LEARNING HISTORY
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of history.
2. Explain the significance of history.
The origin of the word History is associated with the Greek word ‘Historia’ which means
‘information’ or ‘an enquiry designed to elicit truth’.
History is the study of life in society in the past, in all its aspect, in relation to present
developments and future hopes. It is the story of man in time, an inquiry into the past based
on evidence. Indeed, evidence is the raw material of history teaching and learning. It is an
Inquiry into what happened in the past, when it happened, and how it happened. It is an
inquiry into the inevitable changes in human affairs in the past and the ways these changes
affect, influence or determine the patterns of life in the society. History is, or should be an
attempt to re-think the past. Collingwood (1945) is particularly interested in this concept of
history.
History aims at helping students to understand the present existing social, political, religious
and economic conditions of the people. Without the knowledge of history, we cannot have the
background of our religion, customs institutions, administration and so on. The teaching of
history helps the students to explain the present, to analyze it and to trace its course. Cause
and-effect relationship between the past and the present is lively presented in the history.
History thus helps us to understand the present day problems both at the national and
international level accurately and objectively.
Objectives of teaching History
1. Knowledge: The pupil should acquire
knowledge of terms, concepts, facts, events,
symbols, ideas, conventions, problems,
trends, personalities, chronology and
generalizations, etc. related to the study of
history. The pupil should be able to:
 Recall facts, terms, concepts, events, etc;
 Recognize facts, terms, concepts, events,
etc;
 Show information on maps, charts,
diagrams, etc;
 Read information presented in various
forms.
2. Understanding: The pupil should develop
understanding of terms, facts, principal
events,
trends, etc, related to the study of history.
The pupil should be able to:
 Classify facts, events, terms, and
concepts, etc;
 Illustrate events, trends, etc., by citing
examples;
 Compare and contrast the events, trends
and concepts, etc;
 Explain events, terms, and concepts,
causes and effects, trends, etc;
 Discriminate between the significant and
insignificant, important and less
important causes, effects events, etc;
 Identify relationship between cause and
effect, means and ends;
 Arrange facts, trends, etc., in a particular
known order;
 Detect errors in the statement and rectify
them;
 Interpret the maps, charts, etc. and
 Extract from the different courses of
history.
3. Critical Thinking: The subject should
enable the pupils to develop critical
thinking. The
pupil should be able to:
 Identify the problems;
 Analyze the problems;
 Collect evidence;
 Sift evidence, facts and opinion;
 Select relevant evidence and facts and
weigh them;
 Establish relationship and marshal facts;
 Draw conclusions;
 Advance arguments in support of his
contention;
 Verify the interferences.
4. Practical Skills: The subject should enable
the pupils to develop practical skills helpful
in
the study and understanding of historical
facts. The pupil should be able to:
 Draw maps, charts, diagrams, etc;
 Prepare models, tools, etc.
5. Interests: The subject should enable the
pupil to develop interest in the study of
history.
The pupil, on his own, should be able to:
 Collect coins and other historical
materials;
 Prepare illustrative material aids;
 Participate in historical dramas and mock
sessions of historical events;
 Visit places of historical interests,
archeological sites, museums and archives;
 Read historical documents, maps and
charts;
 Write articles on historical and other
related topics.
6. Attitudes: The subject should enable the
pupil to develop healthy social attitudes. The
pupil should:
 Possess the sense of patriotism;
 Show respect towards other people’s
opinion, ideas, beliefs and ways of life;
 Read about other faiths and religions;
 Establish friendship with pupils of other
communities and faiths;
 Practice the spirit of noble ideal;
 Cooperate with others in the social and
civic activities;
Appreciate cultural variations; contributions
made by various countries, interdependence
of nations and peoples and the need for
settling disputes among nations in a peaceful
manner through world organizations like the
U.N.O.