City Women’s College Jankipuram Branch

[Link]. Semester-2nd
Paper – Pedagogy Of History
Unit -1st Understanding The Nature Of Subject & Discipline

Q1. What do you mean by modern concept of history?

Ans: Modern history has gone beyond the traditional status of an antiquarian and leisure time
pursuit to a very useful and indispensible part of a man’s education. It is more scientific and more
comprehensive. It has expanded in all directions both vertically and horizontally. It has become
broad-based and attractive. According to modern concept, history does not contain only the history
of kings and queens, battles and generals, but the history of the common man-his house and
clothing, his fields and their cultivation, his continued efforts to protect his home and hearth, and to
obtain a just government, his aspirations, achievements, disappointments, defeats and failures. It is
not only the individual but the communities and the societies are the subject of study of history.
Study of history deepens our understanding of the potentialities and limitations of the present. It has
thus become a future-oriented study related to contemporary problems. For all these reasons,
history has assumed the role of a human science.

Q2. Write down meaning and definitions of history?

Ans: The origin of the word History is associated with the Greek word ‘Historia’ which means
‘information’ or ‘an enquiry designed to elicit truth’. History has been defined differently by different
scholars. Following definitions indicate the meaning and scope of History. Burckhardt: “History is the
record of what one age finds worthy of note in another.” Henry Johnson: “History, in its broadest
sense, is everything that ever happened.” Smith,V.S: “The value and interest of history depend largely
on the degree in which the present is illuminated by the past.” Rapson: “History is a connected
account of the course of events or progress of ideas.” NCERT: “History is the scientific study of past
happenings in all their aspects, in the life of a social group, in the light of present happenings.”

Jawaharlal Nehru: “History is the story of Man’s struggle through the ages against Nature and the
elements; against wild beasts and the jungle and some of his own kind who have tried to keep him
down and to exploit him for their own benefit.” The above definitions explain History as a significant
records of events of the past, a meaningful story of mankind depicting the details of what happened
to man and why it happened. Mainly it deals with the human world.

Q3. What do you mean by nature of history?

Ans. 1. A study of the present in the light of the past: The present has evolved out of the past.
Modern history enables us to understand how society has come to its present form so that one may
intelligently interpret the sequence of events. The causal relationships between the selected
happenings are unearthed that help in revealing the nature of happenings and framing of general
laws.

2. History is the study of man: History deals with man’s struggle through the ages. History is not
static. By selecting “innumerable biographies” and presenting their lives in the appropriate social
context and the ideas in the human context, we understand the sweep of events. grown out of the
past.

3. History is concerned with man in time: It deals with a series of events and each event occurs at a
given point in time. Human history, in fact, is the process of human development in time. It is time
which affords a perspective to events and lends a charm that brightens up the past.

4. History is concerned with man in space: The interaction of man on environment and vice versa is a
dynamic one. History describes about nations and human activities in the context of their physical
and geographical environment. Out of this arise the varied trends in the political, social, economic
and cultural spheres of man’s activities and achievements.

5. Objective record of happenings: Every precaution is taken to base the data on original sources and
make them free from subjective interpretation. It helps in clear understanding of the past and
enables us to take well informed decisions. 6. Multisided: All aspects of the life of a social group are
closely interrelated and historical happenings cover all these aspects of life, not limited only to the
political aspect that had so long dominated history

Q4. What do you mean by History is Science or an Art?

Ans. History is a science in the sense that it pursues its own techniques to establish and interpret
facts. Like other natural sciences such as the Physics and Chemistry uses various methods of enquiry
such as observation, classification, experiment and formulation of hypothesis and analysis of
evidence before interpreting and reconstructing the past. History also follows the scientific method
of enquiry to find out the truth. Though historian uses scientific techniques, experiment is impossible
since history deals with events that have already happened and cannot be repeated.

Q5. Define History is both a Science and an Art?

