History education is a field that is increasingly more complex, challenging and sensitive, yet with growing demands for increase in math and science, and generally the tremendous growth in the overall amount of information students are nowadays confronted with, the subject of history is shrinking in many countries. More and more so, students are relying on ready-made information and as research shows the thinking capacity and skills are diminishing.
There are also new challenges introduced within the past few years. The young generation is growing up in a different world from that of their teachers – they are growing up in a global online society, developing very different approaches to accessing and processing information and learning, which require adjustment in teaching methodologies and approaches. History education provided by a well trained educator offers independent thinking skills, ability to evaluate, analyze, and categorize information.
Another challenge to teachers is presented by rapid diversification of the European societies, introducing sensitivities related to students’ identities that pose challenges to history education. Teachers are not trained to cope with the changing situation and are often left feeling frustrated and helpless. In many such instances, they resort to avoiding the sensitive topics altogether. That is however not a solution that can support development of truly diverse and inclusive democratic societies. Modern methods in history education stress multiperspectivity, engagement of diverging narratives, attention to peoples’ identities, inclusion. It is essential that teachers have continuous access to such training.
Challenges to lifelong learning and professional development in history education:
It is increasingly more and more recognized that lifelong learning is an essential component of any professional workforce. It is particularly crucial in teaching vocations in a rapidly changing social environment, presenting new needs and demands.
Teachers are expected to get continuous training, participate in professional development events and activities and follow in-service activities which are not directly in line with school policy and needs.
However, there is little direct support for training and development of teachers. 94% of asked teachers views teacher training essential, but only 12% is able to participate regardless of the cost. Less than 32% of teachers participating in teacher training events get training costs and missed time covered. Nearly 10% does not get any support towards missed time nor towards training costs. The rest are in-between. 44% feels that it is either very difficult or impossible to attend teacher training events due to costs or policies.
EUROCLIO and partner organization find the current situation unfair and unsustainable. Teacher Leave, without which lifelong learning and professional development of educators is impossible, is in need of attention on top European level. |
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Recognizing the growing need for continuing professional training and development of teachers, responding to the changing learning needs of the upcoming generations by the information technology revolution, and realizing the following need for a widespread shift in teacher training from focus on information delivery to focus on skills delivery, EUROCLIO – the European Association of History Educators together with partner organisations, education policy developers and implementers, and European political leaders to join forces in enabling teachers to make professional development and training a normal part of their professional lives.
We aim to lift the obstacles that prevent teachers from full professional development: unpaid leave or inability to take time off for training events, insufficient financial support for participation in such events, etc. With a concerted effort, we can change the quality of continuing education, and by proxy the quality of education of future generations. |
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