.
A Learning and Teaching Scotland spokesman said, “LTS support materials for national qualifications are developed in association with a number of experts and academics.”