Ans. History is a unique subject possessing the potentialities of both a science and an art. It does the
enquiry after truth, thus history is a science and is on scientific basis. It is also based on the narrative
account of the past; thus it is an art or a piece of literature. Physical and natural sciences are
impersonal, impartial and capable of experimentation. Whereas absolute impartiality is not possible
in history because the historian is a narrator and he looks at the past from a certain point of view.
History cannot remain at the level of knowing only. The construction and reconstruction of the past
are inevitable parts of history. Like the work of art, its wholeness, harmony and truth are inseparable
from a concrete and vivid appreciation of its parts. History, in fact, is a social science and an art. In
that lie its flexibility, its variety and excitement.

Q6. What is the scope of history?

Ans. The scope of History is vast; it is the story of man in relation to totality of his behavior. The
scope of history means the breadth, comprehensiveness, variety and extent of learning experiences,
provided by the study. History which was only limited to a local saga, has during the course of
century become universal history of mankind, depicting man’s achievements in every field of life-
political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, technological, religious and artistic etc., and at various
levels-local, regional, national, and international. It starts with the past; makes present its sheet-
anchor and points to the future. Events like wars, revolutions, rise and fall of empires, fortunes and
misfortunes of great empire builders as well as the masses in general are all the subject matter of
history. History is a comprehensive subject and includes-History of Geography, History of Art, History
of Culture, History of Literature, History of Civilization, History of Religion, History of Mathematics,
History of Physics, History of Chemistry, History of Education, History of Biology, History of Atom,
History of Philosophy-in fact history of any and every social, physical and natural science we are
interested in. History today has become an all-embracing, comprehensive subject with almost
limitless extent.

Q7. What are the aims of teaching History at the secondary stage?

Ans: The aims and objectives of teaching history have undergone changes with the shift in the
philosophical thinking of the time and changes in the social and political practices. Education is the
process of bringing about desirable changes in the behavior of pupils. The idea of the desirable
changes has varied at different times in accordance with the dominant philosophical creed of the
society and prevalent social and political practices. Determination of aims and objectives is necessary
to point to the broad ideals and to enable us in selecting significant and meaningful content,
teaching methods and techniques. Aims are a true compass to make our journey safe and secure in
the pedagogical sea. They are the crux and the key of the entire process of teaching and learning.
The aims of teaching history will have to be in consonance with the broader aims of education and
the objectives, which teachers should view while teaching the subject, have to be precise and
definite. Aims refer to general and long term goals whereas the Objectives indicate immediate,
specific and attainable goals.

Q8. Describe various objectives of teaching history at the secondary stage?

Ans: 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.

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.

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.

Q7. What is the need and importance of history?

Ans: Need: We need to study history to understand our past better so that we could learn from the
mistakes and figure out our future. This future should also be free of any mistakes which the society
had made in the past.

Importance: It gives a sense of identity, cultural and social background, and meaning in life. It also
teaches us about various human affairs, including religious affairs, political affairs and regional
boundaries. Knowing History and analysing its various facts can help kids to build up critical thinking.

Q8. What is the relation of history with Geography?

Ans: History and geography are closely related as they are both essential components of our
understanding of the world. Geography deals with the physical features of the earth, including
landforms, climate, and natural resources, while history deals with the events, people, and cultures
that have shaped our world over time

Q9. What is the relation of history with civics?

Ans: History is about understanding how the world works and how people have interacted with each
other in the past. Civics is about understanding how the government works and how citizens can
participate in their government.

Q10. Write down the role of contemporary academicians?

Ans: An Academician job involves research and teaching at university or college in their specialised
areas. An Academician career involves disseminating the knowledge to students in the classroom. He
or she provides lectures based on their area of specialisation.

Q11. What is the role of history teaching teaching in development of

education?

Ans: Learning about history helps us develop critical thinking skills that are essential for success in
any field. History teaches us to analyze information and draw conclusions based on evidence, rather
than simply accepting what we are told without question. History also has important social
implications.

Q12. What is the role of journals in progress of history ?

Ans: A history journal is an academic serial publication designed to present new scholarship on a
historical subject, usually a subfield of history, with articles generally being subjected to peer review.