HISTORIOGRAPHICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL TRENDS IN THE TEACHING AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF HISTORY IN A CHANGING SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

Historiografiese en metodologiese strominge in die onderrig en kurrikulumontwikkelingsproses van Geskiedenis in 'n veranderende Suid-Afrika Suid-Afrika is tans op die vooraand van insiggewende veranderinge op onderwysvlak. Geskiedenis as vak staan baie duidelik sentraal in hierdie veranderinge. Hiervan spreek die kontroversie om die vak boekdele. Die dryfvere vir hervertolking, innovasie en vernuwing van geskiedenissillabusse oor die afgelope aantal jare het aan etlike nuwe strukture of prosesse beslag gegee. Sommige strukture is as kontroversieël gesien, en ander is te emosioneel verbonde aan die apartheidsverlede. Die koorsagtige haas vir regstellende veranderinge van geskiedenisinhoud, sowel as die verwydering van die benaming "Geskiedenis" op skoolvlak kan in só 'n mate eerste prioriteit word dat universele tendense in geskiedenisonderrig (metodologies en historiografies) geïgnoreer kan word, of selfs in die volgende paar jaar in Suid-Afrika kan stagneer.

In a dynamically changing South Africa, History as subject holds a key position in the striving for change. The former provincial education departments are regarded to have been autocrative white eurocentric systems. To date history syllabi used in South Africa were developed by associated members and specialists of these departments. The drive for reinterpretation, innovation and revitalisation of history syllabi over the past years gave rise to numerous discussions and new structures - some of which are regarded as quite controversial, emotional and belonging to the so-called apartheid past. So feverish may the quest for affirmative change in the contents, and even the name of History on school level, become that for example universal trends in History teaching (methodologically and historiographically) might sadly stagnate or be totally neglected in South Africa in the years to come